K. E. Gnanavel Raja
Born
Occupation(s)Film producer, Distributor
Years active2006–present
SpouseNeha Gnanavelraja

K. E. Gnanavel Raja is an Indian film producer and entrepreneur from Tamil Nadu, India. He initially began his career by producing and distributing films starring Suriya and Karthi, before branching out to own two studios — Studio Green and Aadnah Arts[1]

Personal life

Gnanavel Raja is married to Neha Gnanavel.[2]

Career

Gnanavel Raja nurtured an interest in becoming a film producer since his childhood, and revealed that he would regularly skip classes from his school days at St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Chennai to watch film screenings at the nearby Devi or Sathyam cinema halls. Gnanavel Raja is also distantly related to actor Sivakumar's family, though has often been labelled by the media as the cousin of Sivakumar's sons Suriya and Karthi.[3]

After founding Studio Green, he entered the production business by producing Sillunu Oru Kaadhal (2006) starring Suriya in the lead role, and then solely collaborated with the actor and his brother Karthi as a producer or distributor for several of their films until 2012. Several of the studio's films including Paruthiveeran (2007), Singam (2010) and Naan Mahaan Alla (2010) were profitable, while dubbed releases of the films in Andhra Pradesh also helped the market of the two actors amongst Telugu-speaking audiences.[4][5][6] His first success as a distributor for another actor's films was through Attakathi (2012), and he subsequently enjoyed further success from the distribution of Kumki (2012) and Soodhu Kavvum (2013).[7]

Despite minor setbacks through the commercial failures of Alex Pandian (2013) and All in All Azhagu Raja (2013), Gnanavel Raja experienced success with small-budget productions such as Pa. Ranjith's Madras (2014), Indru Netru Naalai (2015) and Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum (2016). Likewise distribution deals secured for O Kadhal Kanmani (2015), 36 Vayathinile (2015) and Trisha Illana Nayanthara (2015) also proved to be profitable. Other setbacks came in the form of the release deal for Uttama Villain (2015) and during the release of Komban (2015), where protesters claimed that the story revolved around animosity between different caste groups and that it therefore had the potential to incite violence in southern districts of Tamil Nadu.[8]

During 2016, Gnanavel Raja became involved in a series of clashes with other filmmakers, effectively raising his profile as an individual in the film industry. In May 2016, he was briefly on a hunger strike protesting against the effects of piracy on his latest release, 24 (2016).[9][10] The following month he called for a ban on future films by Karthik Subbaraj citing that the director had overshot the budget for Iraivi (2016) and that the film had showed producers in negative light.[11] He later called out actor Sivakarthikeyan for failing to honour an acting commitment he had to Studio Green.[12]

In early 2017, Gnanavel Raja criticised the existing Tamil Film Producers Council for failing to adequately tackle piracy, before successfully getting himself elected to the board as the Secretary.[13][14] He resigned seven months later, hoping to become the President of Chennai Kanchipuram Thiruvallur District Film Distributors Association, but was eventually unsuccessful.[15] In a press conference in late 2017, he indirectly criticised actors Silambarasan, Trisha and Vadivelu for giving film producers a difficult time.[16]

Alongside Studio Green, he later set up Aadnah Arts and Blue Ghost Pictures, which has two horror films set for release in 2018.[17]

Companies

  • Studio Green (2006—present)
  • Aadnah Arts / Blue Ghost Pictures (2017— 23/07/2021)[18]

Filmography

Production

YearTitleCastDirectorNotes
2006Sillunu Oru KaadhalSuriya, Jyothika, Bhoomika ChawlaN. Krishna
2010SingamSuriya, Anushka ShettyHariVijay Award for Entertainer of the Year
Naan Mahaan AllaKarthi, Kajal AggarwalSuseenthiranNominated – Vijay Award for Favourite Film
2011SiruthaiKarthi, TamannaahSivaNominated – Vijay Award for Favourite Film
2013Alex PandianKarthi, Anushka ShettySuraj
All in All Azhagu RajaKarthi, Kajal AggarwalM. Rajesh
BiriyaniKarthi, Hansika MotwaniVenkat Prabhu
2014MadrasKarthi, Catherine TresaPa. Ranjith
2015DarlingG. V. Prakash Kumar, Nikki GalraniSam Anton
KombanKarthi, Lakshmi MenonM. Muthaiah
Massu Engira MasilamaniSuriya, Nayantara, Pranitha SubhashVenkat Prabhu
Indru Netru NaalaiVishnu Vishal, Miya, KarunakaranR. Ravikumar
2016Kadhalum Kadandhu PogumVijay Sethupathi, Madonna SebastianNalan Kumarasamy
IraiviS. J. Surya, Vijay Sethupathi, Bobby Simha, AnjaliKarthik Subbaraj
Darling 2Kalaiyarasan, Rameez Raja, Kaali Venkat, RamdossSathish Chandrasekaran
2017Si3Suriya, Shruti Haasan, Anushka ShettyHari
2018Thaanaa Serndha KoottamSuriya, Keerthy Suresh, Ramya KrishnanVignesh Shivan
GhajinikanthArya, SayyeshaaSanthosh P. Jayakumar
NOTAVijay Devarakonda, Mehreen Pirzada, Sathyaraj, NassarAnand Shankar
’’Irutu arayil Muratu Kuthu’’Gautham KarthikRanjith P Jeyakumar
2019Mehandi CircusMadhampatty Rangaraj, Shweta Tripathi, Vela RamamoorthyRaju Saravanan
DevarattamGautham Karthik, Manjima Mohan, SooriM. Muthaiah
Mr. LocalSivakarthikeyan, NayantharaM. Rajesh
2021TeddyArya, SayyeshaaShakti Soundar Rajan
2022ThealPrabhu Deva, Samyuktha HegdeHarikumar
2023Pathu ThalaSilambarasan, Gautham Karthik, Gautham Vasudev MenonObeli N. Krishna
ThangalaanChiyaan Vikram, Parvathy, Malavika Mohanan, PasupathyPa. Ranjith
80s BuildupSanthanam, Radhika Preethi, R. Sundarrajan, K. S. RavikumarKalyaan
2024KanguvaSuriya, Disha PataniSiva

Distribution

YearTitleCast/CrewLanguageNotes
2007Nuvvu Nenu PremaSuriya, Jyothika, Bhumika ChawlaTeluguDubbed version of Sillunu Oru Kaadhal
2010Yuganiki OkkaduKarthi, Reema Sen, Andrea JeremiahTeluguDubbed version of Aayirathil Oruvan
AwaraKarthi, Tamannaah, Milind SomanTeluguDubbed version of Paiyaa
YamuduSuriya, Anushka Shetty, Prakash RajTeluguDubbed version of Singam
2011Na Peru ShivaKarthi, Kajal Aggarwal, JayaprakashTeluguDubbed version of Naan Mahaan Alla
2012SaguniKarthi, PranithaTamil
AttakathiAttakathi Dinesh, Nandita SwethaTamil
Kumki[19]Vikram Prabhu, Lakshmi MenonTamil
2013Kedi Billa Killadi RangaVimal, Sivakarthikeyan, Bindu Madhavi, Regina CassandraTamil
Soodhu KavvumVijay Sethupathi, Sanchita ShettyTamil
Yamudu IISuriya, Anushka Shetty, Hansika MotwaniTeluguDubbed version of Singam II
Pizza II: VillaAshok Selvan, Sanchita ShettyTamil
2014Vallavanukku Pullum AayudhamSanthanam, Ashna ZaveriTamil
2015O Kadhal KanmaniMani Ratnam, A. R. Rahman, Dulquer Salmaan, Nithya MenenTamil
36 VayathinileRosshan Andrrews, Jyothika, RahmanTamil
Uttama VillainKamal Haasan, K.Balachander, Ramesh Aravind, Urvashi, Andrea Jeremiah, Pooja Kumar, Parvathi Menon, Parvathy NairTamil
Baahubali: The BeginningS. S. Rajamouli, Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, TamannaahTamil
Trisha Illana NayantharaAdhik Ravichandran, G. V. Prakash Kumar, Anandhi, Manisha Yadav, SimranTamil
2015Pasanga 2: HaikuNishesh, Vaishnavi, Suriya, Amala PaulTamil
201624Suriya, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nithya Menen, Vikram KumarTamil[20][21][22][23][24]
2017Hara Hara MahadevakiGautham Karthik, Nikki GalraniTamil
2018Iruttu Araiyil Murattu KuththuGautham Karthik, Vaibhavi ShandilyaTamil
2019Chikati Gadilo ChithakotuduAdith Arun, Nikki TamboliTeluguRemake of Iruttu Araiyil Murattu Kuththu

References

  1. "Gananavel Raja's Reception - Ke Gnanavelraja - Karthi - Tamil Movie News - Behindwoods.com". www.behindwoods.com.
  2. "Producer Gnanavel Raja's wife rants on Twitter, calls heroines 'homewreckers', 'bed ready'". The News Minute. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  3. Menon, Vishal (14 May 2016). "'Distribution is an art form'". The Hindu.
  4. "Siruthai trailer launched". www.sify.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018.
  5. "Karthi Celebrates His Success". www.behindwoods.com.
  6. "Karthi – Tamil Movie News – Karthi's hat-trick – Karthi – Naan Mahaan Alla – Paiyya – Aayirathil Oruvan". www.behindwoods.com.
  7. "I Was Surprised To See A Character Like Myself In This Film". www.behindwoods.com.
  8. "HC verdict on "Komban" today". The Hindu. 1 April 2015.
  9. "24's distributor Gnanavel Raja goes an indefinite hunger against piracy". www.behindwoods.com. 13 May 2016.
  10. "'24' Producer Gnanavel Raja Goes On Indefinite Hunger Strike". News 18.
  11. "Red card to be issued against 'Iraivi' director Karthik Subbaraj?". www.sify.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016.
  12. Upadhyaya, Prakash. "3 producers up in arms against Sivakarthikeyan; did he point them as troublemakers at Remo success meet?". International Business Times.
  13. "Gnanavel Raja blames TFPC for piracy in Kollywood". Times of India.
  14. ""I will put you in jail and live stream it"-Gnanavel Raja's angry speech". www.indiaglitz.com.
  15. "Arulpathi defeats Gnanavel Raja". www.sify.com. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017.
  16. "Did Kollywood's leading producer Gnanavel Raja take a dig at Trisha and Simbu?". The Indian Express. 16 November 2017.
  17. "Vijay Varadharaj's Pallu Padama Paathukka officially announced". www.behindwoods.com. 2 January 2018.
  18. India, Masters. "KUPPUSWAMY ESWARAN GNANAVELRAJA GST Number - 33AGAPG5673M1ZA". Masters India. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  19. "Timesofap". Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  20. "'24' worldwide box office collection: Suriya-starrer grosses Rs. 100 crore". Indian Business Times. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  21. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY SURIYA". IndiaGlitz. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  22. "Highest Grossing Tamil Movies 2016 (Overseas): 'Theri,' '24' rule the box office in first half of the year". Indian Business Times. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  23. "'24' Success Celebrations: Suriya's Thanksgiving Letter Will Move You!". Filmibeat. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  24. "CHENNAI BOX OFFICE MAY 27TH TO MAY 29TH". IndiaGlitz. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
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