Ramachandran Raju Wiki, Height, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Ramachandran Raju is an Indian actor who has worked in a lot of South Indian films. He is best known for playing the role of Garuda, the main antagonist, in the film, KGF: Chapter One. Apart from working in the Kannada Film Industry, Ramachandran Raju has also worked in the Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam film industries.

Wiki/Biography

Ramachandran Raju was born on Monday, 7 July 1980 (age 42 years; as of 2022) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 0″

Weight (approx.): 75 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Body Measurements (approx.): 46-32-16

Family

Not much information is available about his parents’ names or professions.

Parents & Siblings

He has a younger brother named Madhu Gowda.

He has another brother named Venkatswamy Raju, who is an entrepreneur.

Wife & Children

His wife’s name is Suma Raju. She is a Doctor by profession. The couple got married on 21 February 2014.

He has an elder son named Reyansh. He was born on 26 March 2016.

He has a younger daughter named Teeyara. She was born on 21 November 2019.

Religion/Religious Views

Ramachandran Raju is a Hindu.

Career

Ramachandran’s big debut as a villain

Ramachandran Raju made his debut as a lead villain in the film, KGF: Chapter One. In the film, he played the role of Garuda. The role for the film was offered to him in 2016, and the movie was released in 2018.

The director of the film, Prasanth Neel, selected Ramachandran for the negative role, as soon as he saw him. During an interview, Ramachandran Raju said,

I was there as a bodyguard to Yash boss. I was calmly standing beside Yash when the director Prasanth Neel had come to his house to offer him the main lead role for the movie, KGF. He saw me, and took a big long gaze at me and asked Yash if I could come to his office for an audition. I did not know what was actually going on and was standing there in utter confusion. Yash boss immediately agreed to send me to Prasanth Neel’s office, where I gave my audition for the film in which I was later on chosen to debut.”

Growth by leaps and bound in the career after KGF

Ramachandran Raju instantly became a super-hit in the South Indian film industry. Since 2018, he has received lots of offers from different movie producers. In 2021, he played the role of Jayaseelan, in the Tamil blockbuster film, Sultan. The movie was loved by Ramachandran’s fans. This was his debut film in the Tamil film industry.

In the same year, he played the role of Pedha Perumal, in the Tamil super hit film, Kodiyil Oruvan.

Ramachandran Raju, in 2021, was also selected for a role in the film, AV33. In 2021, Ramachandran Raju played the role of Dhanunjay in the Telugu film, Maha Samudram.

In 2021, he played the role of Tandava in the Kannada blockbuster movie, Madhagaja.

Ramachandra Raju played the role of a character named JD in the Kannada film, Rider. The film was released in 2021.

Ramachandran Raju, in 2021, portrayed the character of Anand Baali, in the film Bhala Thandanana.

In 2022, he made his debut in the Malayali film titled, Aaraattu. He portrayed the role of a character named, Bada Raju. In the film, he acted alongside the famous Malayali actor, Mohan Lal.

In 2022, Ramachandran Raju made two cameo appearances. His first cameo appearance was in the title song of a blockbuster Telugu film titled, Bheemla Nayak, in which he played the role of a prisoner. His other cameo was in the film KGF: Chapter Two, as Garuda, where he is shown in a flashback story of Garuda.

Garuda’s upcoming films

In 2021, Ramachandran Raju was offered a pivotal role in the Tamil film titled, Jana Gana Mana. In the same year, Ramachandran Raju was offered a role in a Malayali film, Sthambam 2. For the film, the actor was offered a lead role.

Awards, Honours, Achievements

• In 2019, Ramachandran Raju won the Zee Kannada Hemmeya Kannadiga Awards, in the ‘Best Villain’ category.
  

  Ramachandran Raju, receiving the Zee Kannada Award for the Best Villain

• In 2019, Ramachandran Raju was nominated for the 8th South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA), in the ‘Best Actor in a Negative Role’ category.

• In 2019, Ramachandran Raju won the Chitra Santhe Award for the Best Villain; for the film, KGF: Chapter One.
  

  Ramachandran Raju receiving Chitra Santhe Best Villain Award for KGF: Chapter One

Car Collection

• Ramachandran Raju owns a Toyota Fortuner TRD.
  

  Ramachandran Raju with his Toyota Fortuner TRD

• He also owns a Hummer.
  

  Ramachandran Raju with his Hummer

Facts/Trivia

• Ramachandran Raju is also known by the name, Garuda Rama.

• Before making his big debut, Ramachandran Raju worked as a driver and was the personal bodyguard of Yash. ^[1]CNN-News 18

• Ramachandran Raju’s fans recognise him as Garuda. Across the country, there are several fan clubs named after his character from KGF. The fan clubs are called ‘Garuda Fan Club. During an interview, Ramachandran stated,
  

  I absolutely love it when people recognise me by my screen name Garuda. They look at me and say, its Garuda. I never had imagined that I will be loved so much by so many people across the country.”

• Ramachandran Raju has known Yash, for nearly a decade. In an interview, he said,
  

  I have known Yash since Moggina Manasu days. In fact, I have been friends with Yash and director Anil for so many years and we all wanted to work together someday. Nothing concrete came up. We were waiting for the right project to show up.” ^[2]The Hindu

  

  Ramachandran Raju working as a bodyguard of Yash

• The KGF actor Yash supported Ramachandran Raju’s dreams of becoming an actor and supported him in every way he could. While giving an interview, Ramachandran said,
  

  Yash boss supported me when I needed him the most. He once told me, that I should just focus on enhancing my acting skills. He supported me financially as well. This I can never forget.”

• Yash is Ramachandran Raju’s idol. In an interview, he stated,
  

  I have seen Yash grow to stardom in the film industry through hard work and determination. I have idolized him since ever.”

• Ramachandran Raju had always dreamt of becoming an actor, and Yash was acutely aware of this fact, that is why, when the director, Prasanth Neel, wanted to cast Ramachandran as Garuda in KGF, Yash readily agreed to it.

• To enhance his acting skills, Ramachandran Raju trained for 1.5 years in different acting workshops.

• Ramachandran Raju was not aware of the role that he would be given in the film. While giving an interview, he said,
  

  I didn’t knew what role I was being casted for. Prasanth Neel sir didn’t tell me anything. I only knew, that this was an important role in the film, for which I was training hard. But had no idea that I was to be the main villain in the film itself. I did not expect the film and my role to be so powerful. It was only when the film released that I became aware of its success…that was when it hit me that KGF was indeed a very big project. We all knew it was a great film, but never had dreamt of it becoming a pan-Indian hit movie.” ^[3]YouTube

• Ramachandran Raju played the role of Garuda in such a way, that it instilled fear in the mind of Sanjay Dutt himself. Raju in an interview said,
  

  When I met Sanju Baba for the first time, he told me – Garuda ke role me pehli bar dekh ke bohot darr laga (I got very scared when I saw you as Garuda for the first time).” ^[4]YouTube

• Ramachandran Raju regularly goes to the gym and lays a lot of emphasis on maintaining fitness.
  

  Ramachandran Raju working out in the gym

• Ramachandran Raju believes that with the release of the film, KGF, the Kannada film industry has gained respect from other film industries. In an interview, he said,
  

  The film is the pride of Kannada cinema. It sent the message that we are no way inferior to other film industries. Even the attitude of actors has changed a lot. People have realised that there are many new ways that one can approach a role or a story.” ^[5]The Hindu