Skip to content
MovieCove
Karthi

Karthi

Actor · Born May 25, 1977 (49) · Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Karthi is an Indian film actor who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He began his career in cinema as an assistant director to Mani Ratnam on the film Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004). Karthi made his acting debut with Paruthiveeran (2007), becoming an overnight sensation. He then went on to star in commercially successful films including Paiyaa (2010), Naan Mahaan Alla (2010), Siruthai (2011), Madras (2014), Thozha (2016), Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017), Kadaikutty Singam (2018), Kaithi (2019), Thambi (2019), Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022), Sardar (2022), and Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023), establishing himself as a successful leading actor of Tamil cinema. Karthi has won three Filmfare Awards, an Edison Award, two SIIMA Awards, and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 25, 1977 (49)
From
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Works as
Actor
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 44 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 15% in 30 days

What are Karthi's films like?

Across their 16 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
34%
Morality
28%
Self
9%
Survival
9%
Society
9%
Power
7%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 16 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 5

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 11

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 3

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 3 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 7

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

16 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 13 of 16 analyzed roles.

Hero
13 of 16
Herald
1 of 16
Ally
1 of 16
Shadow
1 of 16
Show the 16 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Melancholic
8
Thrilling
6
Joyful
3
Contemplative
3
Other
8

How their films linger

Bittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 5 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet10
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Karthi's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Karthi's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

44 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Sardar 2(2026)

    as Chandra Bose 'Agent Sardar' / Inspector Vijay Prakash

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Vaa Vaathiyaar(2026)

    as Rameshwaran "Ramu"

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • 3BHK(2025)

    as House - Tamil (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • HIT: The 3rd Case(2025)

    as ACP Veerappan (Special Appearance)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Kanguva(2024)

    as Rathaangasan / Commander Ryan

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Meiyazhagan(2024)

    as Meiyazhagan

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Japan(2023)

    Playback Singer · as Japan Muni

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Mark Antony(2023)

    as Narrator (Voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Ponniyin Selvan: Part Two(2023)

    as Vanthiyathevan

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Sardar(2022)

    Playback Singer · as Chandra Bose 'Agent Sardar' / Inspector Vijay Prakash

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Ponniyin Selvan: Part I(2022)

    as Vanthiyathevan

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Kanam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Playback Singer

  • Viruman(2022)

    as Viruman

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Vikram(2022)

    as Dilli (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Sulthan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Vikram Alias Sulthan

  • Thambi(2019)

    as Vicky (Saravanan)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Kaithi(2019)

    as Dilli

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Dev(2019)

    as Dev Ramalingam

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Kadaikutty Singam(2018)

    as Gunasingam

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Theeran Adhigaram Ondru(2017)

    as Theeran Thirumaran

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Magalir Mattum(2017)

    Playback Singer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Kaatru Veliyidai(2017)

    as Varun Chakrapani aka VC

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Kaashmora (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Kaashmora / Raj Nayak

  • Oopiri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Seenu

  • Komban(2015)

    as Kombaiah Pandian

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Madras (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Kaali

  • Biriyani (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Playback Singer · as Sugan

  • All in All Azhagu Raja (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Azhagu Raja

  • Alex Pandian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Alex Pandian

  • Saguni (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Playback Singer · as Kamalakannan

  • Ko(2011)

    as Cameo Appearance in "Aga Aga" Song

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Siruthai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Ratnavel Pandian IPS / Rocket Raja

  • Naan Mahaan Alla (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Jeeva Pragasam

  • Paiyaa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Siva

  • Aayirathil Oruvan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Muthu

  • Paruthiveeran (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Playback Singer · as Paruthiveeran

  • Aayitha Ezhuthu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Assistant Director · as Michael's Friend (Uncredited)

  • #Karthi 30 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • HIT: The Fourth Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as ACP Veerappan

  • Kaithi 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Dilli

  • Marshal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Playback Singer

  • Untitled Karthi - Mohan Raja Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Vikram 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Dilli

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles, 37 of them dated from 2004 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022)

$22M worldwide

Highest rated

Meiyazhagan (2024)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Sardar 2 (2026)

Film career

20042026

Peak 2018 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 10 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2004Screen debut· Aayitha Ezhuthu
  • 2007First top-billed film· Paruthiveeran
  • 2019Career best· Kaithi

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting41 of 44: 35 only acting, 6 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thOther crew9 of 44: 3 only other crew, 6 with another role

44 titles, 6 with more than one role — acting and other crew overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

2000s2 · 2 acting · 2 crew2010s20 · 19 acting · 3 crew2020s15 · 14 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 1st · top billed in 61% of 23 roles
041419

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Karthi's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 22; across their 16 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Approval · how many liked their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 16

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 22 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Japan (2023)

99th percentile spread · 52% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Meiyazhagan (2024)

Midcredits 99th · 95% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 15 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Karthi's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films and sex & nudity and profanity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles26–89 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles3–20 · median 12 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles6–33 · median 14 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles25–67 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles34–81 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Karthi work with?

People who share at least 2 of Karthi's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Prakash Raj shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers