Mangalanathan Gurukkal
Mangalanathan Gurukkal | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Priest, actor |
| Years active | 2002–present |
Mangalanathan Gurukkal also spelled Mangalanatha Gurukkal is an Indian Hindu Tamil priest and film actor. He has appeared in over 400 films.
Early life
He was borin in Sevur village near Tindivanam. He then relocated to Mayilapore.
In 2021, Gurukkal lodged a police complaint against scammers for allegedly spreading fake news and rumours about his health on social media, including claims that he died due to COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2][3][4]
Career
He belongs to the Brahmin community, a typical Gurukkal who performs pooja and other rituals in kovils, cultural events and weddings. He began his religious work as a temple priest at Valampuri Vinayagar Kovil in Mayilapore.
Actor
He predominantly appeared in Tamil films in Hindu priest roles, mostly confined to astrology, kalyana homam (Hindu wedding fire rituals) and kovil pooja sequences where he would recite holy sacred mantras. He featured in AVM Studio's Tamil television soap opera Nambikkai where he played the role of a poosari performing rituals. He also performed pooja rituals for the inauguration of Sun TV's Tamil television soap opera Metti Oli, appearing in the first episode.[5]
He made his film acting debut in Suriya starrer Sri (2002) after accepting a film offer to play a role in Sri through a phone call from a wellwisher. It was revealed that the wellwisher apparently requested Mangalanathan Gurukkal to take around 50 elder women to the shooting spot for a pooja sequence. During the film shooting of Varalaru (2006), Ajith Kumar affectionately nicknamed him as "High-Tech Iyer" after seeing how Mangalanathan had motorbike keys around his stomach and simultaneously was performing mantra rituals.[5]
Mangalanathan Gurukkal is respected among film fraternity and he is invited occasionally to inaugurate pooja ceremonies.
Partial filmography
Films
- Sri (2002)
- Madhurey (2004)
- Varalaru (2006)
- Sabari (2007)
- Naan Mahaan Alla (2010)
- Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi (2012)
- Jilla (2014)
- Bairavaa (2017)
- Sangu Chakkaram (2017)
- Monster (2019)
- Sooriyanum Sooriyagandhiyum (2024)
Television
- Nambikkai
- Metti Oli (2002)
References
- ^ Warrier, Shobha. "'What have I done to deserve this humiliation?'". Rediff. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
- ^ "Miscreants fake death of actor Mangalanathan Gurukkal, his kin for money". The Times of India. 2021-06-04. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
- ^ "நடிகர் மங்கலநாத குருக்கள் இறந்துவிட்டதாக கூறி மோசடி! போலீசில் புகார்". Samayam Tamil (in Tamil). Retrieved 2025-02-03.
- ^ "யாரும் இல்லாமல் நடிகர் மங்கலநாத குருக்கள் இறந்தார்!". tamil.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
- ^ a b Navaneethakrishnan, Stalin. "'அசின் காதுல சொன்னதும் அஜித் கலாய்ச்சிட்டாரு' மனம் திறந்த மங்களநாதன் குருக்கள்!". Tamil Hindustan Times (in Tamil). Retrieved 2025-02-03.