Judo. K. K. Rathnam

Stunt artist, Stunt director, Actor

Indian Gudiyatham, Vellore, Madras Presidency, British India

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Quick Info

ProfessionStunt artist, Stunt director, Actor
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth08/08/1930
Age92 years (died on 26, Jan, 2023)
BirthplaceGudiyatham, Vellore, Madras Presidency, British India
Date of Death26/01/2023

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Bio/Wiki

Real nameK. K. Rathnam
Other namesKalaichelvan, Rudhranagam, Judo Rathnam

Physical Stats & More

Height177 cm (5' 10")
Weight70 kg (154 lbs)
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorSalt and Pepper (half bald)

Personal Life

Place of DeathGudiyatham, Vellore, Tamil Nadu

Relationships & More

Marital Status (at the time of death)Widower

Family

Wife/Spouse
  • Padma
  • R. Govindammal (died on 15 November 2013)
Children
  • 2
  • 6
Notable Family MembersJudo Ramu (son)

Career

Debut
Film
Thamarai Kulam (1959) (Tamil)Actor
Vallavan Oruvan (1966) (Tamil)Stunt director
Othiyadi Pathayile (1979) (Tamil)Producer
Last FilmThalainagaram (2006) (Tamil) as an actor
Other RolesMember of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Notable Films
Career SpanOver 1500 films across Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi cinema

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. K. K. Rathnam (1930-2023) was an Indian stunt master known for his work in Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi films.
2. He studied various martial arts to enhance his physical abilities.
3. Rathnam was discovered for acting in movies by Mugavai Rajamanickam, a screenwriter.
4. He collaborated with top stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Puneeth Rajkumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and N. T. Rama Rao.
5. One of his notable achievements was directing a famous fight scene in Rajinikanth’s 'Muratkugu'.
6. Rathnam worked as a stunt coordinator in over nine languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English.
7. In 2013, he entered the Guinness World Records for his work as a stunt coordinator in more than 1200 Indian films.
8. He advocated for recognition and was awarded the Kalaimamani Award in 2019 after writing to Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
9. Rathnam penned his autobiography 'Thamaraikulam: Two Capitals' in 2013.
10. During an interview, he mentioned an incident where he accidentally injured Rajinikanth's neck during Silambam practice.
11. In August 2021, his residence in Periyappa Mudali Street, Kudiatham, Dharanapet encountered a theft.
12. He started his working life as a mill worker before entering the film industry.
13. He earned the title 'Judo Rathnam' from the Tamil Arts and Literature Forum.
14. From early childhood, he was attracted to bodybuilding, yoga, and silambam, winning a gold medal in bodybuilding and a silver cup in boxing.
15. He studied various martial arts including Taekwondo from Mahabharat Masilamani, boxing from South Indian Boxing Champion Paramashivan, Judo from G. Ramu, and Yoga from Thangavelu.
16. He was given the name Judo Rathnam by A. Kareem at the Tamil Art Literature Conference.
17. He collaborated with top stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Shivaji Ganesan, Puneeth Rajkumar, Amitabh Bachchan, and N. T. Rama Rao.
18. In 1966, he gained immense popularity after directing a fight scene for Jaishankar and R. S. Manohar in Vallavan Oruvan, earning the status of My Master from R. R. Sundaram, president of Modern Theatres.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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