Vijay Gurunatha Sethupathi Kalimuthu (born 16 January 1978)[4] is an Indian actor, producer,

lyricist, and dialogue writer referred to by fans and media as "Makkal Selvan", a title which was
conferred upon him by Director Seenu Ramasamy. Sethupathi works predominantly in Tamil
cinema besides few Telugu and Malayalam productions.[5][6] He has starred in more than 30 films.
Over the years, Sethupathi has transformed into a successful and popular "Indie-film star" in Tamil
cinema.[7][8][9] He has won numerous awards, including two Filmfare Awards South and three Vijay
Awards.
Following a stint as an accountant, Sethupathi began considering an acting career. He started his
film career working as a background actor, playing minor supporting roles for over five years,
[10]
 before playing his first lead role in Seenu Ramasamy's Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (2010).[11] He
went on to play the villain role in Sundarapandian (2012), and got his breakout roles with the
films Pizza(2012) and Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (2012).[12]

Contents

 1Early life
 2Film career
o 2.12006–2011
o 2.22012–2013
o 2.32014–2015
o 2.42016–present
 3Other work
 4Personal life
 5Filmography
 6Awards and nominations
 7References
 8External links

Early life[edit]
Sethupathi was born and raised in Rajapalayam until he moved to Chennai in class six.[13] He lived in
Ennore located in North Chennai. He attended the MGR Higher Secondary School
in Kodambakkam and Little Angels Mat HR Sec School.[13] According to Sethupathi, he was a "below-
average student right from school" and was neither interested in sports nor extra-curricular activities.
[2][14]

Sethupathi did a series of odd jobs for pocket money: salesman at a retail store, cashier at a fast
food joint and a phone booth operator.[13] He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from
the Dhanraj Baid Jain College (an affiliate of the University of Madras) in Thoraipakam.[14] A week
after he finished college, he joined as an account assistant at a wholesale cement business.[13] He
had to take care of three siblings and moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates as an accountant
because it paid him four times more than what he was making in India. In those two years in Dubai,
he met a woman, Jessie, online.[15] The two dated, eventually marrying in 2003.[13]
Unhappy with his job, he returned to India in 2003.[16][17] After a brief stint in the interior decoration
business with friends, he joined a marketing company that dealt with readymade kitchens when he
saw Koothupattarai’s poster.[13] He recalled director Balu Mahendra remarking that he had a "very
photogenic face",[16] and motivated him to pursue an acting career.[18]