Actor Raghuvaran is legendary for his versatile roles, from the gentle protagonist in Mani Ratnam's Anjali to the powerful antagonists in Suresh Krissna's Baashha and Shankar's Mudhalvan, to name some. In the same year he played the menacing villain in Baashha, opposite Rajinikanth, he portrayed a hapless scientist pleading for mercy in Maanthrikam, co-starring Mohanlal. However, a career in cinema was not always easy for the actor.
In an old interview with Asianet Cable Vision, he reminisced about his early struggles as an actor coming fresh out of a film institute. "My height was viewed as a minus point," the actor said. The actor then revealed that he faced dismissive comments from industry members that went along the lines of, "You are this tall? From where can we find heroines for you. Go away, man."
For the uninitiated, Raghuvaran is over six feet tall, about as tall as Amitabh Bachchan. He also said that industry members used the derogatory term 'gypsy' to describe his appearance. Recalling his negative experience, he said, "They used to look at me like a gypsy and ask, 'Why do you look like this? Where are you from?'"
However, he said that such perceptions went away and that he gained acceptance as an actor after surpassing these stereotypes and proving his credentials with performances.
The actor worked in multiple industries and won a Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Villain for his performance in Mudhalvan, opposite Arjun. He passed away in 2008 and was married to Rohini, who is also a celebrated actor. Meanwhile, a documentary based on his life, Raghuvaran: A Star That Defied Time, has been in the making for a while now.
