Judo. KK Rathnam (1930-2023) was a stunt artist, stunt director and actor who worked on more than 1500 films in his career spanning more than 5 decades. He holds the world record for shooting the maximum number of films as a stunt or stunt director and for shooting fight scenes with the maximum number of actors. He has worked in Tollywood, Mollywood, Kollywood and Bollywood. In the 1960s and 1970s, he staged the fight scenes of almost all Tollywood films.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Judo. KK Rathnam aka KK Rathnam was born on Friday 8 August 1930 (age 92 at time of death) at Gudiatham, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, (then Madras Presidency), British India (now India). His zodiac sign was Leo. In his growing years, he was weak and not interested in judo. Once he went to work in a mill where he was asked if he would work the night shift because he did not look strong. Hearing this, he got angry and started physical training to achieve good physical condition. He learned taekwondo from ‘Mahabharat’ Masilaman, boxing from South Indian boxing champion Paramashivan, judo from G. from Ramu, yoga from Thangavelu and also trained under the Soviet-trained Ranganathan. Once he was doing exercises in a district collector program when screenwriter Mugavai Rajamanikam spotted him. Mugavai convinced him to work in films.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 10″
Weight (approx): 70 kg
Hair color: salt and pepper (semi-bald)
Eye Color: Black
family
wife and children
His first wife’s name was Padma and his second wife’s name was Rs. Govindamal who passed away on November 15, 2013. He had 8 children, including 6 daughters. His son Judo. KK Ramu is also a master stuntman and his grandsons Judo Lenin and John Prince are stuntmen.
Judo. KK Rathnam with his wife R. Govindammal
Career
movie
Judo. KK Rathnam made his debut as an actor in the film Tamaraik Kulam, directed by Mukta V Siniwan, on the recommendation of screenwriter Mugavai Rajamanikam. He later made his debut as a stunt director in R. with Sundaram’s directorial film Vallavan Oruvan in 1966, where he shot a judo fight scene for Jaishankar-Manohar. This fight scene created a huge sensation among the fans and it became very popular. President of modern theaters R.R. Sundaram awarded him the status of ‘My Master’ through this film and the Tamil Arts and Literature Forum awarded him the title of ‘Judo’. Ratnam has done more than 1500 films which included 49 films with Rajinikanth, 16 films with Kamal Haasan, 69 films with Kannada Rajkumar, 4 films with Amitabh Bachchan and 16 films with NTR. He has worked as a stunt artist and director in films in more than 9 languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English. He also produced the film Othiyadi Pathayile directed by Prof. AS Prakasam and featuring renowned music director Shankar Ganesh and released in 1980. Some of the films in which he has worked as a stunt director are Thangakopuram, Vallavan to Vallavan, Two Vallavars, Prisoner Brianger Vallaving M. ll, Gayatri, Thangaikor Geetham, Usha Till Alive, Tirupam and Don’t Sleep Brother Don’t Sleep. He has shot many iconic fight scenes like the train fight scene in Rajinikanth’s Muratkugu. His last film as an actor was Thalayanagaram which was released in 2006.
Judo. KK Rathnam during a fight scene in the movie
Awards, honors, achievements
- 2013: Guinness World Record for working on over 1,200 films as a stunt coordinator
- 2016: Sankarada Swamigal Award
- 2019: Kalaimaman Awards from Tamil Nadu Government
death
Judo. KK Rathnam died on 26 January 2023 at the age of 92 in his hometown Gudiatham, Vellore, Tamil Nadu. Many people paid tribute to him, including Rajinikanth, Vijay, Ajith Kumar and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, who mourned his contribution to the film industry on Twitter.
The legendary fighting trainer. I was very saddened to know that Judo Ratnam died.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/YHuho3lWvc
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) January 27, 2023
Facts/Trivia
- Stunt masters and actors like Vikram Dharma, Super Subarayan, Thalapathy Dinesh, Jaguar Thangam, Rambo Rajkumar, FEFSI Vijayan, Ponnambalam, Judo. KK Ramu, Indian Baskar, Rajasekhar, Ambur. RS Babu and M. Shahul Hameed worked as fighters and his assistant.
- He also holds the Guinness World Record for performing 63 hero stunts.
- He was inspired by the principles of communism and was an active member of the Marxist Communist Party.
- Judo KK Ratnam has written a plea letter to Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. According to him, the Kalaimaman prize was not given to him and he demanded that it be handed over.
- He published his autobiography titled Thamaraikulam Two Capitals in 2013.
- His nicknames were Kalaichelvan and Rudhranagam.
- Judo. KK. Ratnam said during an interview that he injured Rajinikanth’s neck while practicing the ancient martial art of Silambam.
Judo. KK Rathnam (right) in a fight scene with Rajinikanth
- In August 2021, thieves stole 15 expensive silk sarees, ½ kg silver items, 2 expensive Rolex watches and Rs. 20K from his home on Periyappa Mudali Street in his hometown, Kudiatham, Dharanapet.
Categories: Bollywood
Source: dienchau2.edu.vn
