Dark and handsome Murali is the first pick of the first timers in direction.

Dark and handsome Murali still looks as young as he was, a decade back. Among the lot, he happens to be the first pick of the first timers in direction. His simple and unaffected manners still stay with him as if he was born with those qualities. Earlier on one Mohan, who is a forgotten story now in filmdom, flaunted the mike and won the epithet as the poor man's Kamal Hassan. Now the niche is held by Murali and he never fails to flaunt his mike now and then in his films.

In the year 1964, Murali was born into the family of a popular Kannada film director Siddhalingaiya. Born and brought up in Chennai, Murali studied up to his 5th std. in Chennai; from 6th to 10th he studied in Bangalore. At the age of 14, he joined as an assistant director under the wings of his father. He got his training in film editing by way of working as an editing assistant for a while.

Though Murali was his son, Siddhalingaiya, a stern and a disciplinarian father, kept his growing son at arms length. Those were the days the feudal culture prevailed in filmdom. Just to make his son level headed and his feet firmly planted on earth the father-director seemed to have said, "I am a director and you are assisting me. You are entitled only to get the same salary the other assistant directors are getting and deserve no special treatment".

Murali learnt the trade with great energy and commitment. Murali's father was placated by the deep involvement shown by his son. He called him and entrusted him with a new job - that of tutoring the actors on scenes and dialogues. After the probation got over his father launched Murali into films. One fine morning he summoned him and said,” My boy, I have found the hero for the next film and that’s you".

After his debut in Kannada, Murali played the protagonist in the Tamil film "Poovilangu", directed by Ameerjhan. And after almost two decades now, Murali is still a sought after hero.

Murali, has built himself a posh bungalow only after "Porkkaalam" happened to him. Murali's wife's is Shoba. He has a daughter Kavya and two sons, Vijay and Aagaash.

Updated on 04 - 04 - 2001

Compiled by U. Bharat.

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