Murali Karthikeyan Muthuraman, known by his stage name Karthik, is an Indian actor, playback singer, and politician who primarily works in Tamil cinema. He is the son of the famous actor R. Muthuraman. In the 1980s and 1990s, Karthik was one of the leading stars in the industry. He was introduced to the Tamil film industry by Bharathiraja in the movie "Alaigal Oivathillai" (1981) and soon became a leading actor in Tamil films on his own. He has also appeared in some Telugu films. Known for his versatility, Karthik earned the title "Navarasa Nayagan" for his ability to emote all kinds of actions and emotions. He has acted in over 125 films.