Maniyanpilla Raju

Sudheer Kumar (born 20 April 1955), better known by his stage name Maniyanpilla Raju (Malayalam: മണിയൻപിള്ള രാജു), is an Indian actor and producer who works in Malayalam film industry. His debut film was Mohiniyaattam in 1976. He has played a variety of roles as a character actor, appearing in over 400 films. His stage name was derived from the character he played in the film Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla (1981), his break-through role.

Early life
Raju was born as the youngest among four in 1955 to Shekharan Nair and Saraswati Amma at Thycaud, Trivandrum. He has two sisters, Ramani and Radha, and a brother Surendran. He had his primary education from Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Trivandrum. He did his pre-degree in Victory Tutorial College. He learned diploma in acting course during 1973–1975 from Adyar Film Institute, Madras (now Chennai).

Personal life
Maniyanpilla Raju married Indira in 1985, and the couple have two sons, Sachin and Niranj. The younger son, Niranj, made his debut in Renjith's Black Butterfly. He wrote a book titled Chirichum Chirippichum containing his memoirs in 2012. In 2019, he opened a restaurant, Be@Kiwizo, in Kannur, which is Kerala's first restaurant to use robots to serve customers.

As producer

 * Hello My Dear Wrong Number (1985)
 * Vellanakalude Nadu (1988)
 * Aye Auto (1990)
 * Anaswaram (1991)
 * Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu (1999)
 * Anandabhadram (2005)
 * Chotta Mumbai (2007)
 * Oru Naal Varum (2010)
 * Black Butterfly (2013)
 * Pavada (2016)
 * Panchavarnathatha (2018)
 * Finals (2019)
 * Maheshum Marutiyum (2023)
 * Gu (2024)

As judge

 * Comedy Super Show (Flowers Tv)
 * Comedy Stars Plus (Asianet Plus)
 * Comedy Stars Season 2 (Asianet)
 * Comedy Stars (Asianet)

As host

 * Beautiful minds (YouTube)
 * Laughing Villa (Surya TV)
 * Malayali Durbar (Amrita TV)
 * Jambanum Thumbanum (Asianet Plus)

As actor

 * Ettu Sundarikalum Njanum (Surya TV) 2004-2005
 * Mahatma Gandhi Colony (Surya TV) 2007-2008
 * Kadamattathu Kathanar (Asianet)- 2004-2005
 * Sthree (Asianet) 1998-2000
 * Laksharchana (Doordarshan) 1995-1996
 * Aarohanam (Kairali TV) 2013-2014
 * Akshayapatram (Asianet)- 2001-2002