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Nassar
Born	March 5, 1958 (1958-03-05) (age 51) Chingleput, Tamil Nadu, India

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Nassar (Tamil: நாசர்) (also spelled Nasser, Naasar or Nazar) is a Tamil actor, producer, writer, director, lyricist, and singer.

He has appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English films. He is often cited as part of India's specialist character actors, along with the likes of Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Nana Patekar. He is proficient in Urdu, English, Hindi, Arabic, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

Nassar met his future wife Kameela towards the beginning of his acting career. They have three sons.

[edit] Birth

Nassar was born on 5 March 1956 as Muhammad Hanif, in an interior village called Naththam, in Chengalpattu district, Tamilnadu. He studied in St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Chengalpattu. He came from humble beginnings and was an indifferent student. He moved to Chennai (then Madras) after school, where he obtained a B.Sc degree in Botany at Madras Christian College.

At Madras Christian College, he was the president of the Dramatic Society.

[edit] Early career

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Muhammad Hanif changed his name to Nasser after his idol- the Egyptian President Gamel Abdel Nasser. The change was made official in 1976.

Nasser at one time planned to join the Indian Air Force but did not qualify in the physical examination. He attempted to join the police but then backed out to concentrate on his acting career.

[edit] Early acting career

Despite his experience in acting in school where he was a popular actor and his experience as President of the Dramatic Society in Christian College, he failed to get a proper acting role in any movie for some time.

He worked during this time as a tailor's apprentice, salesman and waiter to supplement his meagre income. He also acted in a few low budget dramas to earn a living. During this time he visited several studios and directors looking for a break.

His first movie was Etho Oru Oorula where he played the role of the villainous cousin of the hero Chandrashekar. He began to slowly appear in a number of films, mostly in negative roles, in the early and middle 80s.

Though until the early 90s Nasser played almost only negative roles, he matured to supporting and character roles and comedy roles later and today is better known for his supporting roles.

[edit] Filmography

His villanious roles include those in films like - Apoorva Sagodharargal, Kuruthi Punal, Padayappa, Thennavan, Thevar Magan.

Other well known roles have been in films like Dhill, Kadhalar Dhinam, Roja, Jeans etc.

His comedic roles include roles in films like Avvai Shanmughi, Poi Solla Porom and Quick Gun Murugun (as Rice Plate Reddy).

[edit] Notable films

• Aegan (2008) Tamil
• Quick Gun Murugan ((Tamil/English)
• Onbadhu Roobai Nottu
• Firaaq (Hindi)
• Ek - The Power of One (Hindi)
• Guru Tamil dub for Mithun Chakraborty.
• Nayagan
• Devathai
• Velaikkaaran
• Unnai Solli Kutramillai
• Thevar Magan
• Gopura Vasalile
• Michael Madana Kamarajan
• Roja
• Varavu Ettana Selavu Pathana
• Magalir Mattum
• Avathaaram
• Kovil
• Thamizhan
• Pokkiri
• Padayappa
• Varnajaalam
• Bombay
• Kuruthipunal
• Avvai Shanmugi
• Iruvar
• Kadhalar Dhinam
• Jeans
• Puthiya Pathai
• Mugam
• Hey Ram
• Poovellaam Kettuppaar
• Dhill
• Virumbugiren
• Anbe Sivam
• Morning Raga (English)
• Jodi
• Chandramukhi
• Mumbai Express
• Udayon (Malayalam)... Unni Vaidyan
• Anniyan
• Dishyum
• Athadu (Telugu)
• Chanti (Telugu)
• Gowtham SSC (Telugu)
• Indralogathil Na. Azhagappan
• Poi Solla Porom 2008
• Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam2009
• Singam 2009

[edit] As a director

• Popcorn (2003)
• Maayan (2001)
• Devathai (1997)
• Avathaaram (1995)

[edit] Awards

[edit] Tamilnadu Government Awards

• Best Actor award for his role in the film Aavaaram Poo
• Best Villain award for his role in the film Thamizh
• Best Supporting Actor award for his role in the film Em Magan

[edit] Andhra Pradesh Government - Nandi Awards

• Best Villain award for his role in the film Chanti

[edit] Titles

• The Tamilnadu Government has conferred on him the title Kalaimamani
• The South Indian Actors Association has conferred on him the title Kalaichelvan

[edit] External links

• Nassar at the Internet Movie Database