Date
- Date
- 29th Oct 1976
Time
- Time
- ...
Kanmani
Raghava Lawrence50
Raghava Lawrence (Lawrence Murugaiyan) – an Indian film actor, choreographer, playback singer, lyricist, director, producer, philanthropist.
Founder of 'Lawrence Charitable Trust', to support underprivileged people and persons with disabilities.
Founder of 'Kalamin Kalchuvadil', a charitable project honouring A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
Founder of 'Maatram', initiative to support farmers and people in need.
He adopted the title Kanmani in honour of his mother and declined Makkal Superstar.
Raghava Lawrence – Indian Actor, Director and Choreographer
Raghava Lawrence – an Indian actor, choreographer, film director, screenwriter, producer, music composer, playback singer, lyricist, and philanthropist. Born on 29 October 1976 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, he is known for his contributions to Tamil and Telugu cinema, particularly his choreography and the Muni–Kanchana horror-comedy film series. He has received several awards for choreography and is the founder of the Lawrence Charitable Trust.
Early Life and Background
Raghava Lawrence grew up in Chennai, spending part of his childhood in the Royapuram neighbourhood. Before establishing himself in the film industry, he worked in modest jobs while developing his interest in dance.
Actor Rajinikanth played an important role in encouraging his early career, helping him gain access to opportunities in the film industry.
Lawrence became a devotee of Sri Raghavendra Swamy and adopted the name Raghava as part of his professional identity.
Career as a Dancer and Choreographer
Raghava Lawrence began his film career as a background dancer before becoming a professional choreographer during the 1990s.
Telugu actor Chiranjeevi gave him important opportunities to choreograph songs, including work associated with Hitler (1997) and Master (1997).
His choreography subsequently appeared in several major Tamil and Telugu productions. He became known for energetic dance movements combining elements of Western dance, hip-hop, and Indian commercial cinema choreography.
His work on films including Annayya (2000), Paarthale Paravasam (2001), Indra (2002), and Style (2006) received Filmfare recognition.
Acting and Directorial Career
Raghava Lawrence made his debut as a lead actor in the Telugu film Speed Dancer (1999).
He made his directorial debut with the Telugu action film Mass (2004), starring Akkineni Nagarjuna and Jyothika.
He subsequently directed and appeared in Style (2006), a Telugu dance drama featuring Prabhu Deva.
In 2007, Lawrence directed and starred in the Tamil horror-comedy film Muni, which established the foundation for his popular horror-comedy franchise.
He continued the series with Kanchana (2011), Kanchana 2 (2015), and Kanchana 3 (2019). These films combined supernatural themes with comedy, drama, and action.
His other directorial projects include the Telugu films Don (2007) and Rebel (2012).
In 2020, he directed the Hindi film Laxmii, starring Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani. The film was a remake of his Tamil film Kanchana.
Lawrence also appeared in Rudhran (2023), Chandramukhi 2 (2023), and Karthik Subbaraj's Jigarthanda DoubleX (2023), in which he portrayed the gangster Allius Caesar.
Music Career
Apart from acting, directing, and choreography, Raghava Lawrence has worked as a music composer, playback singer, and lyricist.
He composed music for the Telugu films Don (2007) and Rebel (2012).
As a playback singer, he performed Lo Lo Lo Local alongside Suchitra for the Tamil film Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva (2017).
He also received a lyricist credit for Nillu Nillu, a song from Kanchana (2011), composed by S. Thaman.
Awards and Recognition
Raghava Lawrence has received numerous honours for his contributions to Indian cinema.
He won four Filmfare Awards South for Best Choreography for Annayya, Paarthale Paravasam, Indra, and Style.
He has also been credited with three Nandi Awards and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for choreography.
His additional recognitions include two CineMAA Awards for Best Choreographer, an Edison Award for Best Extraordinary Actor for Kanchana 2 (2015), and a Vijay Award for Social Responsibility.
In 2009, the Tamil Nadu government selected him for a Best Social Worker Award in recognition of his charitable activities.
Titles and Honorifics
In 2017, Raghava Lawrence announced that he would use the prefix Kanmani in honour of his mother, Kanmani.
He also declined the title Makkal Superstar, which appeared in the credits of Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva, explaining that he considered Rajinikanth the only Superstar.
He is also popularly addressed as Lawrence Master, reflecting his background as a dance choreographer.
Founder and Philanthropic Activities
Raghava Lawrence founded the Lawrence Charitable Trust, which supports disadvantaged children, persons with disabilities, and families requiring medical or educational assistance.
His charitable activities have included supporting children's heart surgeries, providing education, organising dance training, and assisting people with physical disabilities.
In 2015, he announced Kalamin Kalchuvadil (In Kalam's Footsteps), a charitable project honouring former Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He pledged ₹1 crore from his film earnings to support educational and environmental activities.
On 1 May 2024, he launched the Maatram initiative under his charitable activities. The programme began with support for farmers, including a plan to provide ten tractors to farmers in need.
In October 2026, as his charitable trust marked 20 years of service, he announced the Pattu Saree Scheme. The initiative was scheduled to begin on his birthday, 29 October 2026, with a plan to distribute 5,000 silk sarees to women.
Personal Life
Raghava Lawrence is married to Latha Lawrence. He has frequently acknowledged the influence of his mother, Kanmani, on his personal life and charitable activities.
His public statements have emphasised the importance of helping disadvantaged communities and supporting people in need.
Contribution to Indian Cinema and Society
Raghava Lawrence has established a career spanning dance choreography, acting, film direction, screenwriting, production, singing, songwriting, and music composition.
His work in the Muni–Kanchana franchise helped popularise horror-comedy films among Tamil audiences, while his contributions as a choreographer earned recognition across South Indian cinema.
Alongside his film career, his charitable trust and social welfare initiatives have become an important part of his public life.
References
- Raghava Lawrence – The Indian Express Biography and Awards
- Raghava Lawrence – IMDb Biography
- Raghava Lawrence – IMDb Awards and Nominations
- Raghavendra Lawrence – BookMyShow Filmography
- Kanchana – Moviebuff Music and Lyricist Credits
- Lo Lo Lo Local – Saregama Official Song Credits
- Lawrence Donates ₹1 Crore for Charitable Work – The New Indian Express
- Raghava Lawrence Launches Maatram Initiative – The Times of India
- Raghava Lawrence Announces Pattu Saree Scheme – Cinema Express
- Raghava Lawrence Declines Makkal Superstar Title – The Indian Express
- Tamil Nadu Honours Lawrence's Social Service – The New Indian Express
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