Over the years, Tamil cinema has introduced us to several actors who enthralled us with their iconic performances as antagonists, from M. R. Radha, Sathyaraj, Prakash Raj, Anandraj, Ramya Krishnan, and, more recently, actors like Daniel Balaji, Arun Vijay, and S. J. Suryah. The list of actors who delivered exceptional villains is long, but it would be incomplete without the name of one person: Raghuvaran, arguably one of the most prominent character actors across not just Tamil but Indian cinema.
From Baasha (1995), Mr Bharath (1986) and Arunachalam (1997) to Shiva (1989), Mudhalvan (1999), Poovizhi Vasalile (1987), Puriyadha Pudhir (1990) and Kadhalan (1994), Raghuvaran’s performances remain etched in movie viewers’ minds, making him one of the greatest of all times, although almost two decades have passed since his demise.
At the peak of his acting career, Raghuvaran tied the knot with a reigning South Indian star, Rohini, an actress, screenwriter, dubbing artist and lyricist. Beyond her acting performances in films like Marupadiyum (1993) and Magalir Mattum (1994), she is also recognised for dubbing for actresses like Manisha Koirala in Indian (1996) and Bombay (1995), Aishwarya Rai in Iruvar (1997) and Ravanan (2010) and for Jyothika in Vettaiyadu Vilayadu (2006). She even penned the lyrics for the famous Unakkul Naane in Gautham Menon’s Pachaikili Muthucharam (2007).
While they reportedly tied the knot in 1996, the marriage was short-lived as they parted ways in 2004.
Speaking candidly in a recent interview with Galatta Tamil, Rohini noted that Raghuvaran was not in her best interest in her going to work after their wedding and wanted her to be a stay-at-home wife. She added that he held the mindset that a wife should always be under her husband’s protection and care. Rohini stepped away from the limelight during their time together on account of this, as the sole reason.
“Raghuvaran never supported my film career. He never thought that I should also work. Raghu expected me to be a housewife. That is exactly why I took a break from my career after marriage and stayed away from films for seven years. Raghu was raised in such an environment. In their family, none of the women went out to work. He also had that mindset that a woman — ‘my wife’ — should be under my protection,” she told Galatta Tamil.
Rohini added, “It took me quite some time to get out of that. It was after a long struggle that I eventually returned and even directed a film.” She further pointed out that it hurts her dearly when people reduce her identity to just “Raghuvaran’s former wife.”
“I have already spoken about the seven years we lived together and our separation. Now, I usually say, ‘Ask me about my movies, ask about me.’ As an individual and as an actor, I deserve that. There should be an identity for myself,” she asserted.
Raghuvaran passed away at the age of 49 on March 19, 2008, a few years after their divorce. The former couple have a son together, Rishi.
Sources: The Indian Express
