Vijay Antony to GV Prakash Kumar: Music composers who ventured into acting

Music composer changing professions to acting is becoming an increasing trend in the industry. Right from Vijay Antony to Hiphop Thamizha Adhi, several composers have acted in films and have become reasonably successful at the box office. Here’s a list of popular music composers who have made an impact on the silver screen as well.

Vijay Antony is easily the most successful music composer-turned-actor in Tamil cinema. He debuted as a music composer in the film ‘Sukran’, after which he has produced blockbuster albums. Long before Kolaveri Di, Antony’s Nakka Mukka was popular among the audiences. After making a successful career in music, he made his acting debut in ‘Naan’, which was a runaway hit at the box office. So far, Antony has been widely praised for the choice of scripts that he takes up. With back-to-back hits like ‘Salim’ and ‘Pichaikaran’, Vijay Antony has established his own market in the industry. Currently waiting for the release of ‘Kaali’, he will be working with ‘Moodar Koodam’ director Naveen soon.

GV Prakash Kumar became a household name after composing the music for ‘Veyil’ in 2006. He also made his Bollywood debut in Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. After working with almost all the top heroes in the industry, GV Prakash Kumar made his acting debut in the horror-comedy film ‘Darling’, which was a profitable venture at the box office. His second film ‘Trisha Illana Nayanthara’, an adult comedy directed by Adhik Ravichandran, opened to good reviews and was a runaway hit. Since then, GV Prakash has acted in several commercial films. However, he only won laurels and recognition after starring in Bala’s ‘Naachiyaar’, where his performance as Kaathu was appreciated by critics and fans alike. He is all set for the release of his next big film ‘Sarvam Thaala Mayam’, which is being directed by Rajiv Menon.

Hiphop Tamizha shot to fame after the commercial success of his independent track ‘Club le Mubbu le’. He got his break after signing up for the family drama ‘Aambala’, which marked his debut as a music composer. Since then, Adhi has composed several blockbuster albums including films like ‘Netru Indru Naalai’, ‘Thani Oruvan’, ‘Aranmanai 2’ and ‘Dhruva’ to name a few. Adhi made his acting debut last year with musical romance film ‘Meesaya Murukku’, which was reportedly based on real-life incidents. The film opened to a favourable response from critics and became very successful at the box office. After ‘Meesaya Murukku’, it was reported that Adhi got many offers to act, but, he is yet to sign his next film.

Anirudh Ravichander is arguably one of the best composers among the younger lot. Unlike many other composers, Anirudh rose to superstardom after his chart-topping album ‘2’ in 2011. The song ‘Kolaveri Di’ became a viral hit on the internet and soon earned worldwide recognition. Despite getting a lot acting offers, Anirudh Ravichander hasn’t acted in a full-fledged role. The composer is often known for his surprise cameos. In 2013, Anirudh released a promotional video for ‘Vanakkam Chennai’ in which he teamed up with Hiphop Tamizha. He then made a guest appearance in Sivakarthikeyan-starrer ‘Maan Karate’ in the song 'Open The Tasmac'. However, it was his cameo in ‘Maari’ that became widely popular. Interestingly, Anirudh was to play the lead role in ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’, directed by Vignesh Shivn, but later, agreed to compose the music, which became a smash hit.

Siddharth Vipin was introduced to Tamil cinema in the comedy-drama ‘Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara’, starring Vijay Sethupathi in the lead. Apart from the story, the film was praised for its songs, composed by Siddharth Vipin. Siddharth not only composed music for the film but also played a guest role in a famous comedy track. After ‘Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara’, Siddharth Vipin became a regular in actor-comedian Santhanam’s films. He has also composed music for films like Vallavanukku Pullum Aayudham and Jackson Durai to name a few. Siddharth mostly plays supporting roles in films and was last seen in 'Bramma.com'.