Shaji Chen
Biography
Shaji Chen (also credited as Shaji and Shaji Chennai) is an Indian writer and actor. Shaji's main area of writing is music and cinema-related. Shaji writes in Tamil, Malayalam, and English languages and acts in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films.
As a writer, he is known for his music and film-related write-ups and autobiographical articles. His various articles have published in The Hindu, Times of India, India Today, AV Max, Ananda Vikatan, The Hindu Tamil, Uyirmmai, Kalachuvadu, Theeranadhi, Vikatan Thadam, Kaalam, Kumkumam, Puthiya Thalaimurai, Sunday Indian, Andhimazhai, Padachurul, Bhashaposhini, Mathrubhumi Azhchappathippu, Madhyamam Weekly, Chandrika Weekly, Kalakaumudi, Malayalam Vaarika, Mangalam Daily, Mangalam Annual, Deepika Daily and others.
In September 2013 Shaji Chen acted in the acclaimed Tamil film Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum (A Wolf and a Lamb) directed by Mysskin, as the pivotal character CBCID Lal. Then he acted in the Tamil film Maan Karate as the boxing coach of the hero, Sivakarthikeyan.
Aaranyam was his next Tamil film. He made his Malayalam film debut with the Vineeth Sreenivasan film Aby. Thupparivalan (Tamil) / Detective (Telugu)/ Dashing Detective (Hindi) directed by Mysskin, Spyder (Telugu &Tamil) directed by A R Murugadoss and Savarakathi written and produced by Mysskin followed.
In Thupparivalan he acted as the crucial character ACP Vijayakumar. This film was later dubbed into Telugu as Detective and into Hindi as Dashing Detective. In the film Spyder, he portrayed the role of Intelligence Bureau Head, Mathews.
In Savarakathi he played the cameo of a mentally ill person. In Kanne Kalaimaane directed by Seenu Ramasamy, he played the role of Bank Manager Mathrubhootham. In Iruttu directed by V. Z. Durai, he played the role of a Muslim sage living in a forest graveyard.
In Psycho directed by Mysskin, he played the part of the father of the heroine acted by Aditi Rao Hydari. In Doctor directed by Nelson Dilipkumar Shaji played a two-scene cameo as a distressed metro train driver.
In the Vijay-starrer movie Beast directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, he acted as the scheming Home Minister. In Maamanithan directed by Seenu Ramasamy Shaji acted as the real estate fraudster Mathavan.
In Cobra (2022) directed by R. Ajay Gnanamuthu Shaji did the short cameo of the father of one of the heroines played by Mirnalini Ravi. In Raavana Kottam directed by Vikram Sukumaran, Shaji acted as the judicious district collector.
Chera (Malayalam) directed by Lijin Jose, Thalaimai Seyalagam directed by Vasanthabalan, and Blackmail directed by Mu. Maran, Hitlist directed by SooriKarthik, is one of his forthcoming films.
