Background
He has starred in several films, and is most noted as the son of director Bharathiraja. He made his acting debut in the 1999 Tamil film Taj Mahal, directed by his father himself alongside Riya Senator, who made her debut as well.
He has starred in several films, and is most noted as the son of director Bharathiraja. He made his acting debut in the 1999 Tamil film Taj Mahal, directed by his father himself alongside Riya Senator, who made her debut as well.
Before becoming an actor in the Tamil film industry, Manoj worked as an assistant actor. He did a course in Theatre arts at the University of South Florida. Subsequently Manoj appeared in films like Samuthiram alongside Sarath Kumar and Murali and Kadal Pookkal, directed by his father, sharing screen space with Murali once again.
Later, he starred in Sathyaraj"s Maha Nadigan in a cameo role and did a negative role in the Telugu film Lemon.
He worked as an assistant to his father in films like Bommalattam and noted filmmaker Mani Ratnam in Bombay. From 2008 til 2010, he worked as an assistant to director South. Shankar in his magnum opus Enthiran.
Since 2007 it has been reported that Manoj was set to remake his father"s Sigappu Rojakkal, but the film still remains in pre-production. In 2012, his father signed him up to replace Ameer in his production, Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum, as antagonist,thus marking a return to films after a seven year sabbatical.