Jamshad Cethirakath (born 11 December 1980), known by his stage name Arya, is an Indian actor and film producer who works predominantly in Tamil cinema, with occasional appearances in Malayalam and Telugu films. Over the course of his career, Arya has won two Filmfare Awards South and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and was featured on the 2015 edition of the Forbes India Celebrity 100, a list of the top-earning Indian celebrities.
| Birth name | Jamshad Cethirakath |
|---|---|
| Stage name | Arya |
| Date of birth | 11 December 1980 |
| Occupation | Actor, film producer |
| Primary industry | Tamil cinema |
| Other languages | Malayalam, Telugu |
| Notable awards | Filmfare Awards South (2); Tamil Nadu State Film Awards (2) |
| Recognition | Forbes India Celebrity 100 (2015) |
Arya achieved his breakthrough by portraying rogue characters in two films directed by Vishnuvardhan: Arinthum Ariyamalum (2005) and Pattiyal (2006). These roles established him as a leading actor in Tamil cinema.
He earned wide critical acclaim for his performance as an Aghori in Bala's Naan Kadavul (2009), a role that marked a significant departure from his earlier work.
Arya consolidated his commercial standing through a series of successful releases:
In addition to Raja Rani, Arya appeared in three further Tamil films during 2013:
In 2021, Arya played the main lead in Pa. Ranjith's sports film Sarpatta Parambarai, a performance that garnered him high critical acclaim.
Arya's career has spanned commercial entertainers, period dramas, and director-driven projects, allowing him to build a profile that combines mass-market appeal with critical recognition. His collaborations with directors such as Vishnuvardhan, Bala, Selvaraghavan, Atlee and Pa. Ranjith have placed him within several distinct strands of contemporary Tamil cinema.
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