[2][3][4] R. S. Shivaji was the son of actor and producer M. R. Santhanam, who worked on films including Ellis R. Dungan's Meera (1945).
His brother Santhana Bharathi is also a popular actor and film director, who has worked in Tamil cinema (Kollywood).
[5] As an actor, R. S. Shivaji primarily played comedy roles and regularly featured in Kamal Haasan's films in the 1980s and 1990s.
Neenga Engeyo Poiteenga, sir dialogue from Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989) directed at Janagaraj had been regularly parodied in later Tamil movies.
[6] He played important roles in Kolamavu Kokila and Dharala Prabhu as Nayanthara's father and Vivek's assistant, respectively.