Silambarasan Thesingu Rajendar (born 3 February 1983), popularly known as Simbu or by his initials as STR, is an Indian actor, producer, and playback singer who primarily works in Tamil cinema.

[citation needed] Silambarasan appeared as a baby in the film Uravai Kaatha Kili held by his father T Rajendar.

He started acting in several of his father's movies, including Thai Thangai Paasam, Oru Vasantha Geetham, En Thangai Kalyani, Enga Veetu Velan, Monisha En Monalisa, Oru Thayin Sabhatham, Samsara Sangeetham, Shanti Enathu Shanti, Pettredutha Pillai and Sabash Babu.

The film, a remake of Vedam (2010), featured an ensemble cast, was released to positive reviews and subsequently became a hit at the box office.

[17] In 2016, Silambarasan starred in the Pandiraj-directed Idhu Namma Aalu alongside Nayanthara, Andrea Jeremiah and Soori playing lead roles.

It was released on the eve of Pongal festival in theatres after the COVID-19 lockdown was lifted in Tamil Nadu on 14 January 2021, clashing with Vijay's Master (2021).

Silambarasan's next release was the political thriller film, Maanaadu (2021),[25] directed by Venkat Prabhu, which hit theatres in Diwali.

[36] In 2013, he sang ''Diamond Girl'' in Tollywood film Baadshah directed by Srinu Vaitla starring Jr. NTR and Kajal Aggarwal.

Further it was argued that "music needs to appeal to larger sections than to the ‘thrill-seeking’ youth who are often misguided into ‘cheap thrills’ because of such songs", demanding censorship.

[43] He subsequently headed to Los Angeles in January 2012 and recorded an original version of the song by himself at Studio Zappa with music producer Elan Morrison on the keyboards.

Rajendar noted that the sound editor Ramji Soma and a Canadian entrepreneur Talvinder Bathh had charged Rs 12 million ($200,000) from his company and failed to return it despite promises made to sign on Akon, David Guetta and either Rihanna or Nicole Scherzinger for the project.

[45] In May 2013, Silambarasan was finally successfully able to bring in Akon to collaborate for an alternate version of the song, with the move being facilitated by Tracktical Entertainment.

The song was initially reported to be written and sung by Silambarasan and composed by music director Anirudh Ravichander, and featured an expletive degrading women which had been beeped out.

[54] Silambarasan experienced difficulties with director A. J. Murugan during the making of his breakthrough film, Manmadhan (2004) and was widely reported by the media to have "ghost-directed" the project.

The project was launched with Nandhu as the director but he later complained that Silambarasan actively encroached his role and subsequently left his name out of the film's promotional posters.

In reply, Silambarasan argued that Linguswamy had wasted hundred days of his time without telling him the script of Vettai and called the director "unprofessional".

[61][62] During the making of Idhu Namma Aalu, the film's production delays meant that director Pandiraj and Silambarasan had difficulties.

Pandiraj later also publicly clashed with Silambarasan's brother, the composer Kuralarasan, stating his annoyance at the delay in providing the film's music.

[68] Several months after the release, the film's producer Michael Rayappan and director Adhik Ravichandran met the media to criticise the actor's unruly behaviour and interference during the course of the project.

[69] They alleged that during the first schedule, Silambarasan refused to film a song sequence, unfairly requested Shriya Saran to be replaced after she had finished her portions, demanded the shoot to be moved to London from Dubai and made false promises about reducing his body weight as required for the script.

Silambarasan also cancelled the third schedule and demanded that the film was released in two parts against the makers' wishes, while sending his team to Thailand to have leisure time on the producers' money.

[70][71] In 2018, the Madras High Court ruled that Silambarasan had to pay back the money that he received as an advance from the producers at Passion Movie Makers.

The ruling was in relation to the actor's failure to turn up for the shoot of a project titled Arasan, directed by Narayan Nagendra Rao, during the development of the film in 2015.

[72][73] In August 2019, producer Suresh Kamatchi announced that he had ousted Silambarasan from his film Maanaadu owing to the actor's failure to commit to dates properly.

Likewise Idhu Namma Aalu and Gautham Menon's Achcham Enbadhu Madamaiyada, began in 2013 and both were released in 2016 after publicised production delays.

[89] During the making of Vallavan (2006), actress Reemma Sen threatened legal action against Silambarasan after he made changes to the scope of her role in the film.

[90][91] Actress Lekha Washington was also critical of her experience working with Silambarasan on the shelved film Kettavan, and noted that she faced harassment on the sets.

Silambarasan had walked out of the production of Ko after a photoshoot in early 2010 over creative differences with director K. V. Anand, particularly on the issue of the casting of Karthika Nair as the lead actress.

[97][98] During the campaigning process for the 2015 Nadigar Sangam elections, Silambarasan launched a scathing personal attack on actor Vishal during a press conference.

[100] Silambarasan's actions were widely criticised, with Vishal subsequently thanking the actor for tilting public opinion further towards his team.