A popular South Indian actor, Sathyaraj received global recognition for his portrayal of Kattappa in S. S. Rajamoulis two-part magnum opus Baahubali. Having started his career in 1978, Sathyaraj was initially seen playing negative roles, for which he won immense praise. Some of his most lauded performances are Vedham Pudhithu, Nadigan, Amaidhi Padai, and Periyar. While he is primarily seen in Tamil movies, he has not limited himself to just that one industry and has been a part of the Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and Telugu film industries as well. With over 200 movies to his credit, Sathyaraj was seen in Aagathan, Nanban, Mirchi, Chennai Express, Raja Rani, Nenu Sailaja, and Jackson Durai, Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva.