Ponnambalam is an Indian actor, stuntman, and politician born on 11 November 1963 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He attended Avichi Higher Secondary School, Chennai. The youngest of seven siblings (with six sisters who supported his entry into cinema), he was a national-level sportsman who won India's National High Jump Championship in 1984. He entered Tamil cinema as a stuntman and extra fighter, making his debut in Shankar Guru (1987). His breakthrough came with the villain role of Kabali in Walter Vetrivel (1993, directed by P. Vasu), which launched his career as a prominent villain-stuntman. He became one of the most active supporting actors of the 1990s-2000s, appearing in over 200 films across multiple South Indian languages and Hindi. Notable roles include Nattamai (1994), Muthu (1995), Amarkalam (1999), Ghilli (2004), and Nayak: The Real Hero (2001, Hindi, as a henchman). His proficiency as a stuntman earned him the nickname 'Spare Parts' Ponnambalam - a nickname referring to the many parts of his body that have healed after injuries. He is married to Devi Ponnambalam and has a son Kartik GPK and daughter Krithika Ponnambalam. He has been associated with BJP since 2014 (previously AIADMK, 2011-2014). In 2018, he participated in Bigg Boss Tamil Season 2 and was evicted in Week 8, finishing 12th.

Tamil films Walter Vetrivel (1993) as villain Kabali (his breakthrough role); Nattamai (1994); Muthu (1995, with Rajinikanth); Amarkkalam (1999); Nayak: The Real Hero (2001, Hindi, with Anil Kapoor); Ghilli (2004); National High Jump Champion (1984); 200+ films across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi; nicknamed 'Spare Parts' Ponnambalam for his stunt record.

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