Vinayakan is an Indian actor, playback singer, and composer who predominantly works in Malayalam and Tamil language films. He started his career with a cameo appearance in the 1995 film Maanthrikam. Later, he did a couple of films in supporting roles as well as comedy roles.

In 2016, Vinayakan won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his leading role of Ganga in Rajiv Ravi's Kammatipaadam and it was well appreciated by the critics. He also composed a song for the film. His recognised roles include Edakochi Dude in Aadu - Oru Bheegara Jeevi Aanu and its successor film Aadu 2, and as Ayyappan in Lijo Jose Pellissery's Ee.Ma.Yau. It was included in The Hindu's top 25 Malayalam films of the decade and is widely regarded as one of the defining movies of the New Wave Movement.

He attained wider attention by acting as an antagonist in the Tamil-language action thriller film Jailer starring Rajinikanth in 2023.