While Karthi had already proved his mettle as an actor with films like Madras (2014), Oopiri (2016), Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017) and Kaithi (2019), it was filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s epic historical action-adventure film Ponniyin Selvan I that brought him pan-Indian recognition. Karthi’s portrayal of Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan, the prince of Vaanar clan, won him wide critical acclaim. The second installment in the franchise, Ponniyin Selvan II, also brought him appreciation.
And now, in an exclusive interaction with News18, he reveals how his brother, superstar Surya, reacted after he watched him playing Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan on the big screen for the first time. Karthi tells us that Surya watched it along with his wife, actor Jyothika’s family, and was in awe of the magnum opus. “Interestingly, my brother watched the film – the Tamil version with subtitles – with his in-laws in Bombay in a theatre full of non-Tamil speaking audience. All of them loved it. He was very proud of it. He said, ‘What Tamil cinema could achieve makes me very proud.’” And what was his feedback for his younger brother? “He had some lovely things to say about the whole film. But he didn’t have any special words for me,” shares Karthi with a laugh.
But his association with Ponniyin Selvan goes back a long way as his father, veteran actor Sivakumar, was approached by legendary actor and late politician Marudhur Gopalan Ramachandran, better known as MGR, when he first announced the screen adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s novel in 1959. Talking about it, Karthi says, “Even before Kamal (Haasan) sir was supposed to make Ponniyin Selvan, MGR got the rights and he wanted to make it. He wanted my dad to play Arunmozhi Varman.” For the unversed, the Vikram (2022) actor had intended on making the film in 1989 and even announced the cast but his plans didn’t materialise.
With the Ponniyin Selvan baton being passed on from one actor to another across generations, Karthi feels fortunate to be able to be a part of the film, which the fraternity wanted to helm for the longest time. “All of us have received lots of appreciation for this film. It was written 70 years back and the fan following that each character in the film has, has made them almost like superstars. They have received love over generations. When the audience saw somebody bringing them alive onscreen for the first time, they were filled with a whole lot of excitement. They have always looked at actors from different generations playing these parts. And finally, we, from this generation, got to do them. And the audience fell in love with all the characters,” he elaborates.
Apart from the accolades that came his way from critics and members of the film fraternity, the Kaatru Veliyidai (2017) and Paruthiveeran (2007) actor also won the hearts of the audience, particularly children, for his comic timing, physical prowess and impish charm in the film. Speaking about it, he remarks, “A lot of children want to be called Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan and not by their names. I’ve met so many kids who came home and wanted to change their names to Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan (laughs).”
On a related note, Ponniyin Selvan II hit the theatres on April 28 in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. It also stars Chiyaan Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Sobhita Dhulipala.
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