
On the need to recognise achievers from diverse fields, actor Karthi opened up about the spotlight focusing on actors too much, at the 13th edition of The New Indian Express' ThinkEdu Conclave, presented by SASTRA University, hosted at the ITC Grand Chola, Chennai on Monday. The Meiyazhagan actor spoke at the panel discussion titled 'What Lies Beneath: Getting into Character,' chaired by senior journalist Kaveree Bamzai.
In addition to discussing the intricate aspects of some of his most memorable performances, Karthi also reflected on his philanthropic work, and about his upbringing, which the actor believes helped him in his personal and professional life. Even as he expressed gratitude for the love he receives from fans, Karthi voiced concern about the lack of recognition for achievers in other fields. “I felt embarrassed to receive applause during an event for our Uzhavan Foundation when people, who have achieved more went unrecognised. It’s important to celebrate those unsung heroes. Through the foundation, we’re taking up several projects, like the restoration of water bodies and empowering widowed women through agriculture. I’m also involving fans in my philanthropic work.”
Karthi candidly opened up about the psychological toll he endured after his first film, Paruthiveeran (2007). “The climax of Paruthiveeran hit me so hard that I cried every day for three months, unable to recover from the grief. I didn’t know what to do about it. Thankfully, on the sets of Aayirathil Oruvan (2010), Selvaraghavan sir saw my preparation and advised me not to stay in character before ‘action’ and after ‘cut.’ He said carrying roles home would affect our personal life, and I still follow his advice.” While Paruthiveeran dealt Karthi a deep cut, he also set himself apart from Varun Chakrapani (Kaatru Veliyidai), whom he viewed as a problematic person. "The character totally goes against my grain. Playing VC, the poetry-reciting, charming, chauvinistic pig, was not easy. Mani sir helped me with that. I was advised not to be discouraged by the film's result, as it portrayed the reality of a caustic relationship for the first time in years. We need to show how girls don't have to put up with toxic relationships."
Delving into playing charming characters such as Vandhiyathevan and Meiyazhagan, Karthi attributed the seamless immersion into these characters to his grounded upbringing and childhood. "Despite being the son of a film star, the film sets were totally off-limits for me and my brother. We were strictly told not to fancy any Kollywood dreams. My parents were keen on getting us educated and wanting us to lead a normal life away from stardom. I used to take public transport and rode a bicycle. We didn't wear the best of clothes or shoes. We had a normal middle-class upbringing. Having lived such a life, I didn’t have to prepare for Meiyazhagan. It was my comfort zone. I’ve met people in real life like the ones in the film. Prem Kumar wrote Meiyazhagan like a novel first and not a screenplay, where things take time to unfold. Some asked how such people could exist in real life. But they do, and I’ve come across them,” said Karthi.
The actor also revealed how his mother, who was not very keen about his acting career, was excited for the first time when she learnt that he would play Vandhiyathevan in Ponniyin Selvan. “My mom was excited about my career for the first time. I wanted to keep this role as rooted as possible. I wanted to capture the common man’s behaviour in the 10th century. I read a book called Sangam Polity, suggested by some friends, which depicts the Sangam era from the perspective of a common man. Vandhiyathevan is everything—he can sing, dance, and be goofy, but also be serious. He’s like an IAS officer without a department or a kingdom.” On a lighter note, Karthi added, “As far as the romance side is concerned, Mani Ratnam sir takes care of it.”
The actor also delved into the physical aspects of preparing for a role. "Facial hair has been like an armour for me over the years. I went to Ameer sir with a clean-shaven face and the immediate instruction was to grow a beard and get built. I cannot imagine doing the roles I did without a beard or a moustache. I have workout plans but since I don't take any supplements in any form, it takes time to achieve the desired look. This is exactly where I compensate with my costumes and grooming. Kashmora was one such experiment with regard to the looks. We did 20 look tests to arrive at the bearded and tonsured look, which accentuated the evilness of that character. But funnily, when we locked this look, enter Kattappa and people began drawing parallels."
Karthi, who has a couple of sequels in the pipeline, shared exciting updates about the upcoming instalments of Sardar and Kaithi. “We tried to keep Sardar as rooted as possible since it was inspired by a real character who was a stage actor and then trained to become a spy. Sardar 2 will serve as both a prequel and sequel, showing events before and after the mission,” he revealed. On Kaithi 2, he said, “Dilli was loved by all, and I loved the character for his great emotional arc and the personal tragedy he endured. I’m as excited as all of you to see him having biryani again.”