To be honest, I have never planned my career or life. Everything just happened. From being a standup comedian to an upcoming actor, it has been a journey of hard work and luck. Right from childhood, I aimed to be versatile. And the media has allowed me to explore my versatility — I have been an anchor, a dancer, a comedian and now an actor.
Immediately after winning the best comedian title in 'Kalakka Povathu Yaaru' on Star Vijay, I got a chance to participate in a dance reality show, 'Jodi No 1'. Of course, it was a surprise as I’m not a good dancer. It was a challenge, but somehow during the course of the competition, I picked up the moves and participated in two more seasons of the show. After a stint in dance, I was lucky to anchor an exclusive comedy show, 'Adhu Idhu Yedhu'. The show gained popularity and I was invited to anchor many other shows on the same channel.
I don’t plan my comedy; it has always been spontaneous. All this time, I never thought that I would get into acting. The turning point in my life was when I got an opportunity to anchor Star Vijay Awards. It caught the attention of many directors and actors who were impressed with my anchoring. That’s when director Pandiraj of 'Pasanga' fame noticed and called me for a screen test. And the rest is history. My first film
'Marina' received critical acclaim.
At an award function, actor Dhanush also appreciated my anchoring and offered me a role in his film, '3'. Though I only played a small role, my comedy was well appreciated by the audience. The year 2012 has been a lucky year for me. So far so good. I’m now waiting for my second solo film to be released. Directed by Ezhil of Deepavali fame, the movie is titled 'Manam Kothi Paravai' and it should be a good break for me. At this point, I have to thank director Pandiraj who gave me the first opportunity to act. Entering cinema is easy, but finding the right director is a hard task. I have been lucky. I do what my director wants me to do.
The only common factor in all my films is comedy. I’m good at it and I give my best. Soon after my second film releases, I’m starting to shoot for Pandiaraj again. It’s a multi-starrer and a laugh riot. With that, I will also be playing the lead in debutant director Senthil’s untitled film, which is produced by actor Dhanush.
Comedy has always been my passion. If there is something that I have learnt through various reality shows, it is that there are so many ways to entertain people. And getting into cinema is definitely a step in the right direction.
(Sivakarthikeyan is an upcoming actor in the Tamil film industry)