The rise of chiyaan vikram: two decades and counting

_(This story is from __THE QUINT’S__ archives and was first published on 2 September 2016. It is being republished to mark the actor’s birthday.)_ > ‘Ethavathu Different-a’ (something 

different) This is the refrain of entertainment. From anyone who’s anyone in the industry, to every nobody on the streets gives the same answer when asked what kind of movie he expects to

see – ‘_Ethavathu_ Different-a’. And so, when a story named _Dhruva Natchathiram_ (Pole Star) launches a 3-minute long 'teaser' and then a trailer from Gautham Vasudev Menon's

debut with Vikram, the 'different-a' tag is checked. But while the said movie lies in limbo, _Saamy2_ a feather on his cap. It’s the sequel to _Saamy_ (2003). I believe the buzz

around this movie has more to do with Vikram, than with anything else in the trailer. > As an actor, Vikram is a chameleon, and I mean this in the best > possible way. I don’t think 

anyone in the industry, barring Kamal > Haasan, has essayed the range of characters or facades he has donned > over twenty years in the industry. If there ever was a story of grit >

 and temerity in South Indian film industry, it’s Vikram’s. On Vikram’s birthday, here’s a quick lowdown of some lesser known facts about the 52 (!!) -year-old. THE TEN YEAR CURSE AND THE

BLOCKBUSTER DUD Vikram’s career can be split into two; B.S and A.S. Before _Sethu_ (1999) and After _Sethu_. Vikram’s debut was _En Kadhal Kanmani (_1990). For the next nine years, Vikram

trundled on in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu cinema, almost unnoticed. His father too had spent all his life in the industry and barely managed to score a few supporting roles by the fag end

of his career. Even supposedly ‘Big Break’ movies didn’t pan out. Most noticeably, PC Sreeram’s _Meera_ and SP Muthuraman’s _Kaval Geetham_. We’ll let _Muthuraman_ be for now. PC Sreeram, as

cinematographer, was by then a legend. He was behind _Nayagan’s_ largesse, _Agni Natchathiram’s_ fire and light and _Appu Raja’s_ dwarfism. So for Vikram to bag PC Sreeram’s directoral

debut, _Meera_ (1992), just two years into his career was a big deal. Until, of course, it flopped. BUT, listen/watch this song, and then we’ll talk. I’d say _Meera_ was a visual landmark in

Tamil cinema for its time. Everything about the movie looked beautiful, and some of the performances from Vikram and Aishwarya exude sheer directorial brilliance. Yet, just like this song,

you can’t really see the hero clearly. The story and the movie’s visual feel are more in focus. Is that why it failed to launch Vikram? Sigh. MALAYALAM, TELUGU AND DUBBING Interestingly,

this was probably Vikram’s most prolific period. Despite being a poor grosser and showing just half of Vikram’s face throughout, _Meera_ helped him bag some supporting roles in Malayalam and

Telugu films. His most notable role in Malayalam was in the Mammootty-starrer _Dhruvam_. Here he is, supporting Mammootty (literally), as he thrashes the villain, who’s only dialogue

throughout seems to be; ‘NO!’ GANDHI! VIKRAM WAS GANDHI! Vikram dubbed for Ben Kingsley in the Tamil dubbing of Richard Attenborough’s _Gandhi_. As Mohandas, his voice carried a kind of

innocent eagerness. And as the older Gandhi, he’s almost indistinguishable from the Hindi or English version. Vikram also dubbed for Prabhu Deva’s leading man debut, _Kadhalan_ and for Abbas

in _Kadhal Desam_. Both these movies were landmarks in Tamil cinema. Here’s a scene from _Kadhalan_. SETHU AND HAPPIES ENDINGS If you do not know who director Bala is, don’t Google him.

Watch this: Unfailingly, in all of his movies, he will create something beautiful, and then destroy it by the end of the movie. There will be madness, blood, evil like you’ve never seen

before and a kind of dark humour. This song is from Vikram’s first big break _Sethu_ (1999), directed by Bala. > In one shot, it established his identity as an actor unafraid to > 

shave his head and go mad for his character. Chiyaan, the name of > his character in the movie, stuck on. After _Sethu_, came a series of hits, though not really in quick succession. But

before they came, Vikram acted in the Telugu movie _9 Nelalu_ (_Nine Months_), in the year 2000. He plays a husband who divorces his wife (Soundarya), because she opts for surrogacy (in

vitro) to pay for his medical expenses after an acccident. Brilliant performance as a weak, conflicted yet loving husband. Again, a role that no one else would have played. _DHIL_, _DHOOL_,

_SAAMY_, INFINITE ACCELERATION! After _Sethu_ came _Dhil_, in 2001. These two movies are like two ends of a filmy rainbow, with _Dhil_ being bang on the ‘mass’ side of the bow. And from then

on, Vikram has delivered hits every year. And then director Shankar found him and _Anniyan_ (2005) happened, which clubbed blockbuster hero and brilliant actor to greater effect than

_Sethu_. Here’s a scene from _Anniyan_ where he plays both characters of his multiple personality simultaneously. FROM _I _TO _SAAMY2_ There comes a time in an actor’s life when he outgrows

the current crop of directors and story lines. It happened to Sivaji Ganesan, who faded into ignominy even as he was hailed as a living legend. It happened to Kamal Haasan, who is now doing

movies with the only director who can fully use him – Kamal Haasan. And after the loud mashup of half-baked ideas and visuals, that is _I_, I fear it is happening to Vikram too. In the

meantime, Tamil audience will dig into the instant recall and loud nostalgia of _Saamy_ with _Saamy2_, where Vikram plays Saamy, and his son! In the absence of something new, I’d rather take

the rehashed old. Published: 02 Sep 2016, 7:21 PM IST