‘What is Tamil cinema’s identity?’ Karthi sparks debate ahead of Vaa Vaathiyaar release

by

Actor Karthi, promoting his upcoming film Vaa Vaathiyaar which releases December 12th, believes Tamil cinema needs to be more innovative to stay unique. At a recent event for the film, he expressed his thoughts on what truly defines Tamil movies today. He noted that filmmakers in Telugu and Malayalam are taking risks with bigger and more diverse projects, and encouraged Tamil cinema to overcome its fear of trying new things and push creative boundaries to establish a distinct identity.

After a year-long break following his film Meiyazhagan, the actor is back with a new movie called Vaa Vaathiyaar. Directed by Nalan Kumarasamy, the film features a character based on the legendary actor and politician MG Ramachandran. Karthi has commended Nalan Kumarasamy’s distinctive filmmaking style, noting its originality within Tamil cinema.

Karthi praises Nalan Kumarasamy’s vision

Karthi mentioned that because director Nalan Kumarasamy has a dedicated following, he’s constantly asked if they’re collaborating on a project. According to Cinema Express, Karthi shared that people on every film set inquire about a potential Nalan Kumarasamy film, and described Nalan as someone who embraces a carefree, ‘Thug Life’ attitude.

Karthi explained that Nalan’s concepts are complex and take time to fully grasp, much like a memorable line from his film, Soodhu Kavvum. He compared it to the film’s dialogue, saying, ‘You need time to understand his ideas, and even after you do, they’re still surprising.’

The actor remembered a comparable situation while filming Selvaraghavan’s Aayirathil Oruvan. He noted that certain scenes don’t become clear until the director explains them. He described Nalan Kumarasamy’s creative vision as existing in a unique and imaginative space, which makes working with him both difficult and stimulating.

Here’s why Karthi was initially scared to sign the film

Karthi admitted that working on ‘Vaa Vaathiyaar’ was more difficult than he anticipated. He explained that he initially felt unsure if he could succeed, but realized overcoming his fears was necessary to move forward with the project.

He explained that the movie was a gamble, as his character is based on the iconic MGR. He compared working on ‘Vaa Vaathiyaar’ to a high-stakes challenge, saying it’s a situation where you either succeed spectacularly or fail completely.

Karthi recently discussed the movie at an Amazon Prime Video event, calling it a modern spin on traditional Indian action films. He explained it’s a respectful nod to the genre, but with a unique twist, and pointed out that the director, Nalan, is known for bringing dark humor to Tamil movies.

Krithi Shetty plays the main female role in the movie, supported by a cast including Rajkiran, Sathyaraj, Anandaraj, GM Sundar, Karunakaran, Shilpa Manjunath, and Ramesh Thilak. George C Williams is the cinematographer, Santhosh Narayanan composed the music, and Vetre Krishnan edited the film.

Read More

2025-12-09 08:07