‘I have to stand for myself, there is no one else’: Sivakarthikeyan

There is something about Sivakarthikeyan. With more than a decade in the industry, he has now earned a stronghold in the world of cinema. But there is a sense of geniality about the actor, who is growing from strength to strength with each film. They could be blockbusters or box-office duds, but the conversations around Sivakarthikeyan continue to inspire a legion of actors. His journey in cinema is the stuff of dreams, but there is a distinct aspirational quality to it. That is probably why, unlike many of his contemporaries, every step of Sivakarthikeyan is scrutinised and analysed by all and sundry.

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As he said in his ‘comeback’ film Namma Veetu Pillai, “Nammala maadhri pasanga oru dhadava jeicha othukka maataanga, ovvoru vaatiyum jeikkanum… jeippom.” In many ways, after the not-so-exciting box-office returns of his Tamil-Telugu bilingual, Prince, Sivakarthikeyan has bounced back strongly with his latest, Maaveeran, which is currently setting the cash registers ringing. “The thing about Maaveeran, and director Madonne Ashwin’s debut, Mandela, is that they are socially conscious films but don’t get preachy. It is packaged as a well-meaning but effective commercial entertainer,” says Sivakarthikeyan, as he met with members of the press to talk about Maaveeran.

Incidentally, Sivakarthikeyan plays Sathya, a cartoonist, who works for a newspaper, and is forced to become this superhero entity when a supernatural intervention asks him to fight for the right cause. While the actor is not new to taking up the cudgels for citizens in his films, the box-office results of such films made him take a step back from it. In fact, even in this interview, he repeatedly asserts that Maaveeran is not about a single person’s social responsibility but the society’s as a whole. However, he notes that such films are definitely experimental in nature.

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“It is the risks that I took in my life that brought me to cinema in the first place. My roots are in humour, but it is rare to see a full-fledged comedy film these days. So, I  have to explore my talents and work on newer concepts to understand my strengths and improve my weaknesses,” he says. This quest for novel concepts is also why he seems to find comfort in working with few-films-old directors or debutants.

“Honestly, I cannot see myself playing a Varun (Doctor) or a Sathya (Maaveeran). It is the directors who have the necessary convictions to project me in a certain way. Nelson and Madonne knew I could pull it off. Also, newer filmmakers doing films on a bigger scale is a healthy trend,” explains the Prince actor, quickly adding, “In fact, it is just now that the bigger directors have approached me with subjects. But it doesn’t mean I will restrain myself from doing these experiments from time to time.”

This self-assuredness comes not just from the confidence in his abilities but also for the lack of support. His films are often mired in financial issues, and Sivakarthikeyan is candid about it being a systemic problem. “There is no hero who hasn’t faced this issue. For instance, in Maaveeran, the industry might not know Madonne’s theatrical pull, and it is a new idea too. So I can’t just think of my salary, and not care about the production costs.

Also, I haven’t got my salary for a successful film, and even recently, I had to fight it out in court for a settlement from another production house. I have to stand for myself, there is no one else,” points out Sivakarthikeyan, who understands there are a lot of eyes on him, and a lot of his peers to look up to him and emulate his journey from television to the silver screen. “It is a responsibility for sure. Also, cinema is an opinion-based industry, and such feedback is very important. The fact that they are noticing, and liking my work is a motivation, for sure. It is a proper validation for the work I am doing, and it pushes me to find what better I can do.”

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This quest to be better at his craft, has resulted in him pushing his boundaries. An important step in the elevation of an actor to a star is definitely the action set-pieces, and Sivakarthikeyan agrees that Maaveeran finally made him take a liking for it. “Each of the stunt sequences in Maaveeran are uniquely designed. The element of fantasy involved in these action set-pieces only made things more interesting.

Earlier, I used to be tense while doing these scenes, but now, I want to put more effort into it,” says the actor, who is effusive in his praise about the efforts put by his Maaveeran co-star and actor-filmmaker Mysskin. “I only knew Mysskin sir from his films, speeches and interviews.

Initially, I wasn’t sure how to approach him. But I was in awe of his dedication to the craft of acting. He was both mentally and physically strong while performing those intense stunt sequences that required multiple takes at times,” shares Sivakarthikeyan, adding, “Also, one day he took out time to make the entire cast and crew of almost 500 people to praise the assistant director who ensured the shots were canned perfectly. The AD was in tears, and it was a lesson for all of us to be empathetic too.”

In fact, this empathetic side of Sivakarthikeyan was seen in the audio launch function of Maaveeran where he took out time to ask all his fans to travel back safely. Pointing out that it was a natural thing to ask of his audience, Sivakarthikeyan says, “Let’s say there is a function at your place, wouldn’t you tell something similar to your family and friends? That is our culture, right? The event would be complete only after all our guests go back happy, well-fed, and safe. That’s all I did, and I think I owe that much to the people who travel so long to grace my event.”

This connection with his audience, and fans is what keeps Sivakarthikeyan’s career ticking, and Maaveeran clearly marks the next phase of his cinematic journey. He is next starring in Kamal Haasan’s home production, which is being helmed by Rangoon filmmaker Rajkumar Periasamy.  “It is a very special feeling to interact with the stars I grew up idolising.

When Madonne met Kamal sir, he referred to me as ‘enga hero’ and that was a surreal moment. We can never plan our careers with precision. All we can be is honest. Sometimes, this honesty does land me in trouble. But I have to accept my failures for you to accept my success, right,” signs off Sivakarthikeyan with a smile that lights up the room. There is something about Sivakarthikeyan, right?