Karthi On Ponniyin Selvan: 'We Knew Its Legacy Would Be Remembered'

IT’S BEEN a whirlwind of a promotional campaign for Mani Ratnam’s PS2 (Ponniyin Selvan 2), and the team of actors — including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Karthi, Jayam Ravi and Aishwarya Lekshmi — has been in and out of studios, giving interviews. I manage to catch Karthi on his way to the Mumbai airport after a super-hectic day. His phone battery is dying, he’s tired, but the conversation, as always, is full of life.

Over the years, Karthi has grown as a performer and person. His multifaceted interests — including working for society, and farming — have honed him into a better person. There’s empathy, a willingness to learn and the confidence to speak his mind without fear.

In a freewheeling conversation, the actor speaks about working with his mentor, the camaraderie among the actors of PS2, his children’s reaction to his Vandhiyathevan, and more. Edited excerpts:

Let’s begin by speaking of the camaraderie among the actors evident during the promotions. It’s not often we see this, especially because all of you are also competitors.

That’s what is so beautiful about this. Usually the outside world sees us as competitors. And even we tend to focus on our careers and on our growth. But when we stepped into this set, we knew this was a never-before and maybe never-after possibility. It takes a great director to put together people. The story has to be compelling for people to come together with a full heart [sic], and PS has both.

Everyone has an important role. Coming on board, we all knew this is a legacy that will be remembered. We knew our skills will be tested and we have to live up to it.

In this process, you cannot possibly see the other as competition. You want everyone to do well. You begin caring for the other’s performance and that’s beautiful. Because, you grow to be better.

Luckily, people have been very kind, and liked our work. We are grateful and don’t want to disappoint them… Because each character is already a superstar and has a huge following. Our job is to merely step into those shoes and deliver.

With Mani Sir, everyone wants to submit themselves to his vision. Remember how it was with Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Vikram? It was a very good film, yes. But we wanted it to work for Kamal [Haasan] sir. We wanted it to succeed. That’s the kind of goodwill the PS series has too.

It’s also wonderful how this film has changed casting perceptions. You and Trisha (who entered the industry before you) were never considered a pair. Now, they’re talking of romcoms with you two…

Ha, yes. It is refreshing. She was a star when I was an assistant director in Aaytha Ezhuthu. This seems to have redefined how people are cast. I know that after PS2, every romance will be compared to the one Vandhiyathevan and Kundhavai share. You have Kalki’s one-liners, Jeyamohan’s reworking of them, Rahman’s music. It is all setting a very high standard. And I loved that Vandhiyathevan has been accepted across languages.

Even though you began young, barring Paiyaa and some parts of Naan Mahaan Alla, not many have tapped into the romantic in you. You’ve played more serious roles. Thozha was a rare departure and showed your playful side. PS is like a buffet meal, showcasing a bit of all, right?

True. When this role came, my mother told me that in their youth, girls their age wanted to marry Vandhiyathevan. That’s the kind of history of popularity we are speaking of. How on earth was I going to live up to it? A character that had a prominent role in a novel that spanned 3,000 pages was playing a part in something condensed to fit 300 pages.

And, possibly because Kalki wrote this as a weekly, Vandhiyatheven has different facets/shades each week — he’s loyal, romantic, funny, goofy unlike a hero, he’s serious and he’s ambitious. I absorbed all this and tried to do my part.

I loved how people, including Amma’s friends and those like former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan sir, accepted me in the role, and said this is the Vandhiyathevan of their imagination.

Yes, some said ‘romba vazhiyaraaru’ [ can be loosely translated as bashful flirting], but then he [Vandhiyathevan] does do that with Poonkuzhali. He shows a different facet to Nandini and Kundhavai.

It was interesting to portray the different power dynamics at play. In those days, Koor the King was akin to God. Vandhiathevan is Aditha Karikaalan’s friend, someone who is delighted he trusts him, and he’s fiercely loyal, he admires Karikaalan. I tried to bring all those shades, though I don’t know how much I succeeded.

From the swashbuckling style of Vandhiyathevan to the edgy styling for the promotions — both are something new for you, someone who always goes for casual chic.

Well, we are representing Tamil Nadu and I wanted to do it with style and pride. People are going to form opinions based on how we project ourselves and I wanted a look that is grounded but also global.

Karthi’s 2022, studded with hits such as PS1, Viruman and Sardar, is a year others would love to have. How did it feel to score in a post-COVID world?

Surreal. Especially considering they all followed each other with a month’s gap. It gave me the confidence to see the crowds back, because all our lives had been reset. People had stopped going out because livelihoods were in doubt. Now, everyone is back and the crowds are proof of that. COVID redefined our relationship with success and money — we took some things too seriously and some things for granted, and that’s changed.

Did PS change you as a performer?

It changed my thought process. One worked harder, one learnt to be open to learning. One felt like a student. Therefore, you don’t settle. You’re not worried about making mistakes. You enrich yourself. Now, every film feels like a first film.

How did it feel when you completed PS and went to the sets of Viruman?

Lighter [laughs]. There was no armour or horse. It was me, my lungi, and a familiar world. Jokes apart, I was surprised by how easily I snapped back into my old world.

That said, I felt very lazy. We were shooting one scene a day and my mind would go back to PS, where we would do two a day, because that film demanded it.

How do you feel when you see a horse now?

Romba aasaya irukku [I feel a lot of affection]. I became very comfortable with horses during the movie and loved the connect with them. A horse knows your state of mind, and like how in Avatar, every person has a dragon who understands them, the horse senses your mood. There’s the sense of power that ride lends you. It’s very special. I even brought back my saddle from PS as a keepsake. Now, when my family sees a horse on the road, they immediately look at me [smiles].

How did your kids react to their Appa as Vandhiyathevan?

My daughter has read the book and felt Vandhiyatheven is very silly, getting into trouble often. She loved the film, and narrated the story to all her cousins before they watched the movie. I’m still waiting for her to tell me what she feels about her Appa in the film.

My son was too young when the first part was released. But he loved Azhwarkadiyan. He loved our playful bond. He loved the physicality of the character and that’s because of what a fabulous performer Jayaram sir is.