OTTplay Awards 2022! Know Your Winners: Arya wins Best Actor Male (Jury) for Sarpatta Parambarai

One of the highlights of Pa Ranjith's Sarpatta Parambarai, which had a direct release on Amazon Prime Video in 2021, was gripping performances from actors who played significant characters in it. Arya, who played the lead in the film, walked away with the Best Actor Male (Jury) award at the OTTplay Awards 2022 which was held at Mumbai recently.

The actor essayed the role of Kabilan, an aspiring boxer, who goes on to achieve his dreams against several odds in the movie which was set against the backdrop of north Madras in the 70s.

Arya and other actors had to work on his physique and learn the nuances of boxing to play their respective characters flawlessly in the movie which opened to unanimous positive response among critics and film lovers alike. The emotional sequences which featured him and Pasupathy stood out in the movie.    

About the winner

Sarpatta Parambarai was Arya's second direct OTT release after Teddy which was also released in 2021. The former released amid big expectations, thanks to its intriguing trailer, pulsating background score by Santhosh Narayanan and director Ranjith's body of work.

What made the film the favourite Tamil OTT movie of many in 2021 is its realistic and effective portrayal of boxing matches in the 70s. The gripping narration, neat performances and compelling screenplay helped the project become one of the best works of Ranjith. 

Accolades

The actor, who made a stellar debut, won a prestigious award for his performance in Arinthum Ariyamalum. He was nominated for a few awards later for some of his praiseworthy portrayals in critically acclaimed movies. He was adjudged as Best Actor by the Tamil Nadu government for his performance in Raja Rani in 2013. 

The OTTplay Award he received for Sarpatta Parambarai is the latest accolade he has won in his career. The Ranjith directorial was one of the few direct-to-OTT Tamil films which opened to unanimous reviews in the pandemic era. Arya shared the recognition along with Farhan Akhtar for his performance in Toofan which also revolved around boxing. 

Arya's filmography

The actor, who made heads turn with his screen presence in 2005 with Vishnuvardhan's Arinthum Ariyamalum and Jeeva's Ullam Ketkumae, went on to bag notable characters in the successive years with projects like Pattiyal, Vattaram and Oram Po among others.

Bala's Naan Kadavul which released in 2009 was perhaps the first film of his which was released amid huge expectations. His portrayal of an aghori won him praises from critics and moviegoers. The commercial success of movies like Madrasapattinam and Boss Engira Bhaskaran, both in 2010, cemented his position in Kollywood and made him a bankable star.

His second collaboration with Bala - Avan Ivan - in which he shared screen presence with Vishal, too, helped his career as an actor. The success of Vettai in 2012 and Raja Rani in 2013 further elevated his stardom, after which he acted along with Ajith in a crucial role in Arrambam. After a few underwhelming movies and cameo appearances, he bounced back with the action thriller Meaghamann. 

Magamuni, which released in 2019, was the last film of his which won widespread appreciation prior to Sarpatta Parambarai. The revenge thriller, which had him essaying dual roles, was a sort of comeback for him after a few disappointing outings.     

Arya: This award from HT OTTplay is really encouraging

Arya, who shared the award along with Farhan Akhtar, expressed excitement for having participated in the event which was attended by the likes of Toofan actor and Manoj Bajpayee. He said, "I'm really really honoured to be here and am happy to see Farhan sir and Manoj sir. I'm a huge fan of both of them. I thank my director Ranjith sir for completely believing in me."

He added, "The director succeeded in making the film in the way he wanted it to be. I should thank my wife Sayyeshaa and my family for tolerating my tantrums and diet plan. This award from HT OTTplay is really encouraging."

sarpatta

Upcoming projects

Arya is set to begin shooting of the untitled project that has Muthaiya at the helm. The actor has sported a beard for his character in the film, and he is tight-lipped about his role in the rural drama. Amazon Prime original series The Village is another project of his that is likely to release soon. It has Milind Rau at its helm.

A movie with Nalan Kumarasamy is another film he currently has in his kitty. The acclaimed filmmaker last directed a movie in 2016. His fans and other film buffs are eagerly waiting to know what he has in store for them.