Karthi, the Tamil star of 2022, on directorial debut and film with Suriya: ‘It’s a fantasy idea…’

A common factor in Karthi’s three hits in 2022 is that despite being popular commercial films with songs and fights, there’s something that distinguishes them from typical affairs. That holds true to even some of his middling affairs like Kaashmora, Saguni, and Thambi. But there’s no one secret mantra to it, according to Karthi. “As a one-line story, how much it engages you matters. Take Paiya for example, just as a one-line story… It’s about a guy falling in love with a girl at first sight, and he gets to travel with her immediately is a great idea. Travel films are rare in Tamil, and when it involves just two people, it has a scope of something like Before Sunrise. Though it has all the commercial high points, everything else was fresh for me in the script. So, script choices come down to the taste of an individual…the kind of film I like to watch.”

On top of that, it also has a lot to do with the great start he got with Ameer’s Parthiveeran, which established him as a star and also as a performer. “Ameer sir set a high standard for me. So, there’s a need for my films to be ‘packed’ despite being commercial ventures. They need to be honest and should connect with the audience at an emotional level. I have to look for all such dimensions in a script.”

When asked what kind of films Karthi watches, he said, “Except for arthouse films, I watch everything. Arthouse ku ariuvu pathata. I don’t have the brain and patience to watch such cinema, I guess.”

Direction dreams

At a Ponniyin Selvan 1 promotional event, while answering a question about how different the film is from the book, Karthi made an interesting observation. He said, “Most of Vandhiyadhevan’s portions are monologues. He keeps talking to himself. Now, it is hard to capture that in a film. But we have found ways to bring about his character in different ways.” Now, it is one thing for Mani Ratnam, a director, to note this screenplay problem, but another for an actor to be aware of it. “You are forgetting that I began my career as an assistant director to Mani sir (laughs). Also, I don’t stop myself just as an actor while presenting a scene. I think wholesomely about how it is going to turn out on the big screen. Again, being an AD helped.”

I quickly ask if he has plans of directing a film. “For a long time, I didn’t have an answer for that question. Now I do. I have an idea that I am working on. It’s a fantasy idea that’s in the nascent stage. The problem here is one has to be a writer to be a director. So, I have to develop it. I don’t know how long it’s going to take. Let’s see.”

On pan-Indian movies and the synergy of film industries

In a recent interview, Kamal Haasan said phenomena such as pan-Indian films and multilingual movies are only history repeating itself. He went on to say the rise of regional cinema is also not a new thing, and Karthi agrees with it absolutely. “It’s absolutely true. I mean, Chandralekha (1948) was taken across the country decades ago. It’s all age-old trends. It is because such films are made on a huge budget and the only way to recover the cost is to take it to a wider audience. Any hit formula, no matter the place of origin, will be taken all over the place.”

Taking chances with directors

PS Mithran, the director of Sardar, made a brilliant debut with Irumbu Thirai, but he couldn’t repeat it with his sophomore film Hero. Similarly, the last film of Rajumurugan, the director of Karthi’s upcoming Japan, was not the best of the filmmaker in comparison to his previous hit Joker. Yet, Karthi bets on such talents because of the scripts. “The idea makes the difference. With Mithran’s Sardar, no one has done a story about a theatre artiste turning spy… that too when it is a real story that happened in India. Most spy thrillers made here are set outside the country, unlike Sardar. That was a slick but grounded film. So, script matters more than anything else.”

What’s brewing in Japan?

The reason the interview couldn’t happen in person was that Karthi is sporting a new makeover for his upcoming film, Japan, and he is avoiding public appearances. Like his look, the film is also going to be a bit wacky, according to the actor. “If you have read Rajumuruagan’s writing like his magazine series Vattiyum Mudhalum, you would know what kind of a person he is. We saw a bit of that side in Joker. With Japan, he is in a different zone. It’s a crime thriller, and the very idea of such a genre from him was pretty exciting. I should say I forced myself into the project (laughs). We are pushing the boundaries with this one.”

On collaborating with Suriya

Vikram would have become the first film of brothers Suriya and Karthi had the latter made a cameo appearance as Dilli. But Karthi couldn’t do it because he was sporting long hair for Ponniyin Selvan 1. “I was asked till the last moment to make an appearance, but you can’t wear a wig for Dilli. Also, there’s the beard. Right after I finished PS1, I had to become a police officer for Sardar with a clean-shaven look.” However, Karthi does admit that teaming up with his brother Suriya would be an exciting area to explore. “He has been my producer so far. Acting together needs a sound script. Even for a normal film, we both are too particular about things. So, imagine the kind of script for us to do a film together. It needs a script and a director that would satisfy both of us.”

Regrets and lessons learnt

Karthi has so far done twenty-three films, and he doesn’t have any regrets. However, the actor is careful to not repeat some mistakes. “Initially, there were heart burns, but it takes a while to realise that failures are part of the process. What you are today is because of those experiences, right?