Star scions

Star kids open up to Nikhil Raghavan about why they haven’t tasted the same success as their superstar parent(s).

June 27, 2015 08:45 pm | Updated 08:45 pm IST

ShanthnuFNL

ShanthnuFNL

Shanthanu Bhagyaraj

Celebrity parent(s): Bhagyaraj and Poornima

Next up:Vaimai, Amali Thumali, Love in Hyderabad (Telugu)

“Though Sakkarakatti got a better opening, Kanden did slightly better at the box office. Yet, I have not tasted the kind of success I expected, mainly due to some wrong project choices. Also, unfortunately, I couldn’t do a few films that were offered to me due to a lack of dates. Some of these films went on to become big hits. The films I’m doing now may not be earth-shattering; but I hope that the one I’ll be starting in July, directed by Adhiroopa (an assistant of Bala), will resurrect my career.”

Sibiraj Sathyaraj

Celebrity parent(s) : Sathyaraj

Next up : Jackson Durai

“I think I got into the industry a little too early. I was only 20 and under-prepared. If I had waited for another five years, I would have been more mature and selected better scripts. Naigal Jaakirathai did better than all my earlier films and I view this as the real starting point of my career. I am a lot more prepared now. Jackson Durai that I’m doing now is a horror film in which I play a cop again. I think the role suits me well.”

Vikram Prabhu

Celebrity parent(s): Prabhu Ganesan

Next up:Idhu Enna Maayam, Wagah

“When I entered the industry, comedy was the norm. I didn’t want to do the same thing. I was keen on experimenting, and have since learned that action suits me. Idhu Enna Maayam that I’m doing now, will showcase my romantic side; let’s see how it works out. So far, all my movies have catered to the B and C centres, and often, just one segment of viewers. I want to change this.”

Gautham Karthik

Celebrity parent(s): Karthik

Next up : Sippai (unduly delayed), Indrajith , Rangoon

“My role in Kadal did wonders to me as an actor. I lived it for close to a year-and-a-half. To learn acting, you can’t find anybody better than Mani Ratnam, you know. Though I have done Yennamo Yedho and Vai Raja Vai since then, Kadal is still my favourite. Vai Raja Vai has been commercially successful and I hope that Indrajith and Rangoon will take me to greater heights.”

Karthika Nair

Celebrity parent(s): Radha

Next up : Vaa Deal

“Fortunately for me, having been more exposed to my father’s business, films aren’t really a priority. When Josh was offered, I had just finished Class 10. My mom and I thought I should give it a shot. Thereafter, I moved from one language to another, not really establishing my presence anywhere. Besides Ko, none of my other films really gave me a strong role. In hindsight, I think doing films in all four languages stopped me from focussing on one region. I am happy that PurampokkuEngira Podhuvudamai has met with some sort of success, and I am now looking forward to Vaa Deal , an action-thriller. I have not decided on any other film, as I am taking my time to select the right script.”

Arun Vijay

Celebrity parent(s): Vijayakumar

Next up:Vaa Deal

“I cannot compare with his achievements. But the times were also different those days. I would attribute my not achieving ‘super success’ to many things: a script may look good, but the execution may suffer. Sometimes, the overall film may come out well, but the release period could be wrong. Also, I’ve done only around 20 films in the 18 years I’ve been in the industry. I think that was a mistake. When I was new, many people thought that my dad would interfere with the script, though he has never done. I think that worked against me too. My all-time favourite is Pandavar Bhoomi . However, all credit must go to Gautham Menon for extracting my potential to the fullest in Yennai Arindhaal .

It marks a rebirth for me, and I am now getting scripts that are written only for me. Vaa Deal is a home production and I think it has the elements to make it a commercial success.”

Atharvaa Murali

Celebrity parent(s): Murali

Next up:Chandi Veeran , Eetti , Kanithan

“Baana Kaathadi may not have created a stir at the box office, but it helped me launch my career. Of all my films, my favourite is Paradesi , which got me three films including Chandi Veeran , a rural subject. Despite putting in so much work, Irumbu Kuthirai didn’t quite do well. But what I have not been able to achieve in the last five years, I should this year. All my upcoming films belong to different genres and will showcase what I am capable of.”

Vincent Asokan

Celebrity parent(s): Asokan

Next up : Ennul Ayiram, Yevanavan

“A ai , my debut, was a hit, but many other films I grabbed immediately were not up to the mark. Thankfully, Pokkiri happened and I was again in a position where I could to make choices. But I believe that the one elusive superhit is still somewhere around the corner. I am confident that Ennul Ayiram could be that one. I play an encounter cop whose character later takes on grey shades due to circumstances.

Aishwarya Arjun

Celebrity parent(s): Arjun

Next up: A possible film directed by Arjun

“I made a conscious, independent decision to do Pattathu Yaanai with Vishal. I did the film not as the daughter of a star but as someone who was entering the industry on her own. Perhaps that was a wrong decision; I should probably have waited for dad to complete Jai Hind 2 . But it helped me learn how the industry works. My father’s now carefully planning my next film, and will be directing it. Due to respect for all those involved in the making of Pattathu Yaanai , I wouldn’t say that my dad’s film will be my actual debut, but for all practical purposes, it will be so.”

Shanmugapandian Vijayakanth

Celebrity parent(s): Vijayakanth

Next up: No signings yet

On behalf of Shanmugapandian, who is away in Italy on a holiday, his mother said: “The reason for the failure of Sagaptham , the debut film of Shanmugapandian, is the script. The feedback we received was that the first half was very similar to many other films of the genre. We were also told that the comedy tracks were insipid. People appreciated the fight sequences, but that alone cannot carry a movie. We are reading through almost ten scripts to choose his next film. We have not yet decided if we will produce his next film or let him work for another banner.”

Varalaxmi Sarathkumar

Celebrity parent(s): Sarathkumar

Next up:Tharai Thappattai

“I did Podaa Podi because it was about a dancer, and dancing is my first love. It was a multiplex film, and so, may not have had vast audiences in the B and C segments. For me, it was a winner. Unfortunately, my second film, Madha Gaja Raja , is yet to see the light of day. My Kannada film, Maanikya , did well at the box office. However, my heart is in Tamil cinema and I am excited about my next, director Bala’s Tharai Thappattai with Sasikumar as the hero. In direct contrast to Podaa Podi , I play a Karakattam dancer in this.

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