It has come to pass that young Tamil actors cannot stake a claim to stardom unless they shine in the role of a policeman.
When actor Sivakarthikeyan, who has enjoyed a string of box-office successes, was offered the role of a cop in Kaaki Sattai , he wasn’t just taking a step closer to stardom. It was a dream fulfilled.
“I had two dream roles – one was playing a policeman and the other was playing a full-fledged romantic hero. My father was a policeman. I had seen how he conducted himself in public and was inspired by how he was able to be non-corrupt,” says Sivakarthikeyan.
He knew instinctively that he wouldn’t be able to portray a larger-than-life cop that he has enjoyed watching on the big screen. He didn’t want to be invincible. “While I personally like watching such characters, I knew I wouldn’t be able to do a film like Yennai Arindhaal because I do not have an image like Ajith Kumar. Even director Durai understood that. I didn’t want to fight 20 thugs on the street. I wanted to play a young police officer. This is exactly what I got to do in Kaaki Sattai ,” he says. The film releases today.
He was, from the very beginning, not very keen on an out-and-out action film.
“Comedy has been my forte so far, and I know the audience will be disappointed if I veer away from that. In this film, I have cautiously forayed into action. In fact, I don’t appear in a uniform for most of the film,” he admits.
When asked what kind of policeman he would like to play in the future, he says he doesn’t want to be one with a stiff upper lip. “Policemen also have families and they also go through emotional situations. The comedy in this film revolves around what the incidents that happens when an officer is posted on bandobust duty for a minister. I want to do films that showcase the lighter side of a policeman’s life.”
Despite reiterating that Kaaki Sattai will be a commercial film, he says the team has tried to push the boundary. “The last 20 minutes in Ethir Neechal had no dialogues. When the same team came together again, we wanted to do something fresh," he says.
The actor wants to do movies that will take him ahead of his previous movies – in terms of style and content.
“They must either expand my market or I must be recognised as a good actor. This is the basis on which I will select my future films,” he reveals.
