Football’s loss is filmdom’s gain. If a ligament tear had not put paid to a probable career in professional football, the Manchester United-trained Shanmugapandian, the second son of actor-politician Vijayakanth, would have been in the national team. His attempt at making it big in cricket, also a sport close to his heart, was unfortunately foiled by another injury. Thus, Shanmugapandian’s entry into films seemed destined. ‘Sagaptham,’ is his debut film as an actor. “The film has been in the making for almost two years and I started shooting for it immediately after my final exams last year,” says Shanmugapandian.
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Meeting him in his dad’s office took me back to the early 1980s when I had come across his father as a nervous youngster, with fire in his eyes, in the office of director K. Vijayan, who was making ‘Dhoorathu Idi Muzhakkam,’ Vijayakanth’s first lead role. The film may not have kicked up a storm, but the next, director S.A. Chandrasekhar’s ‘Sattam Oru Iruttarai,’ made Vijayakanth an instant star.
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Today, ‘Captain,’ as he is known in the industry, is looking forward to the launch of his son, Shanmugapandian, in ‘Sagaptham.’ And, as I talk to this debutant, I cannot but notice the same fire in his eyes. “The film career has fallen into my lap and I would like to make a success of it. I am inspired by the subjects my father did — message-driven, action and family-oriented scripts. I am not averse to playing all kinds of role, even being part of multi-starrers, as long as my character has substance and adds meaning to the story,” says the young actor.
“ ‘Sagaptham’ happened all of a sudden. In fact, I had no time for formal training in acting. However, I was fond of dancing while in college. Probably my presence on the sets of many of my father’s movies instilled the confidence in me. I am surprised that for most of the scenes, I did not have to go beyond three or four takes,” says Shanmugapandian, who also has a keen interest in photography in which he specialised in Visual Communication.
‘Sagaptham’ is directed by Surendran and it also features Neha Hing and Subra Ayyappa. It is produced under their home banner, Captain Cine Creations, by L. K. Sudhish, Vijayakanth’s brother-in-law. “The film has a strong social message. An educated youngster goes to Malaysia to take up a job. He realises that like most Indian immigrants there, it is difficult to exist without social acceptance. The theme is relevant to today’s scenario,” says Shanmugapandian.
What are his aspirations? “Right now, my aim is to keep up the reputation built by my father, with the roles I do. Comparisons are inevitable. Whether I follow the same path or carve a niche for myself depends on how ‘Sagaptham’ fares at the box office,” signs off Shanmugapandian.