Say hello to cinema’s latest antagonist. Or was that protagonist? Maybe a bit of both ... and a little bit more. Confused? We don’t blame you. With Mani Ratnam’s much talked about trilingual Raavan nearing completion, Vikram has never had it so good.

The dashing actor has his kitty full with not just one, but three Mani Ratnam films. “I play the hero in one version and the villain in the other. Then, we are shooting it in Telugu as well. As the roles I play are diametrically opposite, I feel like I’m doing three Mani Ratnam’s films. Now, that’s a dream come true, wouldn’t you say?”

The film, which will hit theatres sometime in June, has the actor visibly excited and with good reason. “It has been one of my most challenging roles so far. I like my work to speak for itself, so you really must see the film to understand what it’s about. It’s not all just black and white. There are so many shades to my character and that’s what makes it interesting,” he says with a smile.

But it’s not just Raavan that has his pulse racing. It’s also the plethora of films and projects that he has given the green signal to, which are going to keep him busy for a while to come. “I will be working with director Boopathy Pandian, whose Thiruvilayadal Arambam I thoroughly enjoyed. We are planning to do a kick-ass, fun entertainer that will be completely different from what I’ve done in Raavan. That apart, I also have a film with Selvaraghavan and some other projects that should go on floors soon.”


Talking about his long-standing relationship with Selva, Vikram says, “Selva and I go a long way back. He is not satisfied with the normal; he always likes to push the envelope and that is evident from all his films. We have known each other from his Kadhal Kondein days. Selva has come up with a brilliant and complex script. The best part about all the projects that I am doing right now is that they are all completely different from each other. ”

Apart from acting, the star also has his eyes set on production. The actor has joined hands with director Sasikumar, whom he calls the ‘Golden Boy’ of the industry. “When I watched Sasikumar’s Subramaniapuram, I was blown away. The film he is going to make will be a rocker. He is the next big thing to watch out for and for some strange reason, he considers me his lucky mascot,” he says with a laugh.

But, doesn’t he feel that by promoting young and fresh talent, he could well be cutting into his own market? “Absolutely not,” he shoots back, “If not for me, someone else will be promoting them anyway. I’m not insecure or worried about anybody’s presence. There is enough and plenty of work for everybody in this industry.”

The actor has also starred in the iconic Phir Mile Sur video on national integration and the experience, he says, was phenomenal. “This is the stuff dreams are made of. When I got the call to be part of the video, I was elated because it’s so powerful. I have actually sung the part Dr M Balamuralikrishna sir sang in the earlier video.”

It’s been a long-winding road for Vikram, but the time to end the journey still seems light-years away for this multi-faceted star.



Pet project: Majaa. I loved going on to the sets every day and the entire unit still meets up every few months.

Biggest crush: After watching Salangai Oli, I had the biggest crush on Jayapradha. I don’t think the sari has ever looked so good on someone!

Dream role: Anniyan, Sethu, Pithamagan, Dhil, Dhool, Samy...honestly, I can’t choose.

Musical musings : I can play the guitar, piano, flute, trumpet, trombone and piano.

Biggest compliment : Someone once said I’m like a chameleon because I change with every role and become that character. I hold that compliment very close to my heart.

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