Vijay the Makkal Selvan'

Vijay Sethupathi is a versatile actor who loves to experiment with his roles. He’s had his share of ups and downs with his maiden production venture Orange Mittai, being a box office disaster.  Nevertheless, the actor says that he cannot shun away from a good script just because it is commercial and set in a formulaic pattern.

Having said that, when Vijay picked up the script of Sethupathi, the story of an uptight police officer, many dissuaded him. But the actor proved right the conviction he had with the script and the director, as Sethupathi, which got released this Friday, declared as a huge hit. At a time when stars have shed their sobriquets, he has garnered a new one — Makkal Selvan.

“I sat with the public and watched the film. It was a mind-blowing experience. I  heard that the film has been well received in B and C centres,” he begins his conversation. He adds, “When I accepted this film, people were asking what made me sign it as Tamil cinema has witnessed umpteen number of cop stories. I had faith in Arun (with whom he collaborated for Pannayaarum Padminiyum) that this would not be a run-of-the-mill police story.”

On his rapport with Arun, he says, “His realistic approach to the scenes is a big plus. I am a person who always travels on the same wavelength of filmmakers with whom I work.”  When queried about him being one of the   busiest actors in K’town with an array of nine films in his kitty,     he laughs, “Really? I myself did not count. For that matter, every hero has back-to-back commitments.” We hear that you have been given a sobriquet Makkal Selvan recently — “ I am personally not for it. But my guru, director Seenu Ramasamy sir gave this title to me while filming  Dharmadurai — and out of his love  and affection, I accepted. It may or may not feature on the title card in other filmmakers’ movies.”

While the on-screen chemistry between him and Remya Nambeesan is widely talked about, we quiz if he is romantic in real life too —  “I call my wife Shalu, pondaatti, like how I call Remya in the film!” With sequels being the order of the day, Sethupathi says that he is toying with the idea of his earlier film Idharkku Thaan Aasai Pattaya Balakumara. “It has all the potential for an entertaining sequel,” he muses. The actor is also eagerly awaiting his next film Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum, directed by Nalan Kumarasamy.  “I play a sort of rowdy in the movie. I am sure you would enjoy it,” he signs off.