It was at a very turbulent time in his profession that Prithviraj Sukumaran made his debut in Tamil cinema in 2005 as the first antagonist of KV Anand’s debut movie, Kanaa Kanden. Within the subsequent ten years, the actor starred in 9 extra movies, together with Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014), earlier than taking a extremely lengthy sabbatical from the trade.
Though he has accomplished solely 9 full-length roles in Tamil, every of them had been in movies that provided him one thing new. They had been all completely different from the form of films he was doing in Malayalam. When Prithviraj made his first Tamil movie, he had accomplished simply 10-12 Malayalam films, and by the point he did his tenth in 2014, he had completed 60-odd movies, and received two Kerala State Awards, and have become the youngest actor then to be bestowed with that honour. So, let’s have a look at the 9 movies of Prithviraj via the lens of the Navarasas, the 9 feelings, and the way every film gave him the chance to spotlight certainly one of them strongly.
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Adbutham (Marvel) – Kanaa Kanden
Even earlier than he made his technique to Tamil cinema, he struck gold with the success of director Kamal’s Swapnakoodu. His French beard, uber cool costumes, and his playful behaviour within the movie, and particularly within the track, “Karuppin Azhaku,” made him a heartthrob because of the nascent-Web period tv exhibits that featured songs from different languages. When information of him being a part of Kanaa Kanden got here up, everybody was ready for him to be the subsequent ‘chocolate boy’ of Tamil cinema. He had the seems. He had the expertise. He had the fan following. However to everybody’s shock, because the suave Madhan, who was one of many earliest templates of the now-famous company villain, Prithviraj made a formidable debut. Right here was an antagonist you’d like to hate, however wouldn’t hate loving both. Not like his illustrious predecessors like Mammootty and Mohanlal, who made a relatively constructive begin to their careers, right here was Prithviraj, who didn’t thoughts difficult the norms, and kindling your marvel about what he’d do subsequent.
Shringaaram (Love) – Parijatham
This time round, Prithviraj delivered what was anticipated of him, however in fact, with a twist. He grew to become simply the third actor after Sudhakar and Vijayakanth to star in a Okay Bhagyaraj directorial that didn’t function the filmmaker within the lead. It wasn’t the same old romcom both, and it laid credence to his assertion that he’d by no means act in a ‘template’ Tamil movie. It was a lovely love story that combined the worlds of lived actuality and a world rising from literature, and Prithviraj was romance personified as the person who searches for the lady his mom dreamt for him. As Surendhar and Sreedhar, which had been fairly the archaic names for a romantic hero within the new millennium, Prithviraj tuned in an old-fashioned efficiency that completely match the milieu of the movie. Oh, and the songs by Dharan gave him a 180 diploma shift from being a hard-hearted villain to a romantic hero propelling a heat romance.
Haasyam (Laughter) – Mozhi
In fact, there isn’t a doubt that Mozhi gave Prithviraj his most seminal work in Tamil cinema. As Karthik, he was excellent. The right pal. The right neighbour. The right confidant. The right lover. The right companion. The right every thing. However what actually shone via on this excellent position was his capacity to elicit laughter from the viewers. The Tamil cinema viewers accepted him as a lover boy with a humorous bone in Parijatham too, however in Mozhi, Prithviraj catered to a wider viewers. It was a style that even essentially the most promising of stars in Tamil cinema then weren’t exploring. It was a style that Prithviraj wasn’t in a position to discover in Malayalam both. So, he discovered solace within the saccharine world of Radha Mohan, and Prithviraj, within the in a position firm of Jyotika and Prakash Raj, proved that he was not simply the sweetest of all of them, however may make them snicker on the drop of a hat. Oh, and he had the chance to be in a movie that featured a number of the most interesting songs from Vidyasagar.
Bhayanakam (Worry) – Saththam Podathey
It’s ironic how director Vasanth, identified for his maverick romances, collaborated with Prithviraj, one of the crucial promising romantic heroes of that point, to ship an exciting relationship drama. Actually, this movie turned up the depth that Prithviraj hadn’t but showcased to the Tamil viewers. Sure, he was offended earlier than. Sure, he was courageous earlier than. However Satham Podathey ensured we noticed a Prithviraj that Malayalam cinema has typically seen. His Ravichandran was a lovely character with a beautiful arc. It would appear to be a easy character, however it was deeply layered, and Prithviraj’s compelling efficiency simplified it for us. He was the right foil to Padmapriya’s terrific flip as Bhanumathy and Nithin Sathya’s efficient Rathnavel. He bought the depth completely, and was at house showcasing the vulnerability and fears of the character. And, he was blessed with the music of Yuvan Shankar Raja that took his title to much more households.
Veeram (Braveness) – Kannamoochi Yenada
Until this movie, Prithviraj largely starred alongside his contemporaries in genres that he was acquainted with. Nonetheless, within the V Priya directorial, Prithviraj needed to dial up his outlandishness to face toe-to-toe with stalwarts like Radikaa Sarathkumar and Sathyaraj. As soon as once more, it was a pleasing no-frills love story that paired Sandhya alongside him. Nonetheless, the true chemistry and the precise plot level was the battle-of-wits and ego clashes along with his lover’s father (Sathyaraj). Actually, Prithviraj understood the project and was courageous sufficient to play second, and even third fiddle at instances to accommodate the story between Sathyaraj, Radikaa, and Sri Priya. Prithviraj serviced the movie, and never the star in him, and proved that he was safe and courageous sufficient to know stardom is only a consequence of sincere performing. And as soon as once more, Yuvan Shankar Raja took care of the remainder.
Compassion (Karuna) – Velli Thirai
It’s stunning to notice how Prithviraj’s sensibilities shine via his alternative of movies. In 2005, Mohanlal made the good Udhayananu Tharam in Malayalam, which was one of many greatest successes, particularly for a movie concerning the world of cinema. Contemplating how robust it’s really to step into the footwear of Mohanlal in Malayalam, Prithviraj was good sufficient to reprise this position in Tamil. Vellithirai, the remake of Udhayananu Thaaram, was made by a group that Prithviraj was comfy with, since he labored with them in Mozhi. He was in acquainted territory as he was joined by his Mozhi co-star Prakash Raj and Kanaa Kanden co-star Gopika. It was a task of a failed director making an attempt his finest to mud off the cobwebs of failures to discover a sincere technique to success. We see him traverse this arduous journey. We see him break down within the face of adversity solely to select himself up. We see him lose the love of his life. We see him lose much more in his journey to creating a movie he beloved, and but, discover it in himself to battle like a hero… a hero of his personal story. Now, if that doesn’t transfer us, then what is going to? Nicely, the songs of GV Prakash will.
Shaantham (Peace) – Ninaithaale Inikkum
After moving into the actually huge footwear of Mohanlal in Velli Thirai, Prithviraj determine to remake successful of his personal to determine his market. If it was in at this time’s instances, we are able to relaxation assured that Lal Jose’s Classmates can be launched in a number of languages, particularly after the tremendous success of the track, “Ente Khalbile”. However this was a unique time, and he introduced the Malayalam success to Tamil. On the onset, each movies appeared starkly completely different with the Tamil model clearly extra flashy. However the movie’s core was about coming to phrases with the previous. It was all about attaining a way of peace concerning the penalties of our errors. Sure, it was the quintessential faculty movie, however Prithviraj’s Shiva had the right arc. He begins off as a brash college-goer. There’s repentance for an occasion that modified the course of his life, and eventually… the search for solutions and extra questions, results in him discovering the peace he craved for. Oh, and as all the time, Prithviraj struck gold with the music for the movie, courtesy the good Vijay Antony.
Anger (Raudhram) – Raavanan
Six years into Tamil cinema, Prithviraj had a launch each single 12 months from 2005 to 2010, and his temporary sojourn in Tamil cinema reached its crowning glory along with his presence in Mani Ratnam’s Raavanan. It was a tackle the epic mythology, Ramayana, and Prithviraj was enjoying the conscientious Rama. Raavanan gave Prithviraj his greatest position in Tamil cinema. Raavanan took him to Cannes. Raavanan had him star alongside Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Karthik, and Prabhu. Raavanan had him play a cop for the primary time in Tamil. Raavanan showcased his fiery depth and displayed his rage for the primary time. We had seen Prithviraj offended earlier than, however it displayed a wrath that isn’t typically seen on display. It allowed him to stroll on the skinny line between justice and legality. Prithviraj was terrific because the cop who’s all the time offended, and let me exit on a limb and say, a shade higher than Vikram’s method to the identical position within the Hindi model, Raavan. Oh, and it marked the primary time AR Rahman composed for a Prithviraj movie.
Disgust (Bibhatsa) – Kaaviya Thalaivan
Prithviraj briefly signed off from Tamil cinema with what yours actually considers his most interesting work within the language. Though he was enjoying the ‘kallapart’ in Vasantha Balan’s Kaaviya Thalaivan, his Gomathinayagam, in some ways, is the ‘Raajapart’ within the epic historic drama. Sure, Siddharth will get to play the straight arrow within the movie, however it’s Prithviraj who will get to play a task that enables him to undergo a gamut of feelings. It’s virtually like Prithviraj performed all these characters in his earlier eight movies to play Gomathi in Kaaviya Thalaivan. In a single position, he manages to showcase shock, love, humour, concern, braveness, compassion, peace, and anger, and ticks the ultimate field of disgust as he walks into the Ganges. It’s not simple to play a personality that’s disgusted with itself, and but transfer the viewers watching the narrative unfold. It is a stunning melange of feelings, and Vasantha Balan introduced out the most effective of Prithviraj, and was aided on this endeavour by one of many best soundtracks of AR Rahman.
Simply because he has showcased all of the 9 feelings within the 9 roles he has performed in Tamil, it doesn’t imply Prithviraj continues this sabbatical. With pan-Indian movies changing into the norm, his movies do get dubbed into Tamil, however it isn’t the identical, proper?
Mainly, Blissful Birthday Prithviraj… and it’s excessive time you emerge from the Ganges, and make a strong comeback to Tamil cinema.
