Por Thozhil star Sarathkumar on importance of staying in shape at 69: 'If you're healthy, you can achieve a lot'

At 69, Por Thozhil star Sarathkumar is in very good shape both mentally and physically giving him an edge among the actors of his age group.

A still from Por Thozhil. 

Director Vignesh Raja had a list of stars from the 1980s class for the role of Loganathan in his directorial debut Por Thozhil . Being in their 60s, many were not ready to work late nights, some willing to extend only until 11 PM. However, Vignesh had a tight budget and a mere 40 days to complete the entire production, necessitating several late-night shoots.

But, for R. Sarathkumar the late-night shoots were not an issue. He took up the movie and started shooting almost immediately after he completed his prior commitments. The 69-year-old star is in very good shape both mentally and physically giving him an edge among the actors of his age group.

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In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Sarathkumar revealed that his good health has been a linchpin for his enduring success in the industry. "I keep my health intact, which gives me the required mental strength to face difficulties in my life. Health is very, very important for everyone. And if you take good care of it, you can achieve a lot," he said.

Sarathkumar also revealed that he constantly tries to reinvent himself to stay current and relevant to the changing tastes of the audiences. "I took a five-year sabbatical and made a comeback with a movie like Varisu, which took me to the fans of Thalapathy Vijay. And director Mani Ratnam's PS:1 and PS:2 had a big reach to audiences across the world. Now Por Thozhil has become such a big hit," he said.

The size and the scale of the success of Por Thozhil caught Sarathkumar off guard. "I was sure that this movie would do well. But, I never expected this movie to be such a mega-blockbuster across the world. I never expected such a response for a crime thriller," he revealed.

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Por Thozhil, written by Alfred Prakash and Vignesh Raja, follows the investigation of serial killings. However, the movie surprised the trade when it transcended the genre divides and resonated with family audiences. "Though it was a crime thriller, it had a very good message in it. The movie was very well lit, the narrative evoked intrigue and kept the audience engrossed in the investigative procedures, and its message all came together wonderfully in the climax," said Sarathkumar.

Sarathkumar plays a seasoned cop named Loganathan in Por Thozhil. While Loganathan is extremely good at his job, he offends everyone with his utter disregard for politeness and lack of interpersonal skills. However, under his gruff exterior lies unresolved childhood trauma, hampering his ability to connect with society.

Sarathkumar went into production with a clear idea of Loganathan. He had lengthy discussions with director Vignesh and soon grasped the idiosyncrasies of his character that helped him to hit the road running. The movie was shot on a tight budget and schedule and that didn't give the cast a lot of time to do workshops and rehearsals. "Loganathan is very meticulous. He's not friendly. He's obsessed with his work and nothing else matters to him. I liked the character, though I am nothing like Loganathan in real life," he said.

Por Thozhil also stars Ashok Selvan, along with Nikhila Vimal, Nizhalgal Ravi, and Sarath Babu. The movie is streaming on SonyLIV.

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