Playing Vandhiyathevan and working with Mani sir again felt surreal: Ponniyin Selvan actor Karthi

Karthi must be a happy man. Not every actor gets to work as a lead in a Mani Ratnam film twice. (He was an assistant director to Ratnam in 2004 on Aayutha Ezhuthu, too). Ponniyin Selvan-1, his second film with the celebrated director, after Kaatru Veliyidai, hit the screens recently.

With the box office success of Paruthiveeran, which equally garnered praise from critics and awards for the actor, Karthi had the debut of his dreams. The movies that came after—Aayirathil Oruvan, Naan Mahan Alla, Paiyaa, and Siruthai—were not quite blockbusters, but he revitalised his 15-year career with content-driven films and were enjoyable for all ages.

The actor narrates the unforgettable experience the Ponniyin Selvan-1 was, and why his role is the most fun he's played yet.

Karthi wasn't initially considered for the role of Vandhiyathevan. “I finally got the chance to portray the character that so many talented actors wanted to play. Tamilians take great pleasure in the epic novel, the movie, and all of the characters. Working with Mani sir once more and playing the role of Vandhiyathevan felt surreal.”

Karthi acknowledges that working with the talented director still reminds him of being in school. Since then, not much has changed.

“Mani sir's perspective and his influence on my career decisions have had a huge impact. He made an effort to keep everything in Ponniyin Selvan-1 as subtle as he could. You won't find my character Vandhiyathevan brimming with enthusiasm when he first meets someone after a long horseback ride. We attempt to capture his weariness, as well.”

Over time and through repeated interactions, Karthi's regard for Mani Ratnam only grew. “He brings out the best in everyone and makes sure that each movie is unique and authentic. For instance, we were filming Ponniyin Selvan-1 in a cave. The team had added a light shaft, and it appeared both mystical and organic. But Mani sir eliminated it because he thought the location was too similar to another film.”

Mani Ratnam spent a long time working on Ponniyin Selvan, adds Karthi. “He's a perfectionist and always in search of something better. He handed me a one-liner and asked me to read it when I was working with him as an AD years ago. I was unaware that it was Ponniyin Selvan's tale. I responded that I didn't understand it. I could only recall the character's name as Vandhiyathevan. However, for this movie, I promised him that I would appear as the character himself. In Tamil cinema, Mani sir established the bar for grandeur, aesthetics, and colour.”

The Viruman actor recounted how the cast and crew had faith in Mani Ratnam to complete Ponniyin Selvan despite the team encountering various challenges, like COVID, during filming. “Mani sir finished both the parts in 120 days. It was an incredible achievement. He used to be the last person to leave the sets after everyone else. He inspired us all to attend the filming at three in the morning.”

Karthi was nervous on the sets. “Fans grew accustomed to the characters' speaking style and even emotions. I was concerned if they'd accept me as Vandhiyathevan. And, Mani sir made sure to offer me the right advice at the right time; eventually, my uneasiness eased.”

Director of photography Ravi Varman put a lot of effort into creating magnificent visuals for Ponniyin Selvan, according to Karthi.

“The stunt sequences were likely the most difficult because we had to wrap up filming both the parts in just fifty days while the Thailand choreographer was still on hand. We approached everything as a challenge, and as a team, we were happy with the output. Ravi Varman is another energetic force who ran alongside horses while toting bulky cameras with zoom lenses on his shoulders. There were so many motivating folks all around us. ”

Horses have always fascinated Karthi. “I experienced all I had imagined while I was learning how to ride horses for Kaashmora and Ponniyin Selvan. The thrill of having the horse breathe and pulse with you can't be put into words. Ravi would hear me tell him over and over again how many people would go see the movie only to see the horses and elephants. We were unable to use the same horses everywhere due to COVID. As a result, whenever we changed locations, we had to establish a rapport with a new horse. It was astounding to hear how the horse's breathing pattern matched my strained breathing when sound engineer Anand Krishnamoorthi, once recorded a track of its breath.”

Although shooting drained Karthi, he smiles, “You feel nice when you return home; you feel you've achieved something.”

What about his diet? Karthi consumed only a small portion of the food that was provided at home. He used to suffer cramps from lifting hefty weights.

“Due to the pandemic, I was unable to visit a physiotherapist at the time, so I used to take a few days off from exercising while resting. I used to continue working out wherever I went. We talk a lot about the performances and personalities in this movie, but it is also a tremendously physically difficult one. I realised that fitness is all about how much you can push, pull, carry, and run. If you have wonderful looks but are unable to function, it is useless. This, I believe, sums up my preparation for PS-1,” observes Karthi.

Further, the pandemic-induced lockdown made Karthi discover the reader in him. His dad (actor Sivakumar) gave him access to a large collection of rare books, some of which are not even in print.

The actor mentioned that the river Kaveri was formerly known as Ponni Nadhi in prehistoric Tamil Nadu and continued by stating that every river has a distinct personality, ranging from its destructive force to the grace with which they flow across various terrains. “We enjoyed the feeling of being a part of a film that is sincere and for which we put a lot of effort. Ponniyin Selvan is a global picture; thanks to Mani sir's aesthetics, characterization, frames, and attention to detail. We are confident that people will celebrate it for what it is,” he noted.

Nothing in our cinematic history has come close to Ponniyin Selvan, emphasises Karthi. “Kalki did an excellent job at describing the government, way of life, and even the type of irrigation used during the period. Reading about such a high standard of living about a thousand years ago impressed me. The novel's spirit will be captured in Mani sir's adaptation, and the screenplay makes sure that each of the protagonists is given fair weight. We don't even seem to have examples of the kind of movie Ponniyin Selvan will be.”

On the set, Karthi says his scenes with Jayaram (who plays Azhwarkadiyan Nambi) were some of the most memorable. “He is an outstanding actor. In Tenali and Panchathanthiram, Jayaram had my heart. His character in PS-1 was meant to be sardonic and nosy, so the way he acts even when he isn't speaking is fantastic. Jayaram had to alter his body language. We practised our scenes a lot, and working with a senior actor like him was enlightening.”

Karthi entered the film industry intending to become a director. He laughs, “That may or may not be one of my strengths. Mani sir told me only a good writer can become a good director in cinema. He urged me to read extensively to develop my writing skills.”

Karthi does not want to restrict the movie by referring to it as a pan-India project. “Ponniyin Selvan-1 should traverse like how the Cholas grew their empire and conquered various regions of the globe,” he signs off.