Jawan, Vikram, Petta & Maharaja: Vijay Sethupathi reflects on his career
Vijay Sethupathi has carved a niche for himself with his willingness to play villain roles that test his acting talent. Some of the outstanding villain roles in Sethupathi's career include Petta, Master, Vikram, and Jawan.
Updated : June 06, 2024 03:59 PM ISTVijay Sethupathi has carved a niche for himself with his willingness to play villain roles that test his acting talent. Some of the outstanding villain roles in Sethupathi's career include Petta, Master, Vikram, and Jawan.
Vijay Sethupathi in Maharaja
Tamil actor Vijay Sethupathi is eagerly awaiting the release of his next movie, Maharaja. Written and directed by Nithilan Swaminathan, Maharaja is a milestone film in Sethupathi's career as it marks his 50th film.
Sethupathi is a fan of Nithilan's storytelling talent. He revealed that the director has a very grounded and even innocent approach to the craft. He recalled times when Nithilan admitted to his shortcomings while filming the movie and never hesitated to ask for help when needed. "I liked that about him. He has a lot of honesty," Sethupathi told Galatta Tamil.
He also expressed happiness about the response to the trailer for Maharaja, saying that everyone gave positive feedback. "Nithilan has superbly done this film. After watching the trailer, everyone asked me, 'Who's Lakshmi?' I told them to watch the movie and find out," he said.
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In Maharaja, Vijay Sethupathi plays an average working-class man with a mysterious life. The trailer reveals that the protagonist is looking for something he has lost. While he struggles to explain what he has lost and his connection to it, the hero's obsession sends the entire police force on a wild goose chase.
"Almost 100 people have already seen the movie, and everyone has liked it. I am eager to find out the audience's response," he said.
While Sethupathi is one of the bankable stars in Tamil cinema and is flooded with offers for leading roles, he has no qualms about playing supporting roles in the movies of other heroes. Many of his peers consider such fluidity with the star image risky, but Sethupathi has consistently eluded the "image trap" and continues to take up challenging roles.
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"I really enjoyed playing antagonist roles. It's a fantastic experience, and I think every actor must experience it," remarked Sethupathi.
Sethupathi has carved a niche for himself with his willingness to play villain roles that test his acting talent. Some of the outstanding villain roles in Sethupathi's career include Petta, Master, and Vikram. More recently, he played the main antagonist in Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan.
He noted that he is not concerned with getting trashed by another star in the climax of a movie as long as the role fully utilizes his potential.
"I feel some films take the easy way out and make the fights simple. I suggest making the fight a little more challenging for the hero, but it doesn't always work. Filmmakers are also required to finish the movie," he added.
Recently, Sethupathi revealed that he has now learned to say no to villain characters that lack depth and are one-dimensional and deeply formulaic.