News on Vijay Sethupathi - The man among us

[NOV]

Vijay Sethupathi was initially an accountant before he began considering an acting career. He was working as a background actor and playing minor supporting roles for over five years, before playing his first lead role in Seenu Ramasamy's Thenmerku Paruvakaatru. He went on to star in Pizza (2012) and Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (2012), both of which emerged successful and turned Sethupathi into a popular name in Tamil cinema. His latest offering, running succesfully is Soodhu Kavvum, where he appears as a 40-something mentally unstable fellow.

[NOV]

FROM WIKIPEADIA:




Vijay Sethupathi was born in Rajapalayam, Virudhunagar district and did his education in Chennai. According to Sethupathy, he was a "below-average student right from school" and was neither interested in sports nor extra-curricular activities. He graduated with a B.Com degree, following which he worked for three years as an accountant in Dubai, UAE. Unhappy with his job, he returned to India in 2003.

He recalls that a photographer remarked that he had a "very photogenic face", and motivated him to pursue an acting career. He subsequently joined the Chennai-based theatre group Koothu-P-Pattarai as an accountant where he observed actors from close quarters. He made his beginnings as a background actor, particularly playing the role of the lead character's friend in a few films. Besides he acted in television series, including the well-known series Penn that began in March 2006, as well as several short films as part of the television show Nalaya Iyakunar for Kalaignar TV.

He worked with Karthik Subbaraj on many short films, who would later cast him in his first feature film, and won the Best Actor award for one his films at the Norway Tamil Film Festival short film competition.

Sethupathi accompanied a group of actors who went to director Selvaraghavan's studio to audition for his gangster film Pudhupettai (2006) and was selected to play Dhanush's friend in the film.

Following Pudhupettai, he was associated with a Tamil-Kannada bilingual film called Akhaada. While he was selected to play the lead in the Tamil version, the director offered him the antagonistic role in its Kannada version. However, the film did not see a theatrical release.

After making an appearance in Prabu Solomon's Lee (2007), he was cast by director Suseenthiran in minor supporting roles in his first two projects, Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu (2009) and Naan Mahaan Alla (2010). Sethupathi would later credit Suseenthiran with having had an "important role in helping him realise his dreams".



Suseenthiran, furthermore, recommended Sethupathi to director Seenu Ramasamy and Sethupathi landed his first lead role in Ramasamy's drama film Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (2011), in which he portrayed a shepherd. Although initial reviews were mixed, the film went on to win three National Film Awards including the prize for the Best Tamil Feature Film of that year.

2012 marked a turning point in Vijay Sethupathi's career; all his three releases were critical and commercial successes, resulting in a rise in his popularity.

He was first seen in a negative role in Sundarapandian which featured M. Sasikumar in the lead role, and then essayed the lead roles in the directorial debuts of Karthik Subbaraj and Balaji Tharaneetharan, the thriller film Pizza and the comedy entertainer Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, respectively.

He enacted the role of Michael, a delivery boy in the former and a young man named Prem who sustains short-term memory loss two days before his marriage in the latter, with his performance in both films being praised by critics.




Malini Mannath from The New Indian Express in her review of Pizza wrote: "Sethupathy, a delight to watch, carries the entire film on his shoulders. His voice perfectly modulated, he proves his versatility and acumen to handle any role. Michael’s nightmarish experience, and his fear and horror when he’s trapped in the mansion, is perfectly conveyed by the actor".

With regard to Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, The Times of India reviewer M. Suganth cited that Sethupathy "continues his superb show from Pizza conveying Prem's peculiar condition with vacant stares and amusing pauses between his lines", further noting: "That he never makes the character's repetitive dialogues irritating is a proof of his terrific timing".



According to a survey published by BBC Tamil, Pizza and Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom claimed the first two spots in a Best Films list, and both films competed at the 2013 Norway Tamil Film Festival, while Sethupathi won two awards, one for each film, at the Edison Awards and the Big FM Tamil Entertainment Awards.

By the end of the year, Indiaglitz.com named Sethupathi as one of 2012's best Tamil actors, and called him "the rising star of Kollywood" whilst film critic Baradwaj Rangan stated that Sethupathi had become "[...] sort of [an] indie-film star, the first ever in Tamil cinema".




Sethupathi's upcoming films include Soodhu Kavvum, Rummy, Pannaiyarum Padminiyum - all of which are being directed by debutants - and Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara directed by Gokul. Soodhu Kavvum is a crime comedy that will see Sethupathi essaying the role of a forty-year old man, while Pannaiyarum Padminiyum, based on its same-titled short film, revolves around an old man and his vintage car Premier Padmini, with Sethupathi starring as its chauffeur.

[NOV]

Filmography


2004 - M. Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi
2006 - Pudhupettai
2007 - Lee
2009 - Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu
2010 - Naan Mahaan Alla
2010 - Thenmerku Paruvakaatru (Introduced as Lead Character)
2011 - Varnam
2012 - Sundarapandian
2012 - Pizza (BIG FM Most Entertaining Actor of the Year)
2012 - Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (Edison Award for Best Male Rising Star, Vjiay Awards - Special Jury Award)
2013 - Soodhu Kavvum

Forthcoming

Rummy
Pannaiyarum Padminiyum
Idharkuthane Aasaipattai Balakumara
Sangudevan
Bangalore Tamizhan
Vasantha Kumaran

[venkkiram]

ரசிகர் மன்ற உறுப்பினர் கார்டு எனக்கும் ஒரு பார்சல்..

[NOV]

What were you doing before Pizza happened?

"I was a junior artist before my debut. I was part of the 'atmosphere' in crowded scenes. You can spot me in the crowd in M Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi in the boxing sequence. Later, I did a small role in Pudhupettai. I have played the role of the hero's friend in a few films. All I wanted was to just be a part of the shoot. My father is a civil engineer. I knew nobody in films. I was a below-average student right from school. I was not interested in either sports or extra-curricular activities. I didn't know what I was going to do. After working as an accountant for three years, I got bored with that job. I wanted to try films then. I have been in films since 2004."


With no background in films, you must have struggled...


Nothing is easy in cinema. I used to leave my photos with production companies. Even assistant directors didn't receive them. I was even rejected for the role of a junior artist in a film. I was replaced by somebody else at the last moment in many roles. But nothing stopped me from trying for an opportunity. I was determined to become a hero at least in serials. After repeated trials, I got my first opportunity as a hero in Thenmerku Paruvakkatru.


How did Pizza happen?


I used to regularly leave my photographs in the film institute. I got to work with Karthik Subburaj in many of his short films and then he approached me for Pizza.


What transformation have your recent hits brought in?


I am able to listen to stories. Earlier, I didn't have this freedom... of knowing the script. But now I can. Now the audience has come to know that there is hero called Vijay Sethupathi in Tamil films. My dream is to work on interesting films which can later be termed as a Vijay Sethupathi collection.


There are rumours about you demanding a big sum now...


I demand stories not money. I was paid reasonably for Pizza and NKPK. But for such brilliant scripts I didn't expect money.


What kept you going during your early struggle?


The photographs that were clicked by Balu Mahendra. I like posing for photographs. Once, I approached the legendary director to take some photographs. He did it despite me being a nobody at that time. Those pictures kept reminding me that I can become a hero one day.


http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...film-institute

[NOV]

ரசிகர் மன்ற உறுப்பினர் கார்டு எனக்கும் ஒரு பார்சல்..

mappi kooda thaan

[satissh_r]

Appo naanu..

[hattori_hanzo]

My dream is to work on interesting films which can later be termed as a Vijay Sethupathi collection.

Thats interesting. And looks like it is working out now. Good going!
But expressions, voice modulation, dialogue delivery ellaam konjam OK dhaan. I havent seen SK, but in Pizza, pechchu avvalavu thelivaa illa. Hope he doesnt become another Mike Mohan.

[Brianengab]

mike mohan films ran for IR songs and gud stories..
Sethupathi films is running for gud stories nd engaging screenplay..

If one film dint run gud, there wil be a great chance for losing his stardom power..

[hattori_hanzo]

mike mohan films ran for IR songs and gud stories..
Sethupathi films is running for gud stories nd engaging screenplay..

If one film dint run gud, there wil be a great chance for losing his stardom power..

Thats exactly what I meant. A movie being appreciated by critics and masses for all reasons other than the protagonist's acting/appeal/charisma isn't too good for him. However I haven't seen him in SK & I don't know whether his 40+ character is different from what he's done before.