The actor is known for his extreme dedication
When we think of a really hardworking actor in Tamil cinema, the first name that comes to mind is Chiyaan Vikram. He has done several demanding roles that have taken a great toll on him physically and emotionally, yet he always soldiers on. Some, if not most of his blood, sweat and tears did not pay him off, but still he continues to experiment and push his boundaries each day. So on his birthday, let us take a look at five unbelievable transformations that made us fall in love with this amazing man….
Sethu in Sethu
Yes, Vikram had a stunning transformation right in his first hit film. His character Sethu was a young, dashing and somewhat roguish college student who fell in love with Abitha, a docile Brahmin girl who also studied in the same college. But if you remember, the amazing and brutal transformation that his character Sethu had after he was attacked by goons and suffered brain damage. His change from a young handsome man to a bald, withering, lunatic with huge scars on his body will make you rub your eyes with disbelief. Not just physically, psychologically too the two versions of Sethu were polar opposites and Vikram managed to pull off both roles perfectly.
Chithan in Pithamagan
Easily the most offbeat role that Vikram has ever played, he redefined the meaning of acting with this character. Chithan, as his character in the film was called, was a man who was raised in a graveyard among corpses and due to no human contact, he grew up as feral and sub-human. His dust-coated face, dirty brown teeth, tattered clothes and body coated in scars and filth painted a very dark and disturbing picture. But the way he pulled off Chithan deserves more credit. Vikram had little to no dialogues in the movie and yet, thanks to his mindblowing expression and body language, he actually was the best actor in the entire film, even though it starred Suriya and many other great actors.
Ambi, Remo and Anniyan in Anniyan
Anniyan was the biggest commercial hit of Vikram’s career and with good reason, for he opened a whole new vista of psychological thrillers to Tamil cinema. He played the role of Ramanujan, nicknamed Ambi, who is a docile, uptight and stickler for discipline guy who was plagued by the injustice in the society and lack of love life. All these frustrations come out as multiple personality disorders, not one but two! First there is Anniyan, a ruthless vigilante who will punish anyone who doesn’t follow the law in the most torturous way. To handle his love life, comes Remo, a super stylish and suave guy who appears to be a ladies man.Three distinct characters with very distinct personalities, but all in one man, this is what Vikram managed to pull off. The most applaudable performance was right at the end when he changed personalities between Ambi and Anniyan every few seconds. If that is not a transformation, then I don’t know what is.
Veera in Raavanan
One of the most underrated movies of Vikram, he managed to give an amazing performance that acted as the saving grace of the film. His character was Veera or Veeraiya, a local tribal lord who ran a government of his own with a few tribal villages under his control. His character looks tall, buff, gritty and downright intimidating and initially he acts exactly as he looks, a ruthless and fearless leader. Nobody could have done justice to this role other than Vikram. He wins hearts as the movie progresses because he shows that under all the tough guy exterior, he is actually a good, compassionate man who is only doing his duty to his people.
Lingesan the bodybuilder, model, influenza victim and beast in I
His latest hit film I was all about stunning physical transformations. First, Vikram bulked up like crazy for his role of Lingesan, who was a bodybuilder and winner of the Mr TamilNadu title. He changes over to Lee, a super model, who still has similar physique, but the way he looks and behaves changed completely. After being attacked by his enemies, he suffers a horrendous deformity that leaves him aged, balding and a hunchback.
As if these three painstaking transformations for which he had to work for months was not enough, he even appeared a werewolf-like-beast for a just one song in the movie.
One character in the same movie and yet, four very different looks that took years to achieve.
After reading this, you will surely agree that when it comes to giving it all, there is no actor who can truly match up to Chiyaan Vikram.
