V for versatility or you could say V for Vikram.
The actor, who turns 59 on April 17, is one of the rare performers who has been able to successfully strike a balance between mainstream cinema and offbeat choices.
There was a time when Vikram would set a benchmark of the character and it would be almost impossible to imagine anyone else playing that role.
Divya Nair celebrates Vikram’s birthday by presenting the path-breaking films and performances that define his career.
1. Sethu (1999)
In Bala’s directorial debut, Vikram plays a love-struck rowdy who becomes mentally unstable.
The heart-breaking film also announced his arrival as a mainstream Tamil actor.
His intense portrayal of the character, for which Vikram underwent a physical transformation and won the Tamil Nadu state award, inspired Salman Khan to remake the film as Tere Naam in Hindi.
Post the success of Sethu, Vikram would be popularly known by his screen name Chiyaan, a title that has stuck with him since.
2. Kasi (2001)
When Director Vinayan wanted to remake the Malayalam film Vasanthiyum Lakshmiyum Pinne Njaanum, he could not have cast a better actor.
Vikram’s adaptation of a blind village singer is full of innocence and tenderness. The character requires a rare kind of mental strength that is hard to express but Vikram delivers it with authenticity.
In fact, Vikram even lost his vision for a few months due to his method acting attempt to perfect the role.
When you watch this film, Vikram’s restrained yet powerful emotional performance is sure to draw empathy and applause.
3. Gemini (2002)
If there is one actor who can satisfy the requirements of commercial cinema and please the critics as well, Vikram’s name would feature on top of the list.
With Gemini, Vikram proved that he can blend mass appeal with emotional depth and comic timing.
He plays a flamboyant gangster with oodles of charisma and chemistry.
4. Saamy (2003)
Years before films like Singham became a franchise in Bollywood, Vikram showed what an onscreen cop could aspire to be.
As the daring, no-nonsense cop Aarusaamy, Vikram’s high-octane drama had incredible swag.
Be it his fitness, body language, sharp stunts or dialogue delivery, Vikram was roaring for the masses.
Apart from the action sequences, his flirty chemistry with Trisha continues to rank them among the hottest on screen couples in Tamil cinema.
5. Pithamagan (2003)
It is hard to imagine how an actor can switch from a glamorous cop to an autistic graveyard caretaker with such ease.
Pithamagan, Vikram’s second film with Director Bala, had no punch dialogues or fancy costumes. Vikram conveys the pain of being an outcast by society through his eyes and body language, and nothing is lost in translation.
His performance won him the National Award for Best Actor.
6. Anniyan (2005)
Perhaps by now, a lot of directors had figured out that Vikram was impeccable at playing contrasting characters with perfection.
Directed by Shankar, this psychological drama found its perfect hero and anti-hero in Vikram who plays not one, but three distinct roles with different personalities.
In one moment, you see him as a meek lawyer, the next an ideal, romantic boyfriend, and then suddenly transforms to a ruthless, terrifying vigilante.
The way he shifts between these diverse characters and nails each of them with vulnerability, conviction and finesse continues to remain a masterclass in fine acting.
7. Raavan and Raavanan (2010)
It’s not easy to debunk the character traits of a popular villain from mythology but Vikram delivers Mani Ratnam’s vision of Raavanan with such sincerity that you will sympathise with the antagonist.
Be it searing rage or raw emotions, Vikram peels off the complex layers of his menacing personality in a compelling fashion and it makes you want to hear his side of the story.
The film may have received mixed reviews at the box office but Vikram — who also played the cop hero (the character based on Lord Rama in the Hindi version) — shines brilliantly in both films.
8. Deiva Thirumagal (2011)
Boyfriend. Cop. Anti-hero. Just when Vikram had bookmarked his template for each of these roles, he took up another challenge — to break the taboo around society’s perception of disability.
In Deiva Thirumagal, Vikram introduces us to Krishna, a mentally challenged doting father, who is fighting for his daughter’s custody.
Vikram’s soul-stirring representation in this courtroom drama that is anything but cliche.
9. David (2013)
Charming, niche and emotional.
When Vikram presents himself as David, the carefree fisherman from Goa, what he doesn’t want you to see is the weight of his guilt and longing for unrequited love.
Vikram packages his emotions in a stylish charm of its own, never once letting you see his vulnerability.
David is one of the niche, praiseworthy films in his career.
10. Ponniyin Selvan (2022–2023)
Mani Ratnam’s Aditya Karikalan is a prince torn between grief and glory. Though haunted by his tragic past and lost love, he doesn’t have the time to grieve — he has a war to win, a kingdom to protect and a legacy to defend.
As the Chola dynasty’s warrior prince, Vikram looks grand, regal and fierce. His monologue speeches and candid confessions demand a theatrical experience.
