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Chiyaan Vikram - Epitome of Hardwork, Endurance & Dedication!

PUBLISHED DATE : 17/Apr/2020

Chiyaan Vikram - Epitome of Hardwork, Endurance & Dedication!

It goes without saying that actor Vikram's name will go down in Kollywood history as one of the most dedicated and hardworking and actors, what with the efforts he puts in for each role of his. Not only does Vikram turn 54 this year but he also completes 30 years since his debut film En Kadhal Kanmani which came out in 1990. So for the Chiyaan actor's birthday, we decided to take a quick look at his journey so far, which shows how he has endured in this volatile film industry.

 
Early Struggles
Despite having a good start in the 90s working with names like P.C. Sreeram, S.P. Muthuraman, A.R. Rahman and almost Mani Ratnam (Vikram dropped out of Bombay after a photoshoot with Manisha Koirala), it wasn't until 1997 that the actor had a role (Ullasam) that his audience remembered.

Ajith and Vikram in Ullasam

Vikram survived these 7 years by appearing in Malayalam, Telugu movies some of which were even with star actors like Mammootty. He also dubbed for heroes in Tamil, most prominently for Prabhu Deva (Kadhalan), Ajith (Amaravathi) and Abbas (Kandukondein Kandukondein).

Vikram in Sethu

This was also the time when Vikram refused another Mani Ratnam film role (Swarnamalya's fiance in Alaipayuthey) as he was focussed on bagging lead offers instead.1997 was also the time when a struggling-actor Vikram and a debut director Bala collaborated for a film called Sethu but the film went through production hell which almost made him quit the industry.


 
The Big Shift
To say that the 1999 film Sethu changed the course of Vikram's career would be an understatement. After years of intense struggle, Vikramnot only got the much-needed break but the efforts he took for his physical transformation (dropping 21kgs, shaving his head, etc) became a synonymous trend with the actor.

Vikram in Pithamagan

Vikram also transformed into one of those actors who could do both performance-oriented films like Sethu (mentally affected patient), Kaasi (a visually impaired person), Pithamagan (a feral human), Deiva Thirumagal (autistic single father) and masala entertainment movies like Dhill, Gemini, Dhool, Saami and Bheema; in short the actor could take up any challenge.
 
 
Intense Physical Transformations
Vikram's commitment to his film roles extended beyond just acting and the actor's penchant for challenging roles went up a notch when he started accepting multiple-roled movies. At a time when Kollywood actors were trying to be the next big star with back to back hits, Vikram was putting in rigorous efforts into transforming into various looks and physiques, all for just one film.

Vikram's various avatars in films
 
His movies Anniyan, Raavanan/Raavan (Vikram simultaneously shot as a police officer for the Hindi version and the tribal lead for the Tamil), Rajapattai and I are all testament to the same. 
Vikram during the shoot of "Ai"
In fact, Vikram's drastic transformation for I has often been compared to Hollywood actor Christian Bale's for The Machinist and has attracted words of praise from actors like Rajinikanth who had then said,

"Vikram has dedicated his life for this film. Hats off to his commitment. I don't think you could find an actor who has sacrificed so much for a character in Indian cinema as well as Hollywood. " 

Turning 54
Besides the many milestones, Chiyaan Vikram crossed in the last 4 years both personally and professionally, he launched his own son as an actor in the film industry and continues to survive as a lead in the timeline (a feat not many Tamil actors can boast of).


At 50+, Vikram has only added to his esteemed filmography through Dhruva Natchathiram, Mahavir Karna, Ponniyin Selvan and Cobra (a film where he again plays multiple roles) and we bet it is only a matter of time before they get added to his list of heavy-weight performances.

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