From mimicry artist to Amaran, why Sivakarthikeyan’s journey is as rare as hen’s teeth in Tamil cinema

Invariably, although comedy actors in Tamil have acted as heroes, they could never evolve into a star like Sivakarthikeyan. It is hard to imagine Vadivelu or Vivekh starring in a police action drama like Kaaki Sattai or even a silly comedy-drama like Varuthapadatha Vaalibar Sangam. Even Santhanam, who has had hits as a hero, is still struggling to break out of his image as a comedian. His recent films, featuring him as lead actor, are comedies, and any attempt of the actor to become an action hero is immediately punished by the audience. Sakka Podu Podu Raja is one great example where Santhanam tried to be the quintessential mass hero, and the film bit the dust within days of its release. However, when Santhanam stays in his zone with borderline parody films like A1, Dhilluku Dhuddu, and Dikkiloona, he gets his reward. There’s a dedicated fanbase for such Santhanam films among Tamil audiences. 

In such an industry, which doesn’t let an actor break away from his mould, Sivakarthikeyan, who had his initial breakthrough as a mimicry artist on Tamil television, has managed to become a star. The evolution has been possible because the comedians before Sivakarthikeyan had one major trait that put them at a disadvantage–their body language. Throughout Tamil cinema history, when it comes to comedy, ‘slapstick’ ruled the roost. Starting from Chandra Babu to Nagesh to Vaidivelu, every comedy actor in Tamil developed a distinct body language that became the person’s style. This extended beyond their onscreen roles. Their movements, walk, and mannerisms became part of their real-life existence. And that’s why even Vadivelu’s speech at events are as riotous as his comedy films. Siva ducked this phenomenon because he made a living by mocking such mannerisms. He was a mimicry artist who could emulate Vadivelu’s body language and steal some laughs, but he never had to come up with one of his own. YouTube is still full of his videos from the period where he was a mimicry artist. From emulating Sivaji Ganesan to Goundamani to Vijayakanth, Siva, in a sense, has adopted the mannerisms of many distinct personalities for a living. Perhaps, that is the reason, he was able to come up with something unique for himself. After all, jack of-all-trades can be master of one.