Samuthirakani interview: On ‘Thiru. Manickam’ and how to avoid being pigeonholed

Actor Samuthirakani speaks about his upcoming film, ‘Thiru. Manickam,’ and reflects on his mentor and veteran filmmaker K Balachander on his 10th death anniversary

Samuthirakani has been a busy man. In the last two years alone, the actor was seen in more than a dozen Tamil films, six Telugu films (one of which he also directed), and a Malayalam film. This week, he will be seen in two Tamil films, releasing on the same day, Thiru. Manickam and Rajakili. He will start 2025 with Shankar’s Game Changer and Bala’s Vanangaan. You look at his resume and wonder how much of his line-up is planned. He acts in little gems like Thalaikoothal and Aelay, balances them with supporting roles in big-star films like Thunivu and Vaathi, and continues to be a much sought-after villain in Telugu. “I don’t consciously try to juggle all these hats. If I start thinking along those lines, I would get it all confused and get them all wrong,” says Samuthirakani, as he sits to chat about Thiru. Manickam.

He adds that the actor only needs to care about which role they want to play. “Say there’s a pitch from Malayalam I absolutely love but they are not in a position to pay; there’s a Telugu film where the role isn’t much but the pay is good. Now, you decide whether you can balance doing both.” Samuthirakani doesn’t attempt to gauge the success of the supporting roles he plays in big-star films. “That is something that concerns that particular hero and filmmaker. We must do what is required of us. Only when I star in films like Saattai, Appa, Writer, Vimanam and Thiru. Manickam would I observe how the audiences receive them because these films have something crucial to tell the society,” he adds.

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Thiru. Manickam releases in theatres on December 27, 2024