Celebrating Karthi: 5 movies that shaped his career

Tamil actor Karthi turned a year older on May 25, 2024. As he celebrates his 47th birthday, here are the five career-defining movies that have made him one of the most bankable stars in the Tamil film industry.

Paruthiveeran (2007)

Paruthiveeran is a landmark movie in Tamil cinema for various reasons. Its influence in revitalizing Tamil filmmakers' interest in exploring village themes and sprawling rural stories cannot be overstated. Written and directed by Ameer Sultan, the film faced countless challenges, conflicts, and controversies from its inception to its release. Nonetheless, when it finally hit the cinemas, it redefined Tamil cinema to some extent. The film provided Karthi with a massive scope to showcase his range as an actor, and he fully utilized the opportunity, making an excellent screen debut.

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Paruthiveeran is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

Aayirathil Oruvan (2010)

By all accounts, Paruthiveeran was not an easy production. After enduring about two years of shooting marked by uncertainties and questions, Karthi opted for another challenging movie, Aayirathil Oruvan. Written and directed by Selvaraghavan, the project began production in 2006 but took over three years to complete due to budget overruns. The film is a fantasy drama about an archaeological expedition tasked with unearthing shocking historical truths. Although it opened to great reviews, it failed to make a dent at the box office. Over the years, however, the film has gained a cult following.

Aayirathil Oruvan is streaming on SunNXT.

Paiyaa (2010)

The production of Paiyaa must have been a cakewalk for Karthi after the gruelling experiences of Paruthiveeran and Aayirathil Oruvan. Released just a few months after Aayirathil Oruvan in 2010, Paiyaa helped Karthi bounce back from the box office failure of his previous movie. Written and directed by Lingusamy, it’s a road movie about a daring young man’s adventure to spend time with his girl crush. Starring Tamannaah as the female lead, the film became a huge hit at the box office that year.

Madras (2014)

Madras is another important film in Karthi's career as it helped him distinguish himself from his peers. Written and directed by Pa. Ranjith, the film showed the neighbourhoods of North Madras in a light that had never been seen before in Tamil cinema. The film challenged the notion of North Madras as a 'sin city' filled with lumpen elements. Instead, it argued that these neighbourhoods hold great talents and peace-loving people, and also highlighted the political reasons for perpetuating negative stereotypes about a section of society.

Madras is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

Kaithi (2019)

Kaithi is not just a milestone film for Karthi; it also redefined the action genre in modern Tamil cinema. The massive success of the film made director Lokesh Kanagaraj a nationwide sensation and changed the landscape of big-scale action movies. In Kaithi, Karthi plays the role of an ex-convict tasked with saving a group of high-ranking police officers from cocaine-fueled gangsters.

Kaithi is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

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