Tamil film Amaran, based on the life of Major Mukund Varadarajan, is all set to release this Diwali, and there’s a lot of anticipation from the audience. It is a big moment for Tamil star Sivakarthikeyan, who plays the lead in director Rajkumar Periasamy’s Amaran, given that it is firstly a big-budget biopic and secondly, produced by Kamal Haasan, who is known for his stunning repertoire as an actor, writer and director, in Indian cinema.

“I loved the script when Rajkumar narrated it to me, and I said yes. Then he told me that Kamal sir was producing the film, and I asked him if he had informed Kamal sir that I was on board with the project. When Kamal sir saw me, the first thing he said was ‘Kandein Seethayai’ (I saw Sita),” revealed Sivakarthikeyan in his exclusive chat with Hindustan Times. (As per the Ramayana, these were the first words Lord Hanuman uttered to Lord Ram when he returned from Lanka after seeing Sita. The way Lord Hanuman phrased was supposed to relieve Lord Ram of any anxiety.)

Sivakarthikeyan on playing Major Mukund

Was the Doctor star nervous having to take on this role which was based on a real-life story of an army soldier awarded the Ashoka Chakra? “No, once I had decided to do the film, there was absolutely no nervousness. I knew what was required for the role (in terms of bulking up, weapons training, different looks, etc), and I was prepared for it,” he explained, adding that meeting Major Mukund’s wife and family was emotional, too. Sivakarthikeyan’s father had worked as a jail superintendent in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, and how he worked and treated his subordinates had given him a foundation in discipline and administration, which helped in his role.

“We shot in some sensitive areas in Kashmir because we wanted to make it as authentic and realistic as possible. In the Rashtriya Rifles unit where Major Mukund had worked, there were many Tamilians and I had the opportunity to interact with them when we shot there. It was very touching for me because they can get called into action any time, and they don’t know if they’ll come back safely. They need to be mentally very strong,” stated Sivakarthikeyan, who was appreciated for his role as Major Mukund in Amaran by senior army chiefs who saw the film recently. “One of them told me that I was in the wrong profession, and it was only then that I felt I had done sincere justice to the role. Major Mukund’s wife, Indhu Rebecca Ma’am, saw the first teaser and said she was happy, and that was also a shot in the arm for me.”

On pushing boundaries

As an actor, Sivakarthikeyan has been trying out new genres over the last few years trying to push his boundaries as an actor. “I wanted to break any limitations or apprehensions and when I heard the story of Amaran, I felt it would help me do that. The action scenes in this film are very intense and I wanted to explore my skills on that front. Amaran is about the life of a soldier; the emotional journey he and his family go through. I believe this will reach the audience and my fans will celebrate this film,” he added.

While Amaran is up for release on October 31, Sivakarthikeyan’s film with director AR Murugadoss is about 80% complete. The actor is likely to sign a film with director Cibi Chakaravarthi with whom discussions are still on. As for his popular cameo in Thalapathy Vijay’s GOAT recently, he said, “I was more than happy to do a cameo in his film. That is special and I got to act with him which is more than enough for me. No one can replace Vijay sir. Every actor has his or her own journey in this industry and the audience doesn’t limit itself to a few heroes also.”

“When people walk out of the theatre after watching Amaran, they will understand what every soldier and their families go through at an emotional and mental level. Amaran is a tribute to all Indian soldiers and their families,” signed off Sivakarthikeyan.

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