Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’ has grossed over £40 million at the box office worldwide. While it's giving great business, the movie has also earned the rare distinction of bringing senior citizens in large numbers to movie halls. The film tells the story of the early life of Arulmozhivarman (Ponniyin Selvan), who went on to become the Chola emperor Rajaraja I (947-1014). The movie was released in theatres across the globe in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada. It is based on the eponymous novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy. Karthi, who plays the character of Vanthiyathevan in the movie found himself touched by the patronage of the older audiences. However, he said the whole credit must go to the writer.
Karthi said, “It really feels overwhelming to see old people come and watch our movie. But the whole credit must go to Kalki sir. It is his story that has gripped them for so many years and is drawing these older audiences to the theatres. If it wasn’t for the story, we wouldn't be seeing this kind of response.” Karthi added that the novel is so gripping that his young daughter Umayaal, who was born in 2013, is currently reading it. The film is having a dream run at the box office.
When asked how he feels about the box office return of PS 1, the actor said, “Honestly, I’m not the kind of guy who’s too much into numbers. I’m happy the film is doing very well and it’s a very good year for Tamil cinema. This success means anticipation for part 2 would be naturally even more, and people will come and see it. That’s what we aspire for as artists.”
On the work front, Karthi is gearing up for the release of his upcoming Tamil film ‘Sardar’, in which he plays dual roles. It’s scheduled for release on October 21. Directed by PS Mithran, the film is touted to be a rooted spy thriller. It’s the rootedness that makes the film unique, Karthi feels.
