GM Sundar: ‘Today’s ‘bro culture’ directors understand the importance of portraying characters

After GM Sundar was signed to play a gangster in Naalan Kumarasamy Kadhalum Kadanthu PogumVijay Sethupathi had an interesting idea for him. After watching Sivaji Ganesan thiruvilayadali Last night, Sethupathi wondered if Sundar could impersonate the thespian’s moves in the film. Both Nalan and Sethupathi insisted that Sunder watch the film to fix the body language, but the latter were adamant on going for the straight take. Because that’s what Sundar was doing since the age of 13.

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Life came full circle for Sundar when he imitated Shivaji’s walk. It took 20 years for his professional career to progress; He was “waiting for someone to tie a bell around this cat’s neck”.

GM Sundar graduated from the then Adyar Film Institute, Chennai, where he studied acting with actors Nassar and Archana. Here, he learned the theoretical aspects of acting and began to study trained method actors such as Marlon Brando. His exposure to world cinema and seeing the work of international filmmakers such as Jean-Luc Godard, Akira Kurosawa and Federico Fellini helped him sharpen his craft. “But the irony is that when I started acting in the 80s, I could not apply anything I learned from these masters,” says Sundar, in his Basant Nagar office.

Sundar has a fair point. Even though he has been active since the 80s, he has mostly acted in forgettable films. His most notable works of that era are those of K. Balachander. Punnagai Mannan and Kamal Haasan-starrer Truth,

When he did not get the desired roles that he expected, Sundar turned to theater and became one of the lead actors in the drama school Koothupattarai. “Just because I didn’t get films at that time, I didn’t lose hope. You can call that period a hiatus but I was only doing my homework as an actor,” he says.

long road

Though he would fall into depression, Sundar says that he could afford to remain in the acting business because of his privileged background. “But the passion was killing me,” he says, “I was just waiting for a stage where I could apply what I had learned. It required a lot of mental fortitude.”

But the wait did not go in vain. After this people started recognizing Sundar again Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum, He is now getting to play writer-backed characters. The lesson he learned in due course is saying ‘no’. “Today’s ‘bro culture’ directors understand the importance of carving characters and the need to give audiences something different.”

Sundar’s performance in films like magamuni And Mandela stood out. Then came Pa Ranjith Sarpatta Parambrai, in which he played the role of Duraikannu Vathiyar, who goes up against Rangan Vathiyar, played by Pasupati, Sundar’s junior, in Kuthupattarai. This thrilling boxing drama became such a hit that Sundar’s character turned into an online meme fest. “Even though Ranjit is its producer gallop…, it is the actor who recreates it on the sets.”

In fact, it was Ranjit who recommended Sundar. Author, which is releasing this Friday. Playing the role of a lawyer, Sundar says the film is about RTI and will garner such backlash Jai Bheem created.

Sundar says that he was able to survive in the industry as he is also a businessman, a luxury that most people cannot afford. “I have to run my family too. It is ultimately a balancing act,” he adds.

Sharing his side of the story, Sundar says that he wants to inspire the younger generation and doesn’t want them to lose hope. “I have had a rollercoaster of careers. Now with whatever film I get, I am sowing the seeds. Because, I have realized that my next offer depends on my past performance.”