'The hero is any character the audience claps for'

Actor Soori discusses how his outlook on cinema has evolved in the past few years, the central conflict in Garudan, his love for Kottukkaali, and his future projects

-  PRASHANTH VALLAVAN

N S PRASHANTH VALLAVAN A CTOR Soori's career graph went through a dramatic ascension that many would covet. From being a comedian to playing the protagonist in a Vetrimaaran film, Soori's evolution, with a beautiful hint of synchronicity, could only be termed as cinematic. Reflecting on the effect this had on him, the actor shares, "I guess my outlook on cinema has been dramatically altered. I have started watching different kinds of films from various languages. I used to restrict myself to watching comedy films. Now, I watch all kinds of films, especially ones where the story is the main focus rather than the hero." As someone who grew up on a steady diet of mainstream cinema, Soori has his own interpretation of a conventional mainstream hero. When asked about his idea of a hero, the actor carefully expounds, "A hero is not just someone who has an intro song and fight sequences. Anyone the audience claps for is a hero. If the audience loves a character and they like what he does on screen, and if they clap for him, he automatically becomes a hero." Even though his upcoming film, Garudan, shows hints of him playing a conventional hero, Soori maintains that his Sokkan, is just a protagonist who leads the story and not a 'hero' who refuses to stay within the