<p>Veteran actor Vikram is, beyond any doubt, one of the biggest and most popular names of the Tamil film industry. The self-made star has impressed one and all with his impressive reel image and down to earth personality. On Friday, as the mass hero turns a year older, here is a look at five unforgettable movies that make him an inseparable part of Kollywood.</p>.<p><strong>Sethu (1999)</strong></p>.<p><em>Sethu</em>, widely considered to be the movie that established Vikram as a household name, was a gripping drama that revolved around the exploits of a goon/rowdy. A critical success, it ruffled a few feathers with its bold content and this helped it consolidate its legacy. The film was later remade in Hindi as <em>Tere Naam</em> with Salman Khan in the lead.</p>.<p><strong>Saamy (2003)</strong></p>.<p>Produced by ace filmmaker K Balachander, the Hari-helmed actioner featured Vikram in the role of a daring cop and hit the right notes with his lively reel antics. Everything about the film-right from the action sequences to the massy dialogues—was perfect. The flick starred Trisha as the leading lady and proved to be an important affair for her as well. <em>Saamy </em>was remade in Hindi as <em>Policegiri</em>, which did not live up to expectations.</p>.<p><strong>Pithamagan (2003)</strong></p>.<p>Featuring a National award winning performance from Vikram, <em>Pithamagan </em>is considered to be one of the finest releases of director Bala’s career. The hard-hitting drama had a stellar cast that included Suriya, Laila and Simran (in a special appearance)</p>.<p><strong>Anniyan (2005)</strong></p>.<p>A Vikram show all the way, <em>Anniyan </em>marked the first collaboration between ‘Chiyaan’ and S Shankar and emerged as a runaway hit at the box office. The flick revolved around a person with multiple personality disorder and had plenty of commercial elements to keep the aam janta hooked. The psychological-thriller had a strong cast including Sada, Prakash Raj and Saurabh Shukla.</p>.<p><strong>I</strong> <strong>(2014)</strong></p>.<p>While a section of the audience might argue that <em>Deiva Thirumagal </em>was a better film than <em>I</em>, the fact remains the Shankar-helmed biggie established Vikram as a pan-India name and emerged as a smash hit. The film revolves around what happens when a simpleton undergoes a shocking physical transformation under shocking circumstances and features a stellar act from the actor. The cast of the film included Amy Jackson, Suresh Gopi and Upen Patel.</p>
<p>Veteran actor Vikram is, beyond any doubt, one of the biggest and most popular names of the Tamil film industry. The self-made star has impressed one and all with his impressive reel image and down to earth personality. On Friday, as the mass hero turns a year older, here is a look at five unforgettable movies that make him an inseparable part of Kollywood.</p>.<p><strong>Sethu (1999)</strong></p>.<p><em>Sethu</em>, widely considered to be the movie that established Vikram as a household name, was a gripping drama that revolved around the exploits of a goon/rowdy. A critical success, it ruffled a few feathers with its bold content and this helped it consolidate its legacy. The film was later remade in Hindi as <em>Tere Naam</em> with Salman Khan in the lead.</p>.<p><strong>Saamy (2003)</strong></p>.<p>Produced by ace filmmaker K Balachander, the Hari-helmed actioner featured Vikram in the role of a daring cop and hit the right notes with his lively reel antics. Everything about the film-right from the action sequences to the massy dialogues—was perfect. The flick starred Trisha as the leading lady and proved to be an important affair for her as well. <em>Saamy </em>was remade in Hindi as <em>Policegiri</em>, which did not live up to expectations.</p>.<p><strong>Pithamagan (2003)</strong></p>.<p>Featuring a National award winning performance from Vikram, <em>Pithamagan </em>is considered to be one of the finest releases of director Bala’s career. The hard-hitting drama had a stellar cast that included Suriya, Laila and Simran (in a special appearance)</p>.<p><strong>Anniyan (2005)</strong></p>.<p>A Vikram show all the way, <em>Anniyan </em>marked the first collaboration between ‘Chiyaan’ and S Shankar and emerged as a runaway hit at the box office. The flick revolved around a person with multiple personality disorder and had plenty of commercial elements to keep the aam janta hooked. The psychological-thriller had a strong cast including Sada, Prakash Raj and Saurabh Shukla.</p>.<p><strong>I</strong> <strong>(2014)</strong></p>.<p>While a section of the audience might argue that <em>Deiva Thirumagal </em>was a better film than <em>I</em>, the fact remains the Shankar-helmed biggie established Vikram as a pan-India name and emerged as a smash hit. The film revolves around what happens when a simpleton undergoes a shocking physical transformation under shocking circumstances and features a stellar act from the actor. The cast of the film included Amy Jackson, Suresh Gopi and Upen Patel.</p>
