Happy Birthday Vikram: 5 movies that make ‘Chiyaan’ an inseparable part of Kollywood

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.

Sethu (1999)

Sethu, 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 Tere Naam with Salman Khan in the lead.

Saamy (2003)

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. Saamy was remade in Hindi as Policegiri, which did not live up to expectations.

Pithamagan (2003)

Featuring a National award winning performance from Vikram, Pithamagan 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)

Anniyan (2005)

A Vikram show all the way, Anniyan 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.

I (2014)

While a section of the audience might argue that Deiva Thirumagal was a better film than I, 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.