Over the past decade, the gamechanger in the career of the biggest Superstar of them all was Pa Ranjith's Kabali. Be it the politics or playing his age, this reinvention of Rajini was important
SJ Suryah's second coming as an actor has been a fruitful journey so far. After Iraivi, his villainous turn elevated his star status. But it was the cute Monster that endeared him to the masses.Right from the time Naachiyar trailer dropped, everyone knew this was not the Jyotika they were used to watching on screen. There is something about Bala that makes actors comfortable experimenting.Talking about Bala and an actor's willingness to experiment, Vishal gave it all in Avan Ivan. Audience straightened up and noticed the acting credentials of this Madhurakaaran.It was a time when there was nothing Sivakarthikeyan could do wrong. His successes gave him the cushion to experiment with Raja's neatly packaged message film, VelaikkaranThough many stars wore drag in films, not many seemed to be ready to play the role of a transgender person. In Kanchana, Sarath Kumar shines in the titular roleFrom headlining simple, non-complicated family entertainers, Jayam Ravi suddenly was thrown into the deep end of the pool in Peranmai that spoke about globalisation, representation and discriminationJust a few films old, and also a heartthrob, Arya found himself playing an Aghori in the National Award-winning Bala film, Naan Kadavul. Well, talk about diversity.Though Nayanthara had a golden run at the box-office with her big-ticket releases, and horror films, it is Aramm that reintroduced us to the potential in Nayanthara. Can't wait for the sequel!Is there anything that Vijay Sethupathi says no to? One of the most important stars of this generation, his move to play the role of Shilpa was brave. He also faced criticism for itAjith has already stepped into Amitabh Bachchan's shoes once. That was for Billa, which cemented his superstardom. This time, it is NKP, where he puts that to good use, and talks about consent.