On Tuesday, actor Silambarasan TR celebrates his 43rd birthday. In his rise to stardom, the actor has been the heartbeat of urban romance in Tamil cinema for over two decades. From portraying his raw intensity as Madhan in Manmadhan to showcasing his soul-stirring vulnerability as Karthik in Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010), he has captured every phase and emotions of love. As he steps into another year, his influence on the youth remains unmatched. Silambarasan TR didn't just play romantic roles; he gave a voice to the complexities of the modern heart.
Here are some of his films that remain etched in fans' memory and where to watch them:
Kovil is a romantic drama film which is directed by Hari. The story sees the multi-generational clash between Puliyankulam and Veppankulam, two adjoining villages in Tamil Nadu. Periyasamy (Rajkiran) is a Hindu from Puliyankulam, respected by the villagers while Michael Soosai (Nassar) is a faithful protestant from Veppankulam and is a religious exclusivist. Troubles arise when Periyasamy's son, Sakthivel (Silambarasan TR) and Michael's daughter, Angel (Sonia Agarwal) fall in love with each other and their inter-religious relationship leading to dire consequences from their parents.
Streaming on: Sun NXT, Aha
Manmadhan (2004), is a psychological romantic movie which is directed by AJ Murugan in his debut. The story follows an accountant and music student, Madhan Raj (Silambarasan) leading a double life as a serial killer who targets "immoral" women. Unknown about his dark side, Mythili (Jyothika) falls in love with him. The rest of the story unravels Madhan's past and the reasons for his behaviour.
Streaming on: Sun NXT
Vallavan narrates the romantic story of a college student Vallavan (Silambarasan) who falls in love with his professor, Swapna (Nayanthara). He pursues her, pretending to be an ugly, poor man named Pallan. But their love story faces consequences due to their age gap and a jealous ex-girlfriend, Geetha (Reema Sen). The latter takes revenge on Vallavan (Silambarasan) to ruin his relationship which leads to dramatic encounters and the truth about his past.
Streaming on: Sun NXT, ZEE5
Saravana is a romantic action film, directed by KS Ravikumar. The narration follows a young man, Saravana (Silambarasan) who falls for his best friend Krishna's sister, Sadhana (Jyothika) while visiting their village. The plot takes a serious turn when Saravana finds that there is a bloody war happening between two opposing caste groups. Saravana saves Sadhana from the war and takes her to Chennai. The rest of the film shows the rejection from Saravana's large family later on, his family showing affection when they come to know about her background and how Saravana tries to help Sadhana to send her back to London.
Streaming on: Sun NXT
Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaya, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, centres on the story of a mechanical engineering degree holder, Karthik (Silambarasan) who aspires to become a director. His friend introduces him to a cinematographer, Ganesh. With his help, Karthik becomes an assistant director. Karthik's family rents the ground floor of Jessie's (Trisha) house while she lives upstairs. Karthik falls head-over-heels for Jessie, but their age difference and religious background create complications in their relationship.
Podaa Podi was director Vignesh Shivan's debut film which saw Arjun (Silambarasan) as an animation artist living in London who meets Nisha (Varalaxmi Sarathkumar) in a pub. Nisha is an aspiring dancer living with her aunt, Veena. While Arjun is a traditionalist who wants to lead a simple family life, Nisha is focused on her career. The film shows their stormy relationship, the sacrifices and how they balance their ambitious life.
Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar
Vendhu Thanindhadhu Kaadu is an action drama film which is directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon. The story follows a young man, Muthu (Silambarasan) from a village who migrates to Mumbai to escape from poverty. Muthu falls for Paavai (Siddhi Idnani) amidst the dark Mumbai underworld. He unfortunately gets pulled into the world of crime that changes his life entirely. What was once a fairy tale, becomes a desperate hope to lead a normal life.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video