Films that speak about identity politics and bring to light the fight of the oppressed always find resonance among the Tamil audience. Two of the more compelling such films in recent times were Blue Star and Parasakthi, and one common factor between both films is actor Prithvi Rajan, who is finding his way back into the limelight. While Blue Star highlighted the issue of casteism in the form of a sports drama, Prithvi's latest project, Parasakthi, is a retelling of the anti-Hindi imposition agitations of the 1960s. "This is not against Hindi or people who speak that language. The way that a language can adversely affect people is what the film talks about," explains Prithvi.
Parasakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara, stars Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Sreeleela, and Atharvaa, among others. However, the film wasn't always titled after the 1952 runaway hit, which starred Sivaji Ganesan in his breakthrough role. The film also had a different cast at the time of its conception. However, Prithvi was one of the few collaborators who remained with the film throughout its multiple revisions. "I met Sudha ma'am for auditions even before Blue Star happened. Since then, a lot of changes happened, production was delayed, and Blue Star hit the screens. Sudha ma'am conveyed her appreciation for my performance in the film. But I was happier about the fact that she remembered me, and hence I was hopeful about my involvement in Parasakthi," recalls Prithvi, who shares that Sudha Kongara features in his Top 5 favourite directors list.
While Parasakthi chronicles the anti-Hindi imposition agitation of the 50s and 60s, it is also a true-blue commercial entertainer with elements of an action film. One such standout scene is a lengthy fight set on the top of a steam locomotive. "We weren't able to find that type of locomotive here in India. But fortunately, one was available in Colombo, Sri Lanka, so we spent 3-4 days there," reveals Prithvi, who adds that while the exterior portions of that sequence were shot in Colombo, the interior was shot in Chennai. "We also spent time in Pondicherry and Hyderabad for shooting those scenes. We also spent time in Karaikudi to shoot some scenes involving the family of Sivakarthikeyan's character," says Prithvi. The shooting also extended to Pachaiyappa's College in Chennai, which was one of the main centers of protests and demonstrations by students in 1965.
The road to the release of Parasakthi hasn't been an easy one. The film faced multiple production delays and numerous cuts from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). But the biggest criticism it faced was after the announcement of the film's release being advanced from January 14 to January 10. The audience interpreted that as a deliberate move to challenge Vijay's Jaya Nayagan, which has since been postponed due to legal contentions. But addressing this, Prithvi says, "Vijay sir has a huge stardom, and Jana Nayagan is his last film. And he even gracefully told Sivakarthikeyan that multiple releases on the same day weren't a problem. More than that, multiple releases on a festival season isn't new, as schools and colleges will be closed and audiences will flock to theatres and the films will benefit from the crowds." Prithvi also acknowledged the fact that the films aren't just about the stars involved in them, but it also benefits people who work behind the scenes.
Prithvi has been in the industry for almost 20 years. He made his debut with Kaivantha Kalai (2006), which was directed by his father and actor-director Pandiarajan. "I did not plan to have a career in acting; I trusted my father's words and went on to work on that film," reveals Prithvi. The actor also recalls that people approached him for roles while he was in school. The conversation around nepotism has been on the airwaves for years, but Prithvi believes that everything comes down to results. "If you're not a star kid, your highs will be very high, but your lows will not have a bigger impact. But for star kids, the lows will be extremely low, as people will say, "He got his first film because of his dad, look at him now..."
Talking about his next release, Prithvi shares that he is part of the Dhanush-starrer Kara, helmed by Por Thozhil director Vignesh Raja. "Shooting that film had been wonderful, but I also had to be aware of my looks as I was shooting that and Parasakthi simultaneously. Since Sudha ma'am preferred natural moustaches, there was a spirited conversation around it," says Prithvi, signing off by saying how cricket continues to open doors for him. "Even Vignesh Raja wrote my role in Kara after watching Blue Star."