It’s sad that fans are drawn into box-office debates: Vijay Sethupathi 

From box-office discussions to changing perceptions about cinema, actor Vijay Sethupathi weighed in on several topics at the 11th edition of The New Indian Express’ ThinkEdu Conclave 2023 held in Chennai on Friday. The actor, who is receiving rave reviews for his performance in the Prime Video series, Farzi, revealed that he hasn't been watching himself on screen during the past four-five years. “This is because I don’t like my performances. I went to see Master and could last only tilll the interval block. I’m rather shy and can’t watch my own performances,” he said.

The actor, who has seen a fair share of box-office successes and failures, doesn’t believe that film merit is connected to box office success. "It's sad that a section of the fans are so invested in discussing these numbers," said the Vikram actor. Drawing from a personal anecdote, Vijay Sethupathi spoke about how his home production Orange Mittai, written by him and starring him in the lead role, wasn't received well by the audience. "I took inspiration from my father and wrote Orange Mittai. However, even my own family members felt the film was rather boring. Now, years later, many have good things to say about it,” he recalled.

Among the actor’s memorable performances is his portrayal of a transwoman, Shilpa, in Super Deluxe, which fetched him a National Award. The character, Shilpa, taught him important life lessons, he said. “While playing her, I recognised the femininity within me. It almost felt dangerous because I wondered if Shilpa would stay within me forever."

In his trademark style, he signed off by stressing the importance of art. “Films, among other facets, reflect human relationships and how we handle it. We see the impact of politics, contributions of people across genders… we understand more about a civilisation through its cinema."