OPINION: How did Tamil cinema’s comedic actors Santhanam, Soori, and Yogi Babu transition into leading roles?

Tamil cinema has always been known for producing great actors, whether from a dramatic background or through the transition of artists from uncredited roles to leading ones. While many struggle, some actors rise to prominence with their skills and persistence.

Similarly, actors like Santhanam, Soori, and Yogi Babu began their careers with uncredited appearances, moved on to comedic roles, and are now headlining films as leads. As these three actors, once stereotyped as “comedians,” now star in three different films under their own names, let's take a look at their journey to their current status.

Beginnings as comedians

Talking about all three actors, let's start with the one who transitioned into a lead role before the others. Actor Santhanam, who is also a producer in Tamil cinema, began his career as a comedian on television before venturing into films.

Santhanam became a widely recognized face among TV audiences for his spoof sketches of popular Tamil movies on the show Lollu Sabha. His growing popularity led to his first opportunity in 2004 as a supporting actor in the Silambarasan TR starrer Manmadhan. 

The Tamil-language romantic psychological thriller Manmadhan marked a significant rise in Santhanam's career after he had appeared in uncredited roles in a few earlier movies. Following Manmadhan, the actor went on to star alongside prominent Tamil stars like Thalapathy Vijay and Dhanush in films such as Sachein and Polladhavan. He even landed a lead role in director Shankar's production Arai En 305-il Kadavul.

See Santhanam’s posts:

Appearing in various films over the years, the actor’s staple style of insult comedy became a massive hit during that era, often considered meta now.

Coming to actor Soori’s film career, unlike his contemporary, the actor initially struggled to land acting roles, leading him to take up jobs as a cleaner.

As he did menial jobs to fund his aspirations to become an actor, Soori appeared in several films with uncredited roles. From 1998 to 2004, the actor made his foray into cinema in unnamed characters, even making occasional comedic gags.

However, it was in 2005 that the actor received his first credited acting role in Ajith Kumar’s Ji. In 2009, he made a notable appearance in the movie Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu, which helped him land roles alongside several A-list actors, often playing comedic or sidekick characters.

Check out Soori’s posts:

While there were criticisms of his ability to carry comedy at one point, the actor responded with strong performances. Finally, Yogi Babu, another actor who initially made a name for himself as a comedian, began his career in TV with the show Lollu Sabha, where he worked not as an actor but as an assistant director and writer.

Making his acting debut in director Ameer’s Yogi, the actor adopted the film’s name as his surname, which he still uses today. After starting his career in minor roles, Yogi Babu appeared in several comedic parts, even sharing screen space with Shah Rukh Khan in Chennai Express.

Take a look at Yogi Babu:

When did their careers change and become lead actors?

All three actors started their careers with comedic roles, but over time, they each managed to headline projects using their own expertise. Santhanam made his second solo lead appearance in the movie Vallavanukku Pullum Aayudham.

Making his debut as a producer as well, the film was a remake of SS Rajamouli’s Maryada Ramanna. With the film’s success, Santhanam transitioned into more lead roles, solidifying his status in Tamil cinema.

His next movie, Devil's Double Next Level, is slated to hit the big screens on May 16, 2025. Interestingly, the actor is also making a return to a supporting role alongside Silambarasan TR in the latter’s upcoming venture.

On the other hand, Soori broke stereotypes in his career when director Vetrimaaran cast him in the lead role for Viduthalai: Part 1 alongside Vijay Sethupathi. As the actor continued to take on leading roles, he appeared in films like Garudan and will be hitting the big screens with Maaman, releasing on May 16 as well.

Finally, Yogi Babu, unlike the other two, is known for balancing both lead roles and character roles. It was in 2019 that the actor made his lead debut with Dharmaprabhu, continuing to take on both comedic and dramatic roles.

Now, he too will be hitting the big screens on May 16 this year with his film Jora Kaiya Thattunga, making this weekend a clash between all three of them.

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