Chiyaan Vikram is a fantastic example of how hard work and persistence can - and eventually will - pay off. From struggling for years to land that breakout role, dubbing for actors who would later become his peers, to trying his luck in other industries and playing second fiddle to more popular stars, Vikram is now one of Tamil cinema's most respected superstars. He’s a National Award winner and could arguably be considered one of Indian cinema’s finest actors. That’s a stunning career turnaround! Chiyaan Vikram Birthday Special: From Thala Ajith to Ben Kingsley, 7 Actors for Whom Cobra Star Lent His Deep Baritone to Before Achieving Superstardom.

Born on April 17, 1966, in Chennai, India, Vikram - whose real name is Kennedy John Victor - came from a non-filmy background into the Tamil film industry, which was (and still is) heavily influenced by nepotism. He made his acting debut in the 1990 Tamil film En Kadhal Kanmani, playing the lead role. However, the film didn’t catapult him to stardom. Vikram continued to pursue lead roles in Tamil films, but success remained elusive.

Vikram's Early Struggles and Eventual Breakout Success

To sustain himself, he worked in Malayalam and Telugu films as a parallel lead and dubbed for actors like Ajith Kumar, Vineeth, Abbas, Venkatesh, and Jayaram. He even voiced the villain Scar in the Tamil dub of the 1994 animated Hollywood film The Lion King. Interestingly, Arvind Swami - who voiced Simba in that version - voiced Scar in the 2019 Tamil dub of the live-action remake.

Of course, if you’re a Vikram fan, you already know which film changed the trajectory of his career: the 1999 Tamil film Sethu, directed by Bala. Sethu was the breakthrough he needed to showcase his versatility and screen presence. The role had such a profound impact on him that he adopted the character’s name, “Chiyaan”, as his own nickname.

Watch a Song From 'Sethu':

If Sethu was the breakthrough, then the 2001 film Dhill transformed Vikram into a commercial star. The subsequent successes of Kasi, Gemini, Dhool, Saamy, and others pushed him firmly into the realm of superstardom. Reuniting with Bala for Pithamagan proved lucky once again, earning Vikram his first National Award for Best Actor. Since then, there’s been no looking back - most recently, the actor, who has turned 59 in 2025, delivered another standout performance in the thriller Veera Dheera Sooran‘Veera Dheera Sooran’ Movie Review: Chiyaan Vikram Ignites the Screen in This Well-Made, Gripping Thriller.

But for this piece, let’s rewind to Vikram’s pre-Sethu days, when he acted in Malayalam films—specifically, one rather peculiar project that feels like an oddity in his career.

Vikram's Malayalam Innings

Vikram’s first Malayalam film was the 1993 blockbuster Dhruvam, led by Mammootty, with Suresh Gopi and Jayaram also in prominent roles. Vikram played a supporting character and made a strong impression. Some of his other notable appearances in Malayalam cinema include Sainyam, Mafia, Indraprastham, Rajaputhran, and Red Indians, where he generally played second lead to stars like Mammootty and Suresh Gopi. He took on lead roles in films like Mayooranritham and Itha Oru Snehagatha - the latter featuring his first on-screen pairing with Laila, his future co-star in Dhill.

Watch a Song From 'Sainyam':

But there was one Malayalam film in which Vikram played a full-fledged villain. While he has taken on negative roles in his career - such as the morally grey characters in Raavan (both Hindi and Tamil versions), Anniyan, Cobra, or even dual roles like in Iru Mugan - there was usually a heroic arc to balance things out.

Street, however, was different. In this 1995 Malayalam actioner, Vikram played a truly despicable character opposite Babu Antony’s hero. Vikram portrayed Sajeev, an arrogant college bullly who clashes with the leads and ultimately sexually assaults and murders the heroine, before being killed by the protagonist. Directed by Anil–Babu, the film is currently available on YouTube and stands as the only project in which Vikram played an out-and-out villain.

Vikram in Street

Interestingly, years later, Vikram and Babu Antony would reunite in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan, with Vikram playing one of the leads and Antony in a minor antagonist role.

Another unusual entry in Vikram’s Malayalam filmography - his last in the industry - was the 2000 film Indriyam, where he appeared in a brief cameo. Notably, it was his first and only horror film to date.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 17, 2025 07:14 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).