Santhanam and co!
Having begun his career playing lead roles in the spoof series Lollu Sabha on Vijay TV, Santhanam himself wouldn't have expected his humongous growth in the film industry, but now, he's a definite force to reckon with in the industry, thanks to his instant and funny counters and his appeal among audience. While top comedians like Vadivelu and Vivek mostly preferred to have a separate comedy track, Santhanam played the hero's friend in most of the movies, obviously making him an essential part of the screenplay, and it is these on screen friendships that had helped Santhanam achieve glory.
In his film career spanning close to two decades, Santhanam has played the friend to almost all top actors of the industry, with some of the combinations being huge hits. One of the earliest hit comedy tracks of Santhanam happened in his combination with Dhanush in Pollathavan, where he played Dhanush's friend, who constantly gets smashed for his sarcastic remarks and gets trolled by the hero.
Siva Manasula Sakthi (2009) was a fresh beginning for Santhanam, as his character constantly travels with the hero Jiiva, though he keeps damaging his mobile phones and gets him caught in critical situations, and the dialogue "Ovvoru Manushankum ovoru feeling" became an instant hit. The movie was also the beginning of a successful combo with director Rajesh. With Jiiva, Santhanam again rocked in Endrendrum Punnagai (2013), where his character Baby travels throughout the movie entertaining with hilarious dialogues and situations trolling Vinay as well as his wife, besides also having several emotional friendship sequences, making it a memorable role. Santhanam - Jiiva combo had also teamed up in movies like Vandhaan Vendraan, Singampuli and Neethaane En Ponvasantham.
Simbu and T Rajendar have been referred to as his mentors by Santhanam himself many a time, and his combination with Simbu has also been successful. After uncredited roles in Kadhal Azhivathillai and Alai, his first notable appearance was in Manmadhan as Bobby and his trolls on Motta Madhan clicked. He went on to play Simbu's friend in movies like Vallavan, Silambattam, Osthe and Vaalu as well, and the combo's most successful comedy track was in Vaanam (2011). Playing the duo cable Raja and Tantana tan Seenu, characters who hate their slum life and wish to lead a rich life and indulging in crooked acts like chain snatching, Santa and Simbu's comedy combo was a hit, and Santhanam scored with emotions as well towards the end, as he sheds tears for Cable Raja's demise.
When it comes to his combinations with Arya and Udhayanidhi Stalin, the directors always ensured that Santhanam was not just a comedian in those films, but a second lead sharing equal space with the heroes. It was this liberty given by the directors like Rajesh, Atlee and Kannan that helped Santhanam score big time with his comedy tracks in Boss Engira Baskaran, Raja Rani, Settai, Ok Ok, where he almost overshadowed the heroes, trolling them and delivering rip roaring comedies and terrific counters, as Nallathambi and Partha. After his Thala - Thalapathy Nallathambi act in Boss engira Baskaran, he excelled in his movies with Thala Ajith and Thalapathy Vijay as well. It was his lively fun episodes trying to woo Amala Paul along with Vijay that brightened the proceedings in the first half of Thalaiva, while his part as Bail Perumal in Veeram, giving ideas to connect the bachelor Thala with Tamannaah, leading to hilarious situations was also equally enjoyable. His Kaatupoochi act in Siruthai as Karthi's partner in crime was also a laugh riot, and the duo entertained with their Rajni - Kamal act in Saguni.
Santhanam had also played small roles as Superstar Rajnikanth's friend in Lingaa and Suriya's friend in the flashback episodes of Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, and at a point of time, he had become an unavoidable Tamil cinema friend, as his comic counters became viral, and any movie featuring him as the hero's friend, turned out to be a hit. His friend characters became the USP of many films, and long delayed movies like Leelai gained good reception when they had a late release, thanks to his comedy tracks. Even his maiden production venture Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya had friendship as its crux, with Santhanam playing KK, and his friends played by Sethu and Powerstar entertaining with the comic encounters they face after a girl enters their life.
After Goundamani, it was Santhanam who perfectly fitted in as the comedian who can counter and troll anyone including the hero himself with extreme ease, and offer genuine laughs. Though Santhanam is a full fledged hero now, and is concentrating on mass entertainers with humor laced screenplays, he will always be remembered for his superhit comedy tracks where he featured as the hero's friend and entertained audience, making them laugh out loud like never before. Here's wishing Santhanam, the quintessential "Nanbenda" of Tamil cinema a Happy Birthday!
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