Tamil actor Soundararaja is expanding his horizons with his first foray into Malayalam cinema, taking on a prominent role in the film Kattis Gang. The film, which centers on the world of Rajinikanth fandom, has also found an audience in Tamil Nadu, following the recent trend of successful direct Malayalam releases in the state.
“I have always been fond of Malayalam films and wanted to be part of content-oriented movies,” Soundararaja explained. “When this opportunity came along through my friend, I immediately seized it.”
Kattis Gang tells the story of Tamils living in Kerala and their deep admiration for superstar Rajinikanth. The film was born from the passion of Raj Karthi, a devoted Rajinikanth fan from Palakkad, who wrote the story. His brother, Subhash Raghuram Sukumaran, produced the film to support Raj’s dream of making a movie connected to Rajinikanth.
Soundararaja plays a character named Guru, a complex individual with a strong bond with his younger sister. He describes the role as a departure from his previous work in Tamil cinema, stating, “This is the first time I have a mass opening scene. There are also many action sequences, which I performed without a body double.”
The film‘s trailer launch in Chennai saw Soundararaja and lead actor Unni Lalu participating in a celebration of Rajinikanth fandom, distributing uniforms to auto drivers and buttermilk to attendees.