Sundar C. & Raj Kapoor Movies Together List — 7 Films

The shape of the work

The 2000s belonged to Giri; the 2010s to Guru Sishyan. Sundar C. director in some, actor in others. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.

Partnership facts

• Sundar C. didn't originally plan to cast Raj Kapoor in 'Giri' (2004). He needed a bulky villain who could match Arjun's screen presence. A mutual friend suggested Raj Kapoor, who had just moved to Tamil cinema. Sundar took a chance — and that fight scene in the climax became the reason they made four more films together.
• On the sets of 'Sandai' (2008), Sundar C. realized Raj Kapoor was better at comedy than action. So he rewrote the villain's role mid-shoot to add more sarcastic one-liners. Raj Kapoor delivered them in his deep baritone, and the audience ate it up — that film's only memorable scenes are the verbal sparring matches.
• Their partnership in 'Aranmanai 2' (2016) directly launched the trend of horror-comedy villains speaking in heavy North Indian accents in Tamil cinema. Every B-movie ghost film after that copied Raj Kapoor's exaggerated Hindi-Tamil mix dialogue delivery.
• Sundar C. and Raj Kapoor never once had a meal together off-set in 15 years. Raj Kapoor was strictly vegetarian and Sundar C. was strictly non-veg. They'd finish a scene, nod at each other, and walk to separate canteens. Still, Sundar says that distance made their on-screen fights feel real.
• Sundar C. once told a behind-the-scenes crew: 'Raj Kapoor is the only actor who can make me laugh while I'm trying to direct a serious fight. He'll say his dialogue in that booming voice, then wink at me. I have to cut the shot because I'm laughing.'