Radhika Sarathkumar has been a successful heroine of the 1980s who evolved as a respectable character artist through the late 1990s and is still being sought after for powerful woman supporting characters. She runs her production company and has produced successful films and her career in the Television industry as a producer, creative head and actress has been phenomenally successful.Radhika has acted with Ilayathalapathy Vijay in director Atlee`s Theri` which will be hitting the screens on April 14 amid huge expectations. In this exclusive Red Carpet Interview to Indiaglitz, the woman achiever opens up about Vijay, Theri, her acting career, Nadigar Sangam, the present political scenario of Tamil Nadu ahead of the assembly elections and her husband R.Sarathkumar who will be contesting from the Tiruchendur constituency in this election.Excerpts:Tell us about working with Vijay in Theri`?Actually it`s amazing. I have known Vijay since he was a kid. He was a very shy gawky boy. I used to bully him a lot. He used to run when he sees me. I have done a lot of movies with his father director S.A.Chandrasekar. We have been very close family friends. I for the love of my life I could never imagine even I saw him on screen. O My God what has this boy turned into!!! He has been amazing. And I have seen some of his films and when he looks at me he knows I am going to be very blunt. Because if I like a film I will say 'Vijay Romba Nalla Irundhadhu Indha padam' (Vijay, the film was very good) otherwise I will say "Enna Vijay" and all that. So when I did Theri` it is absolutely amazing to watch him. He just transforms like that.He is very quite. But in this set everybody was amazed that he was laughing all the time. I was there and we were in splits all the time. I was laughing and laughing and laughing all through. Just talking about all times and some funny incidents. We had a tremendous time. But I must tell you I was amazed the way he could just transform in front of the camera. What an amazing dancer he is. He is much focused.Tell us about your character in the film? We heard you are acting as his mother in the film?Yeah it`s a cameo. Its quite interesting and very different from what I have done so far. You will watch it in another week. And Theri` is going to be a very very different movie. I couldn`t attend the audio launch. But whatever I have seen of the film it`s absolutely amazing. The director has excelled himself, the cameraman, music and all the cast members. It will be amazing. And you have to watch out for Mahendiran sir. He is really deadly in the film.There were rumors in some newspapers that you spoke hard on actor-politician Vijayakanth and his wife Premalatha?Was I? I never spoke anything about Vijayakanth. I have done a lot of movies with him. He was a very hardworking man. He had his own way of doing things. He is not highly intelligent person or whatever. He is a very raw person and he has always been like that. I think he continued it into politics. And It`s nice to see a co-star of yours coming into the political arena. But somehow he messed it up. And now when I see him looking ill and being used for jokes I feel a bit bad for it. He could have done better.You feel that the Vaiko-Vijayakanth combination is a bit of a joke?Disintegrating. Forget me as Sarathkumar`s wife or Radhika. If I am a normal voter and I look at him. If you tell me that Mr.Vijayakanth I going to be a CM, I just want to know what I`d think or what would a common man think. You think this man can seriously represent anything?You feel that he doesn`t have that..He doesn`t have. I am sorry. It is no fault of his. It is just the way it is.He doesn`t have that intellectual capacity to be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu?No. They can compare themselves with anybody. But MGR is a very very different phenomenon. He is no patch on Mr.MGR.What about his wife saying even MGR couldn`t speak properly?I think that was a most ridiculous comparison. Two things are really ridiculous. She said he (Vijayakanth) has sinus in his throat, which is a new medical term. The second thing I think she said he used to speak dialogues like Sivaji Ganeshan. I felt sorry for Mr.Sivaji Ganesan.Would you say more actors will come from the industry?I don`t know. I really don`t know.What about the new generation? There is lot of talk that Vijay is going to come into politics and all that?Good for him. I mean politics is not a bad word. They want to do something for the society , they have a responsibility. My father was in politics. He was very socially responsible person and somebody who was not educated.But whats your opinion on Jayalalitha as a Chief Minister? She`s been good?She is a very tough person. She is a person who wants everything to happen the way she sees it. Everything has to be much disciplined, very orderly. Even the slightest thing is not been taken lightly. She has her own way of handling things.Now when Sarathkumar and Karunas meet? They will be representing the same party in this elections?I don`t know. I think you know Sarath very well and you know how he is beyond all these. It doesn`t matter to us.You feel that you are being left out by the Nadigar Sangam?Why should they leave as and we are not going anywhere. We are happy that new people have come. They should also work. They also should take up things. Actually Sarathkumar didn`t want to contest. He was pushed to contest. Because of the allegations, the had to prove that they were not right. I went up personally to everybody and told look this is what it is , and if you want to do it, just do it. But they just wanted a fight. I mean I could see I spoke to Karthi I spoke to Vishal and I spoke toSivakumar. Sivakumar just put his hands up, I don`t think they are understanding what we are talking.Will you be co-operating with the Nadigar Sangam conducting the Star Cricket Match?I am very happy that they are doing something. let them do it.But you are the one who introduced these sorts of ideas?
