This Pongal is vital to the careers of many. Karthi is certainly only among them.

He makes his debut through Paruthi Veeran, directed by Ameer.

Being the son of hugely successful Sivakumar and the brother of equally successful Suriya, Karthi has a double reputation to live up to.

But the young man, who started his career as an assistant to Mani Rathnam, seems equal to the task.

He looks confidence personified. But he uses his words with care and comfort.

Karthi openly says that his brother has been a great help both professionally and personally. The humility, that seems to be a trademark of his family, comes through as he talks about his father and brother.

As a trivia, it should be mentioned here that Karthi was the one who was initially asked to play the role that Siddharth played in Aayitha Ezhuthu. “At that time, as I had just come from the US, I was looking bulky,” Karthi says timidly.

But he is now fit as a fiddle, looking every inch the smart hero that modern-day films demand.

Karthi is paired with Priya Mani in Paruthi Veeran.

Pongal is a village festival. Paruthi Veeran too is.

How apt for Karthi!