Vikram

Vikram played the antagonist-as-protagonist in Raavanan (2010) — Mani Ratnam's retelling of the Ramayana from the perspective of its villain. It was a physically demanding performance set almost entirely in forests and waterfalls, requiring Vikram to embody a character who is simultaneously menacing and sympathetic. The role allowed him to operate at a register that few Tamil directors would have attempted: mythological weight without mythological distance. The film divided audiences but cemented Vikram's reputation as an actor willing to inhabit difficult, morally ambiguous characters.