Not many know that Tamil superstar Vikram was among the earliest pan-India stars, even before films like 'Sivaji: The Boss', 'Baahubali', 'RRR', and 'Pushpa' broke language barriers and dominated the box office.


It was Shankar's 2005 psychological thriller 'Anniyan' that first catapulted Vikram to nationwide fame. The Telugu version, 'Aparichitudu', was a massive blockbuster, while the Hindi-dubbed version, 'Aparichit', also performed well at the box office. The film’s long-running popularity on television further solidified Vikram as a household name across India.


Why Vikram Never Starred in a Standalone Hindi Film


Despite his immense pan-India popularity, Vikram never took up a standalone Hindi film. He appeared in Mani Ratnam's 'Raavan' (2010) and Bejoy Nambiar’s 'David' (2013)—both of which were shot simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi.


However, in a recent interview with Scroll, Vikram revealed that he was once offered a key role in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' (2007).


"About 10 years back, Vidhu Vinod Chopra called me and asked if I could play a 60-70-year-old man in Eklavya. I said I couldn’t do it,” Vikram shared.


Was Vikram Offered Amitabh Bachchan's Role?


While Vikram did not disclose the specific role, his words suggest that he may have been offered the role that Amitabh Bachchan eventually played.


"Vidhu Vinod Chopra told me that I could pull it off because I had done Anniyan. But I wasn’t sure I could, so I didn’t. If I feel I could do it one day, I would," Vikram explained.


Vikram on Aging and Playing an Elderly Character


Despite playing some of the most versatile roles in Indian cinema, Vikram has never portrayed an elderly character on screen. Addressing this, he said:


"I don’t think an actor’s age matters. It’s about how he looks and whether he can carry off a particular role. You can’t fool people. But as long as I look young and fresh, I’ll continue doing these roles.”


Vikram’s Upcoming Projects


On the work front, Vikram is gearing up for the release of his highly anticipated film 'Veera Dheera Soora'n, directed by Chithha filmmaker Su Arun Kumar.


His last release, Pa. Ranjith’s 'Thangalaan', was both a box office success and a critical hit, further proving his status as one of Indian cinema's most bankable and respected actors.