‘My artworks are the output of my hard work and travels’

The book comprises over 150 paintings by the actor which includes portraits of Mahatma Gandhi, Kamrajar, MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Nagesh. He has also painted temples of Tirupathi and Tiruvannamalai. Talking about his paintings the actor said, “I have never taken pride in talking about my achievements as an actor. But when it comes to my paintings, I take immense pride in them. These are the output of my hard work and travel.” 

He spoke about how he travelled across the country to seek inspiration for his art before he became a film star. He even recounted his days of struggle. “I have seen people walking into a star hotel and spending Rs 15,000 at the restaurant. I have travelled across the country, spent my nights sleeping on the pavements, ate whatever I could and still spent only Rs 7,500 for over a year,” he said.

Karthi and Suriya felt the coffee table book was the perfect birthday gift for their father. “If we gift him anything else, he would ask us why are we wasting the money. Last birthday I bought him a pen and he thought the pen could have been more slender. So we came up with this plan to make him happy. We are also planning to set up a permanent gallery to display his artworks,” said Karthi. Suriya couldn’t stop admiring his father’s hard work and said, “I should say this is the rage and disappointment of a 12-year-old boy, who after losing his father early in life, chose to pursue his passion relentlessly and emerged successful. For us, he is a role model when it comes to self-discipline. He isn’t someone who inculcates good habits by talking about it. Instead, he lives the life he wishes us to lead to make us follow his example.”