Revolving around an elderly Pavunuthaayi (an effortless essay by Radikaa Sarathkumar), Thaai Kizhavi grossed over ₹75 crore worldwide at the box office, driven by women and family audiences. Directed by Sivakumar Murugesan and produced by actor Sivakarthikeyan, the film which released last month and is running successfully in theaters is likely to release on JioHotstar in April.
Considered to be a bigger power move, Radikaa received a share of the film’s profits as part of the deal, making her the first actress in the history of Tamil cinema to do so. “I said I want to be paid more because I deserve it. And we decided on a profit share. I think all actors should follow that. So many younger actresses have called to say it gives them immense confidence. All I tell them is to build your space and stick to it,” says the actress.
Radikaa knows the importance of the space she is talking about. The actress, who rose to fame across India’s film industry (mainly Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada) and ruled regional television for many years starting with Chithi, has come a long way since her debut as Paanjali in Bharathiraj’s 1978 Tamil hit Kizhakke Pogum Rail. Naseeb Apna Apna (1986). In the 48 years since its debut, it has been discovering new frontiers and paving the way. She also won the National Award in 1985 for producing the moving Meendum Oru Kaadhal Kadhai. And with Thaai Kizhavi, she proved that a progressive film led by a 63-year-old woman can also rake in the moolah.
Thaai Kizhavi is launching on JioHotstar in April.
Pavunuthaayi talks about why women need to be educated, prudent and good with finances and also enjoy life. An interesting montage shows this Usilampatti matriarch watching movies and blowing bubbles during her trips to the city. Radikaa says she almost rejected the film initially. “After reading the script, I was sure I’d be cast. But Sivakumar showed up in my office for a year and a half hoping to convince me. I agreed on the condition that the prosthetics were good. The depth of my role – something so empowering – mattered more to me than screen time. I could own my character’s identity without seeing her identity.” And it is possible.
Age is just a number
Radikaa, whose social media pages celebrate every aspect of her life, including being a grandmother, says: “I don’t think I’m less interesting with age. I look at things differently. I don’t want to be the youngest in the frame, but I want my presence to bring more power to the frame.”
Still life from Thaai Kizhavi.
The Radikaa starrer doing well at the box office is important because films are not very kind to aging heroines. “Usually it meant disappearing, going quietly into oblivion. Strong roles were written for women. But someone was deciding what women had to do in films. So I decided to be in control and started my own production company after my mentor Bharathiraj’s Kizhakku Cheemayil (1993), which gave me a new lease on films. The TV series, as seen by Chithi, says how she transformed.
The past two years have been kind to older female characters. In 2024, Urvashi shone in J Baby and Geetha Kailasam in the much acclaimed Angammal. And 2026 has Thaai Kizhavi.
Still life from Thaai Kizhavi.
The actress says she was lucky to work in the 1980s when “we were allowed to make mistakes and learn”. Even today, she remains a film student. “I’m looking forward to the shoot. I’m getting ready. I can’t even see the monitor. I’m looking at the director’s face. That tells me what I need to know.” Hence one evening at 10.30 pm she decided to change into Thaai Kizhavi. “Then I saw the joy on Sivakumar’s face.
Among her friends, Radikaa is known for her sense of humor. However, she is considered a strict teacher on and off screen. “In a public space, if someone crosses a line with me or anyone else, I’ll put them on the spot. That’s my right. Many heroines told me yesterday that they feel protected when I’m with them. As celebrities, people own our work, but nobody owns us.”
Still life from Thaai Kizhavi.
Frankly speaking
When Radikaa, who also grew up in London, entered the film industry, her Tamil was far from perfect. Over the years, with countless roles set in the interior, she has been identified as a solid performer. Her stint in Telugu helped hone her craft. Her memorable films include the Chiranjeevi-starrer Nyayam Kavali (1981) and the Kamal Haasan-starrer romantic drama Swathi Muthyam (1986). If she ‘acted’ in ‘serious’ films, she played herself in films where she was a ‘modern girl’ – her Radha in the Tamil film Rettai Vaal Kuruvi (1987) is one for the ages. Her fashion sense shined through. “I see fashion differently, influenced by my years growing up abroad. In the movies, the first big obstacle was the struggle for the clothes to wear. In the end, I took over — I sat with the fabric and told the customers how to cut the pants and how to design the ensemble,” she smiles.
Radikaa Sarathkumar at the still from Thaai Kizhavi.
As a seasoned actress, Radikaa uses the goodwill she has built up over the years to indulge in plain speaking. “Every time I heard or saw someone misbehaving with someone, I raised my voice. Now people know that they will only get an honest opinion from me. But sometimes I am also diplomatic,” says Radikaa, who contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Virudhunagar as a BJP candidate.
Being a “thinking actress” is tough even today, agrees Radikaa. “Most men in the cinema are afraid of me. There’s one woman in every assembly who laughs out loud, who makes jokes, but you can’t cross the line with her. I think that’s the only deterrent that works. It means that today’s heroines are much smarter than us.”
Modern family
She also charmed Gen Z with her progressive view of the family. Radikaa gets along very well with her actor-turned-politician ex-wife R. Sarathkumar Chaya Devi and daughters Varalaxmi (actress) and Pooja.
“I come from a broken family and I saw how we were treated, I didn’t want anyone to feel left out,” says late legendary actor and politician MR Radha and Geetha’s daughter.
Radikaa Sarathkumar with her late mother Geetha, a Sri Lankan Tamil; (right) with his father, legendary actor and politician MR Radha. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Radikaa insists on reframing the time-tested question of why fewer roles are being written for women. “Ask why people don’t write scripts that include them. Figure out how to write layered scripts. I kept asking Sivakumar how he managed to write such a mature script at his age (36). OTT has opened up possibilities for nuanced content. We have to find our space and stand tall,” she says, adding that “Women are trying to assert themselves. They are trusting in their path to change.”
The writer is an entertainment journalist from Mangaluru who covers Tamil and Kannada cinema.
Published – 24 March 2026 09:34 IST
