Karthi is gearing up for the worldwide release of Sardar 2, the highly anticipated sequel to his blockbuster Sardar.
Directed by PS Mithran, the film is produced by S Lakshman Kumar under the Prince Pictures banner, while Annapurna Studios is bringing the movie to Telugu audiences. The film is scheduled to release worldwide on September 10.
With the teaser and trailer already generating considerable buzz, Karthi says the sequel is significantly bigger in both scale and impact.
“Sardar created a huge impact. When people saw a water bottle, they immediately remembered the film. But the concept of Sardar 2 is going to create ten times more impact than Sardar. We have made this film on a much larger scale,” he said.
The actor also explained why the spy genre fascinated him in the first place.
According to Karthi, India has produced relatively few spy films, while the lives of real intelligence officers are vastly different from the glamorous image often associated with the genre.
Karthi pointed to the real-life story of Ravindra Kaushik, a theatre actor who later became an intelligence operative in Pakistan, as an example of how extraordinary the lives of spies can be.
He said such agents often live among ordinary people while concealing their true identities and sacrifices.
“In films like Vikram, there is a personal war. In Sardar, the spy is fighting for society. He is fighting to ensure that water does not become a commercial commodity. A person sacrificing his life and family for the country is not an ordinary thing. The character has many layers,” he explained.
According to Karthi, Sardar 2 begins with a compelling question — why does the spy return?
The sequel also introduces a powerful antagonist played by SJ Suryah, though Karthi remained tight-lipped about further details.
He promised that the film would deliver spectacular action. While acknowledging the growing popularity of spy films, Karthi said Sardar 2 would stand apart through its concept and visual scale.
“We have attempted the film on a very large scale. There are outstanding action blocks from beginning to end. The flashback and climax action episodes are mind-blowing,” he said.
Karthi also spoke about the challenge of portraying both father and son. Since the two characters travel together in the story, performing both roles required considerable preparation. The makeup process was equally demanding.
The actor is also happy that Annapurna Studios is handling the Telugu release of Sardar 2. Karthi shares a warm association with Nagarjuna and said his involvement gives him additional confidence.