In a February 2019 interview with Scroll.in, RJ Balaji said he wrote LKG to move beyond the supporting-character roles he felt he was repeatedly offered. The Tamil political comedy, starring Balaji and Priya Anand, follows a small-time politician’s attempt to rise in politics. Balaji described his aim as using comedy to make that journey—and its political setting—worth thinking about.
Why RJ Balaji wanted to write a starring role
Balaji told Scroll.in that he had appeared in about 25 Tamil films and had grown dissatisfied with being cast in stereotyped supporting roles. He said he declined 17 film offers in 2017 and 13 in 2018, then decided to create a part for himself. Those figures are Balaji’s account in the 2019 interview, not an independently verified count of his filmography or offers.
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Writing LKG gave him a way to shape a lead character rather than wait for a different kind of role to arrive. The interview presents the film as a turning point in how he wanted to work: not only as an actor, but as a writer building a story around a protagonist he could play.
What LKG is about
The title stands for Lalgudi Karuppiah Gandhi. The film follows its small-time politician as he tries to learn the trade and climb to the top. Balaji told Scroll.in, “I wanted to trace the journey of a small-time politician with traces of comedy.”
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His stated approach was to draw comedy from political events and trends, including freebies and the Jallikattu debate. He said he did not want to make troll or spoof material simply for its own sake; he wanted the film to criticize and also offer solutions. These are Balaji’s intentions as he described them before release, rather than a neutral verdict on how successfully the finished film achieves them.
Balaji’s hoped-for effect on voters
Balaji said he hoped the film might prompt viewers to think more carefully about voting. He offered a hypothetical: if 10,000 people watched and five thought before casting their vote, that would matter to him. The numbers describe his imagined impact, not measured audience behavior or evidence that the film changed anyone’s vote.
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Cast, director and release timing
Balaji Patturaj, known as RJ Balaji, wrote and led the film. KR Prabhu directed it, and Priya Anand, JK Rithesh and Nanjil Sampath were among the cast named in the Scroll.in interview. Scroll.in published its interview on February 21, 2019, and reported that LKG was due for release the following day, February 22.
A February 22, 2019 review in The New Indian Express also characterized the film in relation to politics and meme culture. That is the reviewer’s perspective, distinct from Balaji’s account of what he intended to make.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Scroll.in’s February 21, 2019 interview with RJ Balaji
- The New Indian Express review, February 22, 2019
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