Veteran actor Sarathkumar brought smiles and applause with a heartfelt speech at a recent awards function. Accepting the Best Villain award for ‘Dude,’ the actor looked back on his long journey in cinema and surprised the audience by sharing a personal memory about his wife, actor-politician Radhika. Full of nostalgia, humour, and romance, his speech became one of the evening’s most memorable moments, with his candid words about their relationship quickly catching the attention of fans on social media.

Sarathkumar’s heartfelt words for Radhika

During his speech, Sarathkumar revealed how he proposed to Radhika in his own unconventional style.Looking toward her in the audience, he said, “I was talking closely with another woman when Radhika walked past me. At that moment, I simply asked her, ‘How about getting married to me?’ She gave me an answer, but I can’t reveal it here,” he said with a laugh, as reported by Cinema Vikatan. He then turned emotional and added, “You will always remain my beloved till the very end. You are my Radika, my wife.”The moment drew loud cheers from the audience, and many online praised the couple’s lasting bond decades into their marriage.

Sarathkumar reminisces about his villain debut, shares relationship advice

The actor also looked back on how his acting career began, thanking veteran actor and political leader Vijayakanth for giving him his first break as a villain in Pulan Visaranai. He shared that he actually entered the film industry playing a villain, and the makers were looking for someone suitable for the part, a role he landed only after shaving off his moustache. After watching the finished film, Vijayakanth told him he would receive tremendous appreciation for the role, a prediction that came true.“I actually entered cinema as a villain. I should thank my dear brother Vijayakanth for that chance. They were looking for someone suitable for the role, and only after I shaved my moustache did I get the opportunity. After watching the film, Vijayakanth told me that I would receive the biggest appreciation, and he was right,” he recalled. Lightening the mood, Sarathkumar followed up with some cheeky relationship advice for the audience: a villain, he joked, tells a woman he likes her the moment he sees her, while a hero waits until the twelfth reel to confess. His advice to anyone in love was simple — don’t wait, go and tell them right away. He even offered, in jest, to teach people how to impress someone, adding with a grin that he’d charge a fee for the lesson. The witty remark had the audience in splits.Sarathkumar said, “A villain tells a girl he likes her the moment he sees her, but a hero waits until the twelfth reel. If you’re in love, don’t wait—go and tell them immediately. If you want to learn how to impress someone, come to me… but I’ll charge a fee!”

‘Dude’ earns recognition for Sarathkumar

On the work front, Sarathkumar took home the Best Villain award at the event for his performance in ‘Dude,’ adding another milestone to his long and celebrated career.