Simbu, often known as STR, has been starring in films since he was a child. Simbu was a bright talent from the beginning, as the son of well-known actor and director T. Rajendrar. His acting abilities were exceptional, his dancing was flawless, and he was attractive.

His meteoric rise to stardom appeared unavoidable. Simbu's promising career, however, came crashing down when he became engaged in not one, but numerous controversies.

Directors and producers feared working with him because of his inconsistency and lack of dedication. Actors and actresses avoided him as he became renowned for disappearing from the shooting spot for days at a time. Furthermore, he gained weight which drastically altered his appearance in films, much to the dismay of his fans.

At the peak of the controversies, the actor took a break and revamped his image. He made a comeback last year with a fit body and a fresh image. Within months of his comeback, his first film Easwaran was released.

Now, the actor is prepping for what appears to be the pinnacle of his comeback, the release of Venkat Prabhu's 'Maanadu'. The time-loop thriller has been experiencing multiple delays in theatrical releases and finally managed to screen in the cinemas today.

Speaking about his transformation, Simbu admitted that he's different now.

"I’m a different person today. I’m clearer in the head, and I’m aware of the expectations that people have from me. This definitely feels like a comeback because I’m eagerly looking forward to see how audiences will receive me in this transformed avatar," he said in a recent interview.

Simbu experienced fame at an early age and admitted that it became overwhelming for him to bear.

"Since I've been working from a very young age and I reached a point where I was stuck with what I was doing, it's then that I got into drinking, and before I knew it, I was stuck in a shell. I assumed I could get out of this phase easily but never thought I'd be stuck so miserably. I had to get out of this mentally, and the lockdown helped me turn my life around,” he explained.

During the lockdown, his weight loss makeover instilled much-needed confidence, and the path of spirituality which he began to embark on helped him reclaim control of his life and he become a vegetarian. The actor even stopped consuming alcohol.

“More than people around me starting to take me seriously, the transformation helped me build my own confidence. It helped me in picking better scripts and not hurrying into taking any major decision," he added.

Source: Hindustan Times
Photo Credit: Twitter