Sudha Kongara’s ‘Shakespeare English’ left Sivakarthikeyan stunned | Here’s what he did next

During the audio launch of his upcoming period drama Parasakthi, Sivakarthikeyan recounted a funny and heartwarming incident from the film’s sets involving director Sudha Kongara. The actor revealed that he initially struggled to understand the director’s English instructions, joking that it was like “Shakespeare English.”

“I never fully understood her brief, and she would get disappointed on set,” Sivakarthikeyan said, eliciting laughter from the audience, including Sudha Kongara herself. “I had to rely on Chat GPT to figure out what she meant. After two days of shoots, she called me aside and asked what the problem was. I told her honestly—her ‘Shakespeare English’ was the challenge!”

Parasakthi, set in the 1960s during the anti-Hindi agitation in Tamil Nadu, marks the first collaboration between Sivakarthikeyan and Sudha Kongara. The film also stars Atharvaa Murali, Ravi Mohan, and Sreeleela in her Tamil debut. The technical crew features GV Prakash (composing his 100th film), cinematographer Ravi K Chandran, editor Sathish Suriya, and action director Supreme Sundar. Produced by Aakash Baskaran’s Dawn Pictures, the film is scheduled for a Pongal release on 10 January 2026.

Sivakarthikeyan also joked about the initial release clash with Jana Nayagan, saying the team had to rethink plans before finalising the Pongal date. His candid sharing highlights the lighthearted, collaborative energy on Sudha Kongara’s sets, giving fans a glimpse of the rapport between actor and director.

Sivakarthikeyan opened up about his experience working with Sudha Kongara on Parasakthi during the audio launch, recalling how he initially struggled to grasp her detailed instructions. The actor admitted that Sudha Kongara’s style of communicating in complex, formal English left him confused, leading to multiple retakes. In his trademark humour, he revealed that he resorted to using Chat GPT to fully understand her directions.

“This was my first film with Sudha Kongara, and I had no idea she would speak in such intricate English,” Sivakarthikeyan said. “After a couple of days, she noticed I wasn’t performing exactly as per her brief and asked me what was wrong. That’s when I told her, and everyone, including Sudha ma’am, burst into laughter.”

Parasakthi is a period drama set against the backdrop of the 1960s anti-Hindi imposition movement in Tamil Nadu. Apart from Sivakarthikeyan, the film features Atharvaa Murali, Ravi Mohan, Prakash Belawadi, and Sreeleela in lead roles. The screenplay is written by Sudha Kongara and Arjun Nadesan, based on a concept by Mathimaran Pugazhendhi, with additional screenplay and dialogue contributions from Ganeshaa, Madhan Karky, and Shan Karuppusamy.

GV Prakash has composed the music, marking his 100th film as a composer, while cinematography is by Ravi K Chandran, editing by Sathish Suriya, and action choreography by Supreme Sundar. Produced by Aakash Baskaran under Dawn Pictures, the film will hit theatres on 10 January 2026, coinciding with Pongal.

Sivakarthikeyan’s anecdote reflects both the professionalism and humour on Sudha Kongara’s sets, emphasising the director’s meticulous approach while highlighting the actor’s ability to adapt, even if it meant seeking AI assistance to bridge the “Shakespeare English” gap.