Looks like Sarathkumar is in no mood to slow down! Fresh off the roaring success of Dude, the veteran actor is already thinking about his next big-screen pairing and this time, he’s aiming high. At a recent
press event celebrating the film’s impressive Rs 95 crore worldwide collection in just five days, Sarathkumar surprised everyone with a fun request to the producers: he wants his next film to feature none other than Deepika Padukone as his heroine. The actor, who played a key role alongside Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju in Dude, seemed to be enjoying every bit of the film’s buzz and the love coming his way from younger fans.
Following the success of Dude, which collected over Rs 95 crore worldwide within five days of its release, the cast and crew gathered for a press meet to mark the occasion. Speaking at the event, Sarathkumar playfully urged the film’s producers, Mythri Movie Makers, to cast him opposite Deepika Padukone in their next venture.
The actor shared how the film had helped him gain a new set of fans. “Pradeep’s fans also started liking me. They call me dude. So I became a dude too,” he said. Building on that thought, he added, “If Naveen sir or Ravi sir think of making Deepika Padukone my heroine in the next film and putting on a duet, I am ready to do it.”
.@realsarathkumar: Everyone is calling me a DUDE now! 😂🧨 ‘NAANUM ORU DUDE AAITEN!’😁 You can now cast me in a love film with Deepika Padukone as the heroine. 🤣❤️Song vanthu @SaiAbhyankkar-ae vaichukalam! 😂 No problem. He’s composing good music. pic.twitter.com/3mM5Ph1mL6
— KARTHIK DP (@dp_karthik) October 22, 2025
During his speech, Sarathkumar also reminded the audience of his role opposite Aishwarya Rai in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films. “I have even played Aishwarya Rai’s husband. Don’t feel jealous about it. It’s only on occasions like this that you can ask. Think about it. If you think there are no more beautiful people than them, think about it and decide. Decide who you want as my heroine. Let’s get Sai (Abhyankkar) to do the song. Let’s also seek Pradeep’s advice,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Sarathkumar’s admiration for Deepika Padukone is not new. In a 2023 interview with Sun Music, when asked to name his ideal co-star for a love story, he had instantly replied, “Deepika Padukone.” He further said that if he could portray an ageing man seeking revenge on-screen, he could also convincingly play a man in love, regardless of age.
Directed by Keerthiswaran, Dude stars Pradeep Ranganathan and Mamitha Baiju in lead roles, with Sarathkumar portraying Athiyamaan Azhagappan, a politician who is both Kural’s father and Agan’s maternal uncle. The character serves as a pivotal link to the film’s central conflict.
