Thala does a photo shoot for Sivabalan (Appukutty)

The photographs of Appukutty that you see here have been shot by Thala Ajith. The National Award-winning actor has got an all-new look with a different hairdo and makeup, and Thala did a photo shoot for him with this look. We hear Ajith was the one who encouraged Appukutty, to go for a makeover so that he could get a variety of roles. In fact, he also told the actor to go by his original name, Sivabalan, as that might help him get out of his current screen image.Interestingly, this photo shoot has given rise to rumours that Ajith will direct the actor in a short film, but we are told this is not true.
When we contacted Appukutty, he told us, ���Please call me Sivabalan, I am not Appukutty anymore, thanks to Thala. I had worked with him in Veeram and when we were having a casual conversation, he asked me why I was not doing different kind of roles apart from the usual village-based characters. I told him that the industry trend has changed, there are not many village-based films today and because of my appearance, I am not getting urban roles. He said that it is we who should change according to the trend and advised me to get a makeover. He suggested working on my look with a stylist and getting a photo session done before trying for urban roles. I told him that I did not know anyone and nobody would do it for me. It was then that he told me that he would do it for me.���
He adds, ���This Monday, Ajith sir called up a stylist and a makeup artist and got me a makeover with a new hairstyle. Then, he himself did a photo shoot for me in a professional studio setup. He patiently waited outside my makeup room with his camera until I got ready. I was not able to express my feelings when I saw the photos clicked by Thala. I have never seen me like this in my life before.���
The actor says that during the entire photo shoot, he was called as Sivabalan by Ajith, which, he says, gave him ���a new identity and confidence���.