4 min readNew DelhiSep 3, 2026 07:03 PM IST
Tamil actor Vaiyapuri has revealed the reason behind his decision to join Instagram, saying an uncomfortable experience with a director made him realise that social media had become increasingly important for actors looking for work. The actor, known for his comic roles in films including Thullatha Manamum Thullum, Gemini and Pokkiri, joined Instagram on August 1.
In a video shared on social media, Vaiyapuri spoke about the incident that prompted him to create an Instagram account. According to the actor, he was once invited to meet a director through a production manager, only to discover that the filmmaker did not want to meet him because he was considered an “old artiste” without a social media presence.
Why Vaiyapuri joined Instagram
He said, “ It’s been just a month since I started Instagram, and honestly, I’m incredibly happy to see that one lakh people are following me.”
Vaiyapuri then recalled that a senior production manager contacted him and asked him to come to the office to meet a director. However, the actor said the director declined to meet him.
“The reason I started Instagram was because a big production manager once called me and said, “Come to the office. Let’s meet our director.” So I went to meet the director. But the director said, “He’s an old artiste. Tell him I’m not interested in meeting him.”
The actor said the rejection came as a shock.
He added, “I felt extremely embarrassed. I didn’t know what had happened. As soon as the manager came out, he called me and said, “The director doesn’t want to meet you.” When I asked him why, he said, “These days, a lot of new people are coming through Instagram and Facebook. They prefer them. They consider people like you too old.”
The experience left Vaiyapuri hurt and made him reconsider his absence from social media.
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“That really hurt me. I started wondering, ‘Why shouldn’t I start an Instagram account?’ I didn’t know much about it, but I realised that new directors these days are very interested in Instagram and Facebook.”
Vaiyapuri decided that he could use it to share memories, experiences and lessons from his long career in the Tamil film industry.
“So I thought, at least to remind them that I’m still around, I could start sharing my experiences and the things I’ve learned over the years. That’s why I started this account.” he added.
Vaiyapuri’s Instagram account has now crossed 171K followers. The actor said the affection he has received from viewers has been particularly meaningful.
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“And honestly, in just this one month, I’ve realised how much love you all have for me and how much you care about me. That alone is more than enough for me.”
Vaiyapuri’s journey in Tamil cinema
Before establishing himself as an actor, Vauyapuri worked as a hotel bearer in Chennai. His major breakthrough came with Balu Mahendra’s comedy film Raman Abdullah, after which he went on to become a familiar face in Tamil cinema.
He also shared the screen with Kamal Haasan in films such as Kadhal Palli (1997) and Kaathala Kaathala (1998). Over the years, Vaiyapuri built a reputation through supporting and comic roles across several popular Tamil films, including Thullatha Manamum Thullum (1999), Gemini (2002) and Pokkiri.
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One of the notable phases of his career came with Mani Ratnam’s Raavanan (2010), in which he played a transgender woman. Vaiyapuri has previously described the role as a “major turning point” in his career.
He also participated in the first season of Bigg Boss Tamil in 2017. Hosted by Kamal Haasan, the reality show saw Vaiyapuri remain inside the house for 84 days.
More recently, the actor has appeared in Aazhi and TN 2026, along with the series Warrant: From the World of Vilangu.
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