“Though I’m in a different field, my mom has told me stories about how he is an inspiration. They motivate me to work hard,” Rithvik, a trainee at Sivakasi’s Hatsun Academy, says.

One tale belongs to an age before the movie doyen even went in front of a camera. “He used to act in theatre, on stage. Back then, actors would get paid only after an act was over. My granddad and his friend did not have money to feed themselves for the day and were hungry. That’s when he went to a blood donation camp and earned a small sum to buy the next meal,” Ritvik narrates.

An intensely private family, that has been zealously low-profile, fuels the dream for a breakthrough of one of Tamil Nadu’s most promising shuttlers.

“I’ve never watched his movies, just clips of his jokes. My favourite is the first half of Indian (headlined by Kamal Haasan). But I have learnt a lot from what my mother tells me about him. She supports me every day,” he says of the 87-year-old reclusive legend.

Last year was memorable for both. While it saw Goundamani return to the silver screen in a much-adored comeback via Otha Votu Muthaiya, a feel-good political satire, Rithvik finished the year as the national singles champion. He was the first from the state to do so, and alongside Sankar Muthusamy, heralds a new dawn for Tamil Nadu badminton. Sivakasi, best known as Sridevi’s birthplace and its firecracker industry, might see a new hero emerge.

But seamless badminton, like effortless humour, takes time to land. Last week, an experimental serve that Rithvik had practised a hundred times in training, turned comedic in a match as it flew way wide. He turned it into a self-effacing meme. In his early loss in Taipei, there was one rally full of various deceptive strokes – pointing to his immense talent that might not always translate into wins. But his family – father S.B. Satish Kumar, a college athlete, mother C.M. Selvi, a constant motivator, and sister, who took up badminton two decades ago, remain totems in his career.

Rithvik Sanjeevi in action. (Special arrangement)

Hard grind

His last title came mid-June, an International Challenge at Valance, France. But for the World No.77, India’s ninth-best-ranked, the game is a patient meditation in learning to explode with his big smashing attack.

Malaysian legend Misbun Sidek, who was at the Hatsun Academy in February, had said, “Rithvik is a good, aggressive player. Hardworking and explosive, but he has to start trusting that he can maintain consistency with intensity. He has to accept that it’s not easy to cover the full court to match the Indonesians and Chinese.”

Following his older sister into the sport, Rithvik had a coaching stint in Hyderabad but returned homesick, joining Hatsun at 14.

“I would watch countless videos of my idol Lee Chong Wei and sit and analyse with my coaches,” he recalls. At the academy, his net play improved alongside the hitting rhythm of his aggressive smashes.

Misbun would hit them with high-intensity sessions that were a reality check on the level of fitness required.

“All matches are not the same. You have to change your strategy. But fitness is constant,” he says. A knee injury during a 10K run had put an end to long runs, but the title in France was reaffirming given how he navigated the three-game contests. A step-up to Super 300s though will need resilience.

“I listen to music, I don’t get stuck on Indian food when travelling for tournaments and stay motivated learning from my family,” he says, adding that be it sport or movies, hard work remains key, as does keeping it look effortless. Rithvik’s search for a meal in Vietnam after a late match had led him to beef noodle soup Pho. On the court, like the great Goundamani, Rithvik deals in attacking counters.