 He was subsequently given a chance by actor Silambarasan to feature in a supporting role in "Manmadhan" (2004) and then was signed on to appear in a host of films, notably winning good reviews for his work in "Sachien" (2005) and "Polladhavan" (2007).He appeared in a one-off leading role in Shankar's production "Arai En 305-il Kadavul" (2008) and Dagaalty(2020)subsequently became a staple feature as a comedian in successful Tamil films during the period, with his market popularity helping stuck films find distributors.Santhanam has also had embarked on collaborations with directors including gaining positive reviews for his work in M Rajesh's comic trilogy of "Siva Manasula Sakthi" (2009), "Boss Engira Bhaskaran" (2010) and "Oru Kal Oru Kannadi" (2012), winning the Vijay Award for Best Comedian for each one.