Vikram signed on to collaborate again with Shankar for I, a romantic thriller opposite Amy Jackson, in early 2012.[105] Following hushed production developments, it was revealed that the actor would sport four significantly different looks in the film: a body builder, a beast, a model and a hunchback. He put on weight to portray the bodybuilder, sticking to a diet of protein and coffee, to ensure his muscles were defined on screen. Vikram subsequently lost weight to portray a model, before shaving his head and reducing his weight to 56 kilograms to portray the crippled hunchback.[106] He changed his physique by eating small meals of egg whites and apples instead of regular food intakes, while engaging in an intensive weight loss regime to become thin. The cast and crew of the film reportedly struggled to recognise the actor at times, while he also stayed away from the media for close to a year when sporting the look.[107] Taking almost three years for production, Vikram described the film "as the toughest he has ever done" and regularly suffered folliculitis as a result of the prosthetic make-up he had to wear.[12] The film opened amidst much expectation in January 2015 to mixed reviews, though critics gave Vikram's portrayal of Lingesan, unanimously positive reviews. A critic from Times of India noted: "Vikram bowls you over with a heart-wrenching performance whether he is handsome or disfigured", while The Hindu added his transformation was "laudable", and that "Vikram wins hearts as the earnest-to-boot gym rat and as the strapping new model on the block, he floors the audience with his performance as Koonan, the deformed hunchback".[108][109] Similarly, Rediff.com noted the actor "is truly impressive and deserves much applause", while Sify.com added he "lived the role".[110][111] Despite mixed reviews, I performed well at the box office, as well as becoming the most successful Tamil film of all time in Kerala.[112] By early 2015, it was the sixth highest-grossing Tamil film of all time at the time.[113][114] He then worked on Vijay Milton's road-thriller, 10 Enradhukulla (2015), which featured him as an unnamed race driver who goes on a road trip through India. Paired opposite Samantha, the film opened to mixed reviews and did not perform well at the box office. A critic from Sify.com however, noted that Vikram "breathes life to his role and his energy level is highly infectious", adding that "the way he smiles, dances and fights is a treat for his fans".[115] Likewise, a critic from The Hindu criticised the film's script, adding that "it's hard to see Vikram in this fluff".[116] Vikram later appeared in Iru Mugan, a science fiction action film directed by Anand Shankar, featuring him alongside Nayanthara and Nithya Menen.[117] His forthcoming films are Gautham Menon's Dhruva Natchathiram, followed by a sequel to Saamy directed by Hari,[118] and Sketch, to be directed by Vijay Chander