A political message in Vijay's tearful goodbye

Late last week, an emotional Vijay told his fans in Kuala Lumpur: “My last film (is) ‘Jana Nayagan’ (People’s Hero)…I know… it is a little painful, right?” He was speaking at the audio launch of the film. His fans screamed in response.

Bankrolled by Bengaluru-based K V N Productions and set to hit the screens on January 9, Jana Nayagan is being touted as the swansong of Vijay’s 33-year-long, highly successful career in Tamil cinema. The actor now wants to test his popularity in politics.

The phenomenon of actors turning to politics is not new in Tamil Nadu. Vijay’s predecessors — M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa — made a smooth transition from cinema to politics, eventually becoming chief ministers.

Despite the Malaysian government’s restrictions — on political discussions — the audio launch was attended by about 80,000 fans from across the globe. It sent out a subtle political message — he was giving up a lucrative career to repay the debt of love he had accumulated over three decades.

Vijay is the son of director S A Chandrasekar, whose films helped Vijayakanth attain stardom. Vijay debuted in Tamil cinema in 1992 through Naalaya Theerpu (Tomorrow’s Verdict). The movie was not successful at the box office.

Determined to make his son a star, Chandrasekar, whose films tackled societal ills, guided Vijay through those early years by having Vijayakanth do a cameo in Senthoorapandi. Vijay’s real break came in 1995 when his movies Coimbatore Mappillai and Poove Unakaaga became blockbuster hits.

Over three decades, Vijay has grown into one of Tamil cinema’s biggest actors, a mass entertainer, and a money-spinner for his producers, serving as one of India’s highest paid stars.

A captivating dancer and an expressive actor, Vijay has tried every genre — from comedy to romance to action. He has also donned anti-hero and family roles. He delivered romantic hits like Kathalukku Mariyathai and Love Today in the 1990s, before shifting to masala action films like Thirumalai in the early 2000s.

His 2004 film Ghilli, a remake of Telugu actor Mahesh Babu’s Okkadu, was a game changer, cementing Vijay’s image as a mass hero second only to Rajinikanth, with whom he shares many parallels. Vijay pulled off comedy scenes with ease and delivered punch lines just like the superstar. At the theatres, his mannerisms drove his fans into a frenzy.

His boy-next-door looks made his movies a family watch and he was especially popular in the B and C centres. Children were his biggest fans as they enjoyed his dance movements and recreated them at home.

While dominating the cinema landscape alongside mass hero Ajith, Vijay also built an empire of fans who ruled Tamil social media. The Vijay-Ajith fan rivalry has been legendary in Tamil Nadu for over a decade, though the actors have always praised each other in public.

If action and masala movies dominated his career in 2000s, Vijay shifted to social themes in the next decade, through hits like Thuppakki, Kathi, Mersal, and Sarkar. After Kathi and Mersal in 2014 and 2017, Vijay’s popularity hit an all-time high, making him one of the most-followed celebrities on social media platforms.

“He is the biggest star in Tamil cinema today. He was the best bet for many producers, who knew they would get their money back. Tamil cinema will certainly miss him,” a film critic told Showtime.

Vijay’s films have hinted at his political ambitions from the early 2000s, and not just in recent years. Like other Tamil heroes who entered politics, Vijay followed the tried and tested route, portraying himself as a saviour fighting corruption and nepotism. He even used audio launches to tease his political entry.

Ilaya Thalapathi (young commander) was the sobriquet his fans gave him in his formative years, but for the past few years, Vijay has been known only as Thalapathi.

Whether Vijay will be successful in winning over the people to his politics is anyone’s guess. But Vijay will always remain the Thalapathi for his fans.