Thalapathy Vijay turns cinema into reality, scripts stunning political debut in Tamil Nadu

The 2018 Tamil blockbuster 'Sarkar' featured Thalapathy Vijay as an NRI businessman who returns to India to vote, only to discover his vote has already been cast. He then leads a fight against corruption, forms his own political party, and eventually forms a government. Now, Vijay appears to be turning that cinematic storyline into political reality.

After quitting cinema and entering politics, Vijay's newly formed party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), is on an unprecedented success path in its debut election, challenging the decades-old duopoly of DMK and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. According to political analysts, Vijay's surge heralds the dawn of a new era in Tamil politics.

From celluloid to grassroots hero
Born Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar on June 22, 1974, in Chennai, he is the son of renowned Tamil film director S A Chandrasekhar and playback singer Shobha Chandrasekhar. Vijay lost his only sister Vidyā when he was just two years old. He named his production house 'V V Productions' (Vidya-Vijay Productions) in her memory.

He began his acting career as a child artist at the age of 10 and made his lead debut with 'Nalaiya Theerpu' in 1992. After initial struggles, 'Thirumalai' (2003) proved to be a turning point. Over his career, he has starred in more than 65 films, including blockbusters like 'Ghilli', 'Thuppakki', and the recent 'Leo' (2023).

The political plunge
In February 2024, Vijay stunned his fans by announcing his retirement from cinema to enter politics full-time. He launched his own party, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam. At his first rally in October 2024, he declared, "Politics is not a film set; it is a battlefield."

In a recent massive rally in Madurai district, Vijay formally announced that he would contest the upcoming state assembly elections from the Madurai East constituency. At the same rally, he publicly challenged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sparking intense debate across the country.

Vijay is married to Sangeetha Sornalingam since 1999, and the couple has a son and a daughter.