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Vijay (actor)

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Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, known professionally as Vijay, is a prominent Indian actor and politician.

Vijay young (3x4 cropped)
Vijay young (3x4 cropped)

He is a central figure in Tamil cinema, an industry based in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Throughout a career lasting over three decades, he has acted in 69 films. Vijay is among the highest-paid actors in India. His films are highly successful at the box office. He is often called "Thalapathy," a title meaning "commander." This nickname reflects his massive following of dedicated fans.

Vijay's career began in 1984 as a child actor.

98vjactor
98vjactor

He made his debut in the film Vetri. Many of his early roles were in films directed by his father, S. A. Chandrasekhar. He later transitioned to lead roles, starting with Naalaiya Theerpu in 1992. This first lead role was difficult for him. The film failed at the box office. He received harsh criticism regarding his acting and his appearance. To help his career, his father cast him alongside the established hero Vijayakanth in the film Senthoorapandi. This collaboration resulted in a hit and helped him gain popularity.

During the 1990s, Vijay built a reputation through romantic dramas. He became known as "Ilaya Thalapathy," or "young commander." Films like Poove Unakkaga and Kadhalukku Mariyadhai were very successful. For his work in Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, he won his first Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor. He also received the Kalaimaamani award from the Government of Tamil Nadu. His romantic films helped him build a strong fan base in the neighboring state of Kerala. During this era, he also shared the screen with other notable actors like Ajith Kumar and Suriya.

In the early 2000s, Vijay's career underwent a significant shift. He moved away from romance toward action-oriented films. The 2003 film Thirumalai served as a major turning point. It transformed his on-screen persona from a charming, comical character into an action hero. His 2004 film Ghilli was a massive commercial success. It was the first Tamil film to gross over 500 million at the domestic box office. Ghilli also broke the record for the most viewers in a single week. This record was previously held by the 1969 film Adimai Penn.

From 2012 to 2022, Vijay reached new levels of stardom.

Vijay actor in 2007 releasing his filmfare cover magazine with Vijay for victory
Vijay actor in 2007 releasing his filmfare cover magazine with Vijay for victory

His film Thuppakki, released in 2012, became the third Tamil film to gross over 100 crore domestically. It was his most successful film at that time. Later, the 2017 film Mersal became his first to gross over 250 crore. His film Sarkar, released in 2018, reached the "100 Crore Club" within only two days. Other major hits include Bigil, which earned over 300 crore, and Master, which also collected over 300 crore worldwide. In 2023, the film Leo became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year, earning more than 600 crore.

Beyond acting, Vijay is a prolific singer within the Tamil film industry. He has recorded songs for famous composers such as Ilaiyaraaja and A. R. Rahman. He made his singing debut in the 1994 film Rasigan. After a break to focus on acting, he returned to music with the song "Google Google" in 2012. This song won him a Vijay Award for favorite song of the year. His song "Selfie Pulla" gained international popularity in Europe. He has received several nominations for his playback singing, including at the Filmfare Awards South.

Vijay is now transitioning from the screen to the political arena.

IARA Award R FEmi Odelusi Vijay
IARA Award R FEmi Odelusi Vijay

In February 2024, he announced his retirement from acting. He also announced his entry into politics with the launch of his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. He plans to perform one final role as a lead actor. This 69th film will be titled Jana Nayagan. His move into politics follows his long history of community involvement, such as his fan club, Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, which he launched in 2009.

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🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:Vijay young (3x4 cropped).jpg
Vijay young (3x4 cropped).jpg
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98vjactor.jpg
File:Vijay actor in 2007 releasing his filmfare cover magazine with Vijay for victory.jpg
Vijay actor in 2007 releasing his...
File:Tamil Film actor Vijay Celebrating World Environment Day at the U.S. Consulate Chennai 5.jpg
Tamil Film actor Vijay Celebrating World...
File:IARA Award R FEmi Odelusi Vijay.jpg
IARA Award R FEmi Odelusi Vijay.jpg
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