At Tirupattur in Sivaganga district, the counting of votes for the Assembly elections played out like a Vijay film. During the final round, election officials declared that the TVK candidate won by a single vote over his rival. A mere single vote—straight out of a scene from Vijay’s own 2018 film, Sarkar.
This unexpected result for a party founded just over two years ago is not just a reflection of the star’s charisma but also his decision to quit a thriving film career. Much like former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, Vijay banked heavily on the large fan base he carefully built over three decades.
The Political Films That Built a Movement
| Film | Year | Political Message |
|---|---|---|
| Thamizhan | 2002 | Lawyer spreading legal awareness; pulling up negligent public servants |
| Kaththi | 2014 | Farmers’ issues, corporate greed, water crisis |
| Thalaivaa | 2013 | Unity, saving people from riots; faced release delays |
| Sarkar | 2018 | Electoral reform, voting rights, citizen empowerment |
| Jana Nayagan | 2026 | Heavy political film; delayed certification; leaked online |
‘Kaththi’: Vijay’s Most Political Film
Producer G Dhananjayan says Kaththi (2014) was Vijay’s most political film. “He brought up issues that plagued farmers. It signalled that Vijay is aligned with the people.”
The film tackled corporate greed and the exploitation of farmers, resonating deeply with rural audiences.
The ‘Thalaivaa’ Controversy
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Film | Thalaivaa (2013) – translates to ‘leader’ |
| Tagline | “Time to lead” |
| Issue | Reportedly irked then CM Jayalalithaa’s government |
| Result | Two-week delay in release |
| Fan Impact | Extra hype; first-day-first-show became special |
The challenges Vijay faced to get Thalaivaa released reportedly stemmed from its tagline “time to lead”, which irked the then Jayalalithaa government.
Fan Mohamed Ashik, who runs multiple Vijay fan pages, recalls: “Back then, watching Vijay and the team undergo so many hurdles gave it extra hype. Watching it FDFS will remain special to me.”
‘Jana Nayagan’: The Swansong That Became a Political Rallying Cry
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Original Plan | Vijay’s last film before politics |
| Release Date | Postponed from January 9 (Pongal) due to censor delay |
| Leak | HD version leaked on piracy sites (April 10) |
| Result | Massive emotional outpouring and sympathy for Vijay |
Filmmaker Rathna Kumar, co-writer of Master and Leo, says: “It brought about a wave of sympathy in his favour. When people realised this affected the lives of so many workers—and that it wasn’t just about money but also emotions—they had to condemn it.”
The Fan-to-Voter Pipeline
Fan Mohamed Ashik admits that many of his friends who are regulars at Vijay FDFS fan celebrations voted for Vijay, with some even urging the elders of the house to do the same.
Producer Dhananjayan offers a crucial insight: “Vijay would have been just another actor, but every project landed in some controversy. From Thalaivaa till Jana Nayagan, his work has been pulled by political forces—so much that he decided to get into public life himself. Politicians have driven him to politics.”
The MGR and Jayalalithaa Parallel
Vijay’s victory mirrors the path of former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, who were both film stars turned politicians. The difference? Vijay achieved this in just two years since founding his party.
The Father’s Pride
Vijay’s father, SA Chandrasekar, who introduced the actor in 1992’s Naalaya Theerpu, said after the election results: “Voters did not see him as a thalaivan (leader). They saw him as annan (a brother).”
What’s Next
In the coming weeks, Vijay will have to negotiate for seats, maybe pass a floor test, and if all goes well, the newly-minted politician will have an entire State looking at him with a lot of hope. Unlike his idealistic films, problems might not get resolved within a few sequences or the runtime of a song.
