Vijay (actor)
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Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, known to the world as simply Vijay, a name that resonates with power and charisma. Born on June 22nd, 1974, he’s not just an actor who has graced Tamil cinema for over three decades, but also a politician charting a new course. With 68 films to his name, Vijay stands as one of Tamil cinema's most commercially successful actors, his films consistently ranking among the highest-grossing of all time. He’s a titan, among India's highest-paid actors, and a recipient of numerous accolades for his craft. Affectionately called "Thalapathy," meaning Commander, his influence extends far beyond the silver screen, commanding a devoted and massive fan following.
His journey began in Madras, under the guidance of his father, the renowned director S. A. Chandrasekhar. Vijay’s first steps into the cinematic world were as a child actor in the 1984 film *Vetri*. After a few more childhood roles, he took on his first lead at the tender age of 18 in *Naalaiya Theerpu* in 1992. The subsequent years saw him solidify his presence with memorable performances in films like *Poove Unakkaga* in 1996, *Love Today* and *Kadhalukku Mariyadhai* in 1997, *Thullatha Manamum Thullum* in 1999, and *Kushi* in 2000. His talent was recognized early, earning him the Kalaimaamani award from the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1998 for his role in *Kadhalukku Mariyadhai*.
The year 2004 marked a turning point with the blockbuster action-masala hit *Ghilli*. This was followed by the successes of *Thirupaachi* in 2005 and *Pokkiri* in 2007, firmly establishing him as a leading force in Tamil cinema. After a period of steady success, the early 2010s ushered in a new era of critical and commercial triumphs, with films like *Thuppakki* (2012), *Kaththi* (2014), *Mersal* (2017), *Sarkar* (2018), *Master* (2021), *Beast* (2022), *Leo* (2023), and his penultimate film, *The Greatest of All Time* (2024), all leaving an indelible mark.
In a significant announcement in February 2024, Vijay declared his retirement from films, signaling a new chapter with his entry into politics and the launch of his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.
Born Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar in Madras on June 22nd, 1974, his parents are film director S. A. Chandrasekhar and playback singer Shoba Chandrasekhar. Vijay's upbringing was a blend of faiths, his father being Christian and his mother Hindu. A profound loss in his early life was his sister Vidhya, who passed away at the age of two. His education began at Fathima school and continued at Balalok school. He pursued a degree in visual communication from Loyola College, but his passion for acting led him to leave his studies early.
His film career began at the age of 10, as a child actor in *Vetri* (1984). He continued to appear in child roles in films like *Kudumbam* (1984), *Vasantha Raagam* (1986), *Sattam Oru Vilayaattu* (1987), and *Ithu Engal Neethi* (1988). He even shared screen space with the legendary Rajinikanth in his father's directorial, *Naan Sigappu Manithan* (1985).
Vijay stepped into the leading man's shoes at just 18 years old in *Naalaiya Theerpu* (1992). Success followed with films like *Senthoorapandi*, *Rasigan*, *Deva*, and *Coimbatore Mappillai*. The year 1996 was pivotal with *Poove Unakkaga*, a film he credits for his initial breakthrough and widespread popularity. He continued to deliver hits like *Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen* and *Love Today* in 1997, followed by commercially successful ventures such as *Nerrukku Ner*, *Kadhalukku Mariyadhai*, *Ninaithen Vandhai*, *Priyamudan*, and *Thullatha Manamum Thullum*. The late 90s saw him in *Endrendrum Kadhal*, *Nenjinile*, and *Minsara Kanna*. The year 2000 brought critical acclaim for *Kannukkul Nilavu*, his 25th film, alongside the commercially successful romantic comedies *Kushi* and *Priyamaanavale*. He achieved a hat-trick of box office successes in 2001 with *Friends*, *Badri*, and *Shahjahan*, before venturing into the action genre with *Thamizhan* alongside Priyanka Chopra in 2002. The same year, he starred in the romantic film *Youth* and the action film *Bagavathi*. He kicked off 2003 with *Vaseegara* and *Pudhiya Geethai*.
2003 saw him in the action-romance *Thirumalai*, leading to the monumental success of *Ghilli*. Directed by S. Dharani and co-starring Trisha and Prakash Raj, *Ghilli* became the first Tamil film to surpass ₹500 million at the domestic box office and set a record for the highest first-week viewership, a record previously held by M. G. Ramachandran's *Adimai Penn* (1969). Following this triumph, he starred in *Madhurey* and *Thirupaachi* in 2005, and later in the commercially successful *Sachein*, *Sivakasi*, and *Pokkiri*, the latter becoming one of his highest-grossing films at the time.
In late 2007, Vijay took on his first dual role in the romantic thriller *Azhagiya Tamil Magan*, portraying both the protagonist and antagonist. While the film achieved commercial success internationally, his subsequent releases *Kuruvi* (2008) and *Vettaikaaran* (2009) were moderate domestic successes, though they continued to perform well overseas. Despite these fluctuations, Vijay remained one of the highest-paid actors in the industry. His 50th film, the action comedy *Sura*, released in 2010. Early 2011 saw him in the romantic comedy *Kaavalan*, directed by Siddique, which garnered positive reviews and a worldwide collection of ₹102 crore, even being screened at the Shanghai International Film Festival. His next film, the action flick *Velayudham*, released during Diwali and became a top-grossing film of 2011, also receiving critical acclaim overseas.
The year 2012 marked a significant commercial resurgence. Vijay starred in the successful remake of *3 Idiots*, *Nanban*, followed by the A. R. Murugadoss-directed action thriller *Thuppakki*. This film became the third Tamil movie to cross ₹100 crore domestically and was his most successful film to date, grossing over ₹121 crore. His 2013 release, *Thalaivaa*, directed by A. L. Vijay, received mixed reviews. In 2014, *Jilla* proved to be a box office hit. He then reunited with A. R. Murugadoss for the action thriller *Kaththi*, where he played another dual role. The film earned positive reviews and collected ₹130 crore, becoming one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2014.
2015 saw him in the fantasy film *Puli*, which, despite mixed critical reception, was among the highest-grossing films of the year. The action-thriller *Theri*, directed by Atlee, released in April 2016 to mixed reviews but became the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of 2016, earning over ₹170 crore. The 2017 masala film *Bairavaa* also met with mixed reviews. However, the action thriller *Mersal* in 2017 was a massive commercial success, becoming the first of Vijay's films to gross over ₹250 crore. It received the Best Foreign Language Film award at the National Film Awards UK in 2018, with Vijay earning a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. *Mersal* also had the distinction of being released in Japan and China, and screened at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea.
In 2018, Vijay starred in the political film *Sarkar*, which entered the 100 Crore Club within two days. Released in 80 countries, it became his second film to gross over ₹250 crore. His 2019 football action film *Bigil*, while receiving mixed reviews, was a commercial success, earning over ₹300 crore and marking the first Tamil film released in Egypt and Jordan. *Master*, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, released in 2021 to mixed to positive reviews, collecting over ₹300 crore worldwide and declared a box office success. His subsequent film, the dark comedy action film *Beast*, also received mixed reviews but performed well overseas, collecting over ₹300 crore worldwide and becoming one of the most-watched films on Netflix globally in 2022.
The year 2023 brought continued success with the action drama *Varisu*, directed by Vamshi Paidipally, which grossed over ₹300 crore. His next release, the action thriller *Leo*, garnered mixed reviews but emerged as a commercially successful film, becoming one of the highest-grossing Indian films of the year with over ₹600 crore. His sci-fi action film *The Greatest of All Time* opened to mixed reviews but achieved a theatrical revenue exceeding ₹450 crore. In February 2024, Vijay announced his intention to do only one more film, his 69th and final as a lead actor, titled *Jana Nayagan*.
Beyond acting, Vijay is a prolific singer among Tamil actors, lending his voice to composers like Ilaiyaraaja, Deva, Vidyasagar, A. R. Rahman, Yuvan Shankar Raja, and Anirudh Ravichander, among many others. He debuted with "Bombay City Sukkha Rotti" in *Rasigan* (1994). After a sabbatical from singing, he made a comeback with "Google Google" in *Thuppakki* (2012), winning the Favorite Song of The Year at the Vijay Awards. His song "Selfie Pulla" (2014) gained popularity in Romania and other European countries in 2016, earning him a Filmfare Award South nomination. He was also nominated for Best Playback Singer for "Yaendi Yaendi" in 2015.
Vijay's political journey began in 2009 with the launch of his fan club, Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. This organization supported the AIADMK alliance in the 2011 assembly elections and later contested local body elections in Tamil Nadu in October 2021, winning 115 out of 169 seats. He voiced strong opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019, deeming it unacceptable for disrupting national harmony. On February 2nd, 2024, he officially launched his political party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
In his personal life, Vijay married Sangeetha, a Sri Lankan Tamil, on August 25th, 1999. They have two children: son Sanjay, who made a cameo in *Vettaikaaran*, and daughter Divya, who appeared in *Theri*.
Vijay's wealth and earnings are substantial. As of 2021, his net worth was over ₹420 crore. He reportedly earned ₹100 crore for *Beast* and an estimated ₹120 crore to ₹150 crore for *Varisu*. In 2023, his salary was reportedly ₹200 crore, placing him among India's top-paid actors. In 2020, the Income Tax Department conducted a raid on his residence concerning potential tax evasion, but no significant findings were reported. A writ petition filed by Vijay in 2012 seeking entry tax exemption for his imported Rolls-Royce Ghost faced legal challenges, with the Madras High Court eventually ruling that no fine would be imposed.
Vijay's accolades are numerous. In 1998, he received the Kalaimaamani award from the Government of Tamil Nadu. In 2007, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Dr. M.G.R. Educational Institute. He was recognized as the Best International Actor of 2018 in the United Kingdom for his role in *Mersal*.
In the media, Vijay is widely referred to as Thalapathy, a title that reflects his immense fan following. He consistently appears on Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, peaking at 26th in 2018. News 18 hails him as a "versatile actor" and a "fantastic playback singer, dancer and philanthropist." His energetic and effortless dancing is widely praised, with The Times of India highlighting his "energetic and effortless" moves. Zee Media commends his acting skills, stating that "Vijay amazed audiences with his acting and screen presence." He was ranked second on Rediff.com's "Best Tamil Actors" list and was the most tweeted-about actor on the South Indian list in 2021. A wax figure of Vijay was unveiled in a museum in Kanyakumari in 2019. He was ranked 8th among global celebrities in Asia by Eastern Eye magazine in 2023 and 6th in their Top 50 Asian Stars of 2024. A 2023 study by the Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) identified him as one of the highest-ranked celebrities in South India. In 2024, he was placed 35th on IMDb's List of 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars.
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Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar (born 22 June 1974), known professionally as Vijay, is an Indian actor and politician who works in Tamil cinema. In a career spanning over three decades, Vijay has acted in 68 films and is one of the most commercially successful actors in Tamil cinema with multiple films amongst the highest-grossing Tamil films of all time and is amongst the highest paid actors in India. He has won several awards as an actor. Referred to as "Thalapathy" (transl. Commander), Vijay has a significant fan following.
Born in Madras to director S. A. Chandrasekhar, Vijay made his debut as a child actor in the Tamil film Vetri (1984). After a few roles as a child actor in his father’s films, he played his first lead role in the film Naalaiya Theerpu (1992) at the age of 18. Vijay continued doing lead roles for the next few years with notable films amongst them included Poove Unakkaga (1996), Love Today (1997), Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), Thullatha Manamum Thullum (1999) and Kushi (2000). In 1998, he was awarded Kalaimaamani by the Government of Tamil Nadu for his role in Kadhalukku Mariyadhai.
In 2004, he starred in the blockbuster action-masala film Ghilli and with subsequent success of Thirupaachi (2005) and Pokkiri (2007) later, he established himself as one of the leading and commercially successful actors in Tamil cinema. Following a period of moderate success, Vijay acted in several critically and commercially successful films starting from early 2010s including Thuppakki (2012), Kaththi (2014), Mersal (2017), Sarkar (2018), Master (2021), Beast (2022), Leo (2023) and his penultimate film The Greatest of All Time (2024).
In February 2024, Vijay announced his retirement from films and his forthcoming entry into politics with the launch of his political party, known as Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.
== Early life and family ==
Vijay was born as Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar on 22 June 1974 in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu. His father, S. A. Chandrasekhar, is a film director and his mother, Shoba Chandrasekhar, is a playback singer and vocalist. His father is a Christian and his mother is a Hindu. Vijay had a sister, Vidhya, who died when she was two years old. Vijay did his schooling initially at Fathima school, Kodambakkam and later at Balalok school, Virugambakkam. He pursued a bachelor degree in visual communication from Loyola College, but dropped out early to focus on his acting career.
== Film career ==
=== 1984–2003: Debut and transition to lead roles ===
At the age of 10, Vijay made his debut as a child actor in the Tamil film Vetri, produced by P. S. Veerappa in 1984. He then acted as a child actor in films such as Kudumbam (1984), Vasantha Raagam (1986), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987) and Ithu Engal Neethi (1988). He also acted in a supporting role with Rajinikanth in Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), directed by his father.
Vijay played the lead role for the first time in Naalaiya Theerpu at the age of 18 in 1992. He then appeared in the films Senthoorapandi, Rasigan, Deva and Coimbatore Mappillai, all of which were successful. In 1996, Vijay acted in Poove Unakkaga, directed by Vikraman, which according to him, gave him his initial break and popularity. In 1997, Vijay acted in Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen and Love Today.
Later, he starred in commercially successful films such as Nerrukku Ner, Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, Ninaithen Vandhai, Priyamudan and Thullatha Manamum Thullum. In 1999, he then acted in the films Endrendrum Kadhal, Nenjinile, and Minsara Kanna. In 2000, he acted in critically successful, Kannukkul Nilavu, which was his 25th film, alongside commercially successful romantic films, Kushi and Priyamaanavale. In 2001, he acted in hat-trick box office successes; Friends, Badri and Shahjahan before starring in the action film Thamizhan alongside Priyanka Chopra in 2002. Later, he appeared in the romantic film Youth and the action film Bagavathi in the same year. Vijay began 2003 with Vaseegara and Pudhiya Geethai.
=== 2003–11: Established actor ===
In 2003, following the action-romance film Thirumalai, Vijay starred in Ghilli, directed by S. Dharani, alongside Trisha and Prakash Raj. The movie became a commercial success and became the first Tamil film to gross over ₹500 million at the domestic box office and also broke the record for the most people watching the movie within the first week of its release, previously held by M. G. Ramachandran's Adimai Penn (1969). Following the same, he acted in Madhurey and Thirupaachi in 2005. Later, he starred in the commercially successful films Sachein, Sivakasi and Pokkiri. Pokkiri became one of the highest-grossing films of his career at the time.
In late 2007, Vijay starred in the romantic thriller film Azhagiya Tamil Magan, where he portrayed a dual role for the first time in his career. He played the roles of both protagonist and antagonist. The film was commercially successful outside India. Except the commercially successful, Kuruvi in 2008 and Vettaikaaran in 2009, his subsequent releases Azhagiya Tamil Magan and Villu were average successes at domestic box office while continuing to be more successful overseas. Vijay continued to be one of the highest paid actors despite the moderate success of then recently released movies.
In 2010, he acted in the action comedy film Sura, which was his 50th film as an actor. In early 2011, Vijay acted in the romantic comedy Kaavalan, directed by Siddique which received positive response and a box office collection of ₹102 crore worldwide. The film was screened at the Shanghai International Film Festival in China. Kaavalan was a commercial success in China. His next film was the action film Velayudham, directed by M. Raja which released during Diwali and became one of the top-grossing films of 2011. The movie was also a critical success overseas.
=== 2012–2022: Commercial success and stardom ===
In 2012, Vijay acted in the commercially successful Nanban, a remake of successful Hindi film 3 Idiots. Later in the year, he acted in the action thriller Thuppakki, directed by A. R. Murugadoss. The film became the third Tamil film to gross more than ₹100 crore domestically and became the most successful film of Vijay's career at the time, grossing over ₹121 crore. His next film Thalaivaa, directed by A. L. Vijay, was released in August 2013 to mixed reviews. In 2014, he acted in Jilla which ended up as a box office hit. Vijay then starred in the action thriller Kaththi, where he portrayed another dual role. The film received positive reviews and collected ₹130 crore at the box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing Tamil films in 2014.
In 2015, he starred in the fantasy film Puli, directed by Chimbu Deven, which received mixed to poor reviews from critics. Despite the reviews, the film was one of the highest-grossing films of 2015. In April 2016, the action-thriller Theri directed by Atlee released to mixed reviews. It became the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of 2016, grossing over ₹170 crore. In 2017, the masala film Bairavaa was released, again to mixed reviews. In 2017, the action thriller Mersal released, which became a commercial success, becoming the first of Vijay's films to gross over ₹250 crore. The film won the Best Foreign Language Film award at the National Film Awards UK in 2018 with Vijay earning a nomination for the best supporting actor. The film was amongst the few films of Vijay to be released in Japan and China with further screening at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea.
In 2018, Vijay acted in the political film Sarkar, which entered the 100 Crore Club within two days. The film was released in 80 countries and became his second ever film to gross over ₹250 crore. Vijay acted in a football action film Bigil, which released in 2019. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, Vijay was praised for the portrayal of his character and the film was a commercial success, earning more than ₹300 crore. It was also the first Tamil film to be released in Egypt and Jordan. In 2021, his next film Master, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj was released. Upon release, it received mixed to positive reviews from the critics. The film collected over ₹300 crore worldwide and was declared a box office success. His next film was the dark comedy action film Beast, which received mixed reviews from critics. The film performed well in overseas box office and was commercially successful, collecting more than ₹300 crore worldwide. It became one of the most viewed films on Netflix globally in 2022.
=== 2023–present: Continued success ===
In 2023, Vijay starred in the action drama film Varisu directed by Vamshi Paidipally. The film was a commercial success, grossing over ₹300 crore at the box office. His next release of 2023 was the action thriller Leo. It received mixed reviews from critics, but went on to become a commercially successful film and emerged as one of the highest grossing Indian films of the year with a gross more than ₹600 crore. His sci-fi action film The Greatest of All Time opened to mixed reviews, but had a theatrical revenue of more than ₹450 crore. In February 2024, Vijay announced that he would do only one more film, which will be his 69th and last as a lead actor, titled as Jana Nayagan.
== Music career ==
Vijay is considered as one of the most prolific singers among Tamil actors. He has sung for composers including but not limited to, Ilaiyaraaja, Deva, Vidyasagar, Sirpy, Bharani, S. A. Rajkumar, Ramana Gogula, A. R. Rahman, Yuvan Shankar Raja, D. Imman, Devi Sri Prasad, Harris Jayaraj, G. V. Prakash Kumar, Anirudh Ravichander, Santhosh Narayanan and Thaman S.
Vijay made his debut by singing "Bombay City Sukkha Rotti" (1994) in Rasigan. After his 25th song "Vaadi Vaadi" (2005) in Sachein, Vijay took a sabbatical from singing to concentrate on acting, but made a comeback with "Google Google" in Thuppakki (2012). He won the Favorite Song of The Year at the Vijay Awards for his performance of the song. and a SIIMA Award nomination for Best Playback Singer.
In 2016, the pop song "Selfie Pulla" which Vijay had recorded in 2014 became popular in Romania and other European countries. He was nominated for a Filmfare Award South in the Best Playback Singer category for "Selfie Pulla". In 2015 he was again nominated for Best Playback Singer, for his performance of "Yaendi Yaendi".
== Political career ==
In 2009, Vijay launched his fan club Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. The organisation supported the AIADMK alliance in the 2011 assembly elections. The fan club organisation contested in the local body elections in Tamil Nadu in October 2021, securing victory in 115 out of the 169 contested seats.
Vijay deemed the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 passed by the BJP government as unacceptable, saying that it would disrupt the social religious harmony of the nation.
On 2 February 2024, Vijay announced the launch of his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Political analysts suggested that the TVK party might undergo expansion to other states of India.
== Personal life ==
Vijay married Sangeetha, a Sri Lankan Tamil on 25 August 1999. They have two children: a son Sanjay who briefly appeared alongside his father in Vettaikaaran, and a daughter Divya who appeared in her father's Theri.
=== Wealth and earnings ===
As of 2021, Vijay's net worth is over ₹420 crore. Vijay earned a ₹100 crore salary for Beast and also earned an estimated ₹120 crore—₹150 crore for Varisu. In 2023, he reportedly received a ₹200 crore salary, becoming one of the top paid actors in India.
On 5 February 2020, the Income Tax Department raided Vijay's residence in Chennai on potential tax evasion and his investments in immovable properties. Later, the officials stated that nothing significant was found during the raid. On 13 July 2021, the Madras High Court dismissed a writ petition filed by Vijay in 2012 seeking exemption of the Entry Tax for his Rolls-Royce Ghost car that was imported from the United Kingdom and imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh. On 27 July 2021, a two-judge bench of Madras High court stayed the earlier order. On 25 January 2022, the court dismissed the critical statements made by the earlier judge and on 15 July 2022, the court declared that no fine shall be imposed.
== Accolades ==
In 1998, Vijay was awarded the Kalaimaamani by the Government of Tamil Nadu and Vijay received an honorary doctorate from the Dr. M.G.R. Educational Institute for of his achievements in the film industry in 2007. Vijay was awarded the Best International Actor of 2018 in the United Kingdom for his role in Mersal. He has received numerous other awards and accolades for his acting.
== In the media ==
Referred to as Thalapathy, Vijay has a significant fan following in India. Vijay is among the highest paid actors in Tamil cinema. He has appeared several times on Forbes India Celebrity 100 list from 2012 to 2019, and peaked at the 26th position in 2018. News 18 describes Vijay as a "versatile actor" and a "fantastic playback singer, dancer and philanthropist". He has been praised for his dancing with The Times of India labelling Vijay's dance moves as "energetic and effortless". He has been praised for his acting skills with Zee Media reporting that "Vijay amazed audiences with his acting and screen presence".
Vijay was placed 2nd in Rediff.com's "Best Tamil Actors" list. Vijay became the 3rd most tweeted about South Indian actor in 2020 and in 2021, he was the most tweeted about actor on the same list. In 2019, a wax figure of Vijay was unveiled in a museum in Kanyakumari. In 2023, Vijay was placed 8th in Eastern Eye magazine among the global celebrities in Asia. A research study conducted in 2023 by Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) stated Vijay as one of the highest-ranked celebrity in South India. In 2024, Vijay was placed 35th on IMDb's List of 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars. He was also placed 6th in Eastern Eye's Top 50 Asian Stars of 2024.
== References ==
== External links ==
Vijay at IMDb
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