Vijay

Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar (born June 22, 1974), widely known as Vijay, is a celebrated Indian actor, playback singer, and politician. Over an impressive career spanning more than three decades, he successfully became one of the most prominent stars in Tamil cinema. Furthermore, he established himself as one of the industry’s most bankable actors, highly regarded for his strong box office pull and undeniable mass appeal. Audiences also love his exceptional dance performances and remarkable versatility across action, comedy, romance, and drama.

Rise to Prominence and Massive Stardom

Vijay rapidly rose to prominence through a string of massive, commercially successful films. His notable hits include Poove Unakkaga (1996), Ghilli (2004), Pokkiri (2007), Thuppakki (2012), Mersal (2017), Sarkar (2018), Master (2021), and Leo (2023). Because his films often seamlessly blend highly entertaining commercial elements with important social and political themes, his popularity among audiences continued to grow even stronger. Popularly and affectionately known by the honorific “Thalapathy” (which translates to “Commander”), Vijay successfully built a massive, dedicated fan following both in India and internationally.

A Historic Political Transition

In a major career shift, Vijay officially launched his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), in 2024. This exciting launch marked his full transition from the cinema into public life. Consequently, he announced his official retirement from acting after his final film, Jana Nayagan (2026).

Shortly after, he contested the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, confidently leading TVK in its very first electoral outing. In a truly historic debut, TVK quickly emerged as a major political force. Ultimately, Vijay was officially sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on May 10, 2026. Because of this monumental victory, he stands as one of the few Indian film stars to successfully transition directly into top-level politics.