C. Joseph Vijay
| |
| Vijay in 2018 | |
| Born | 22 June 1974 (age 51) Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Loyola College, Madras (dropped out) |
| Occupation | Politician, former actor, singer |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Known for | Tamil cinema, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu |
| Notable works | Ghilli, Pokkiri, Thuppakki, Leo |
| Awards | Kalaimaamani, Honorary Doctorate |
| Parents | S. A. Chandrasekaran, Shoba Chandrasekhar |
| Religion | |
Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay, known professionally as Vijay, is an Indian politician, former actor and singer. He established the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam political party and has held the position of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu since May of 2026. Vijay worked as a leading actor in Tamil films before he began his political career.[1][2]
Early Life & Education
Vijay was born on 22 June 1974 in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India.[3][4] The film director S. A. Chandrasekaran is his father and playback singer Shoba Chandrasekhar is his mother.[5] He attended Fathima School and Balalok School in Chennai for his education. He enrolled at Loyola College to study Visual Communication but he dropped out to pursue his acting career.
Career
Vijay began working as a child actor during the 1980s when he appeared in films that his father directed. He made his debut as a lead actor in Naalaiya Theerpu (1992).[6]
Vijay achieved success during the late 1990s through his romantic films Poove Unakkaga and Love Today and Kadhalukku Mariyadhai. Later, he became an action star with films such as Ghilli, Thirumalai, and Pokkiri.
The 2010s and 2020s saw Vijay perform in multiple blockbuster movies which included Thuppakki, Kaththi, Mersal, Master, Leo, and The Greatest of All Time.
Political Career
Vijay entered politics on February 2 2024 when he established his political party called Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). His fan organization Vijay Makkal Iyakkam had already participated in Tamil Nadu local body elections before he established his political party.
Vijay dedicated himself to public service work after announcing his political career by decreasing his movie work schedule. His main political speeches addressed youth welfare issues and educational matters and corruption-free governance and employment opportunities and social justice.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election marked TVK's first electoral participation which resulted in the party becoming the biggest political force in the state assembly. Vijay achieved a decisive victory from the Perambur constituency through his campaign efforts. He won both elections from Tiruchirappalli East and maintained his position in Perambur while winning the election.
Vijay became the 9th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,when he took his oath of office on 10 May 2026.[7][8][9] His victory marked a historic moment because it ended the DMK and AIADMK parties' control over Tamil Nadu politics which had lasted for decades.
Notable Works
- Poove Unakkaga (1996)
- Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997)
- Ghilli (2004)
- Pokkiri (2007)
- Thuppakki (2012)
- Kaththi (2014)
- Mersal (2017)
- Master (2021)
- Leo (2023)
- The Greatest of All Time (2024)
Achievements and Recognition
The Government of Tamil Nadu awarded Vijay the Kalaimaamani award in 1998. He received an honorary doctorate degree because of his work in the film industry.[10] People commonly refer to him as "Thalapathy".
Personal Life
In 1999 Vijay married Sankgeetha Sornalingam. Their two children are named Jason Sanjay and Dhivya Sasha.
Vijay engages in social welfare work while he also performs Tamil film songs and works in the acting and political fields.
External Links
See also
References
- ↑ TVK storms Tamil Nadu, eclipses DMK and AIADMK but falls short of majority: What next for Vijay? . In The Times of India (4 May 2026) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ TVK chief Vijay makes stunning debut, disrupts T.N.’s bipolar politics but falls short of magic figure, by D. Suresh Kumar . In The Hindu (4 May 2026) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ Happy birthday Thalapathy! Check out some rare images of the Vijay . In The New Indian Express (22 June 2021) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ 'Thalapathy' Vijay, the last superstar of Tamil box office, by Manoj Kumar R . In The Indian Express (24 June 2022) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ Did you know Kizhakku Vasal fame S.A. Chandrasekhar was a director? . In The Times of India (28 November 2023) . Retrieved 12 May 2026
- ↑ Style of his own, by Prema Manmadhan . In The Hindu (23 November 2007) . Retrieved 13 May 2026
- ↑ Tamil Nadu government formation, TVK swearing-in, Vijay oath ceremony live updates . In The Hindu . Retrieved 13 May 2026
- ↑ विजय बने तमिलनाडु के मुख्यमंत्री, शपथ ग्रहण समारोह में जुटे कई बड़े नेता . In BBC Hindi . Retrieved 13 May 2026
- ↑ Tamil Nadu CM Vijay oath ceremony live updates: TVK government formation at Chennai Nehru Stadium . In Hindustan Times . Retrieved 13 May 2026
- ↑ Vijay gets Doctorate . In Sify . Retrieved 24 November 2017