Film star-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay is on the cusp of history in Tamil Nadu state.
On Monday, his political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) defied all naysayers to almost sweep the state election, marking a break in the established political order.
Vijay's spectacular rise is being compared with that of matinee idol MG Ramachandran, who broke away from the established Dravida Munnetra Kazahagam (DMK) to form his own party and become chief minister in 1977.
But even as Vijay's victory has delighted fans and supporters, he has hurdles to cross to reach the top post. To form a government in the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly, a party needs 118 seats. Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has won 108 - leaving him 10 seats short of a majority.
That means over the next few days, Vijay will need to change from crowd-puller to coalition-builder, negotiating with smaller parties and independent legislators to cross the threshold and stake a claim to power.
