Tamil Nadu’s new Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay was one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, who had dominated Kollywood for the past nearly 30 years. He made his debut as a lead actor in his father S.A. Chandrasekhar’s Naalaya Theerpu in 1992, after appearing as a child actor in Vetri in 1984. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in 68 films in lead roles, becoming the highest-paid actor in Tamil cinema. His 69th film Jana Nayagan is yet to be released.
Mr. Vijay, who has been elected from Perambur and Tiruchi East, is entering the Assembly for the first time. In February 2024, he had transformed his fan association-cum-social service organisation – Vijay Makkal Iyakkam – into the political party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. The 51-year-old actor-politician had discontinued his Bachelor of Science course at Loyola College, Chennai, in 1992 to pursue a film career. Apart from acting, he serves as the correspondent of Vijay Vidyashram and managing director and trustee of several trusts.
