Thalapathy (leader), as he is known, has a very strong market and is considered the top hero in Kollywood at this point. His movies do not just bring the audience to theatres but the houseful shows help distributors etc.
Thalapathy Vijay’s announcement about the launch of his new party was imminent as everyone knew he was always interested in the political sphere. There have always been whispers about the 49-year-old’s ambitions to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu following the footsteps of Dr M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa. On 2 February, when the Leo star’s official statement about the formation of his political party, ‘Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam’ (TVK) came, it created a frenzy in Tamil Nadu. Vijay has stated that TVK will not content the Lok Sabha elections but are eyeing the TN Assembly Elections of 2026 to create a new dawn for the people.
EXIT FROM CINEMA
The actor-turned politician, who is the President of TVK, is very clear that he wants to dedicate his time to politics and this means that he will make an exit from Tamil cinema. Currently, Vijay is working on his 68th film which is titled ‘Greatest of all time’ (GOAT). He said in his statement, “I have already agreed to complete another film without disturbing the party work and fully engage in politics for the service of the people. I consider that as my debt of gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu.”
Thalapathy (leader) as he is known has a very strong market and is considered the top hero in Kollywood at this point. His movies do not just bring the audience to theatres but the houseful shows help distributors and exhibitors make profits. Post the pandemic, this has become more critical for cinemas as well. If Vijay stops acting, this will be a blow for them feel many. Who are the stars – other than Rajinikanth, Vijay and Ajith – who can bring in the crowds is the big question.
Nikilesh Surya, who owns Rohini Silver Screens in Chennai, said, “Thalaivar Rajinikanth ageing quickly; Ajith is focusing on hobbies; Thalapathy is quitting cinema for politics. We are headed to the worst phase for Tamil Cinema with no star ready enough to take their space. Personal feelings as an exhibitor aside, this is a huge move by Vijay. It’s not an easy call to take at the very peak of his stardom!”
This is the same opinion shared by Santhosh Raj of Vasu Cinemas in Kumbakonam. He said, “Exhibitors mainly depend on a big star movie’s collection to compensate for the losses of the rest of the year. This will be the toughest phase ahead for the film industry.”
POLITICIANS REACT
As Vijay’s announcement came in, politicians from the DMK, AIADMK, BJP and parties shared their thoughts on this. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party spokesperson TKS Elangovan, “See everybody has a right (to start their party). We cannot stop anybody from starting their own political party. The constitution permits that, so we cannot say anything. The only thing is why he is starting a political party and what he is going to fight for, is a question. If he comes out about his policies and ideologies then we can accept it but as far as DMK is concerned we have an ideology we have worked for. We have been with this ideology since the start and we have done a lot of things as per it. Ideology is important.”
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy said that every Indian has the right to enter politics. “Anyone in this country has the right to start a political party. It is a democratic country. I wish him the very best of luck,” he said, dismissing the thought of an alliance with TVK at this point.
Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai took to his social media to wish Vijay on his political entry. “I am happy to congratulate and welcome brother Mr. @actorvijay who has started a new party in the name of ‘Tamilaka Vetri Kazhagam’ to work for the people, rid the state of corrupt politics and bring about political change in a non-partisan, honest way,” wrote Annamalai on X (formerly Twitter).
DMK youth wing secretary and Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is seen as the heir apparent to the DMK throne, said, “Everyone has the right to start a political party in Indian democracy. Actor Vijay, too, has taken this decision. I extend my greetings to him. Let him prosper in service to the public.”
However, AIADMK leader Kovai Sathyan alleged that the BJP was behind Vijay’s political entry. He said, “The cat is out of the bag finally. Actor Vijay had political aspirations a decade ago and what’s happening right now in Tamil Nadu is after our leader (EPS) announced the termination of alliance with BJP for Lok Sabha as well as for the forthcoming assembly (elections) now the desperate attempt of BJP is coming to the front. BJP tried their luck with Rajinikanth and forced him to come into politics but somehow, he escaped and now the next bait is Vijay because BJP needs a face from the movie world to grow in Tamil Nadu. Good luck to BJP and Vijay, that’s all we can say.”
FUTURE OF TN POLITICS
With Vijay sounding the bugle for the state assembly elections in 2026, what does politics look like now in Tamil Nadu? The south state has always been a stronghold of Dravidian politics with power shifting between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). With the passing on of tall leaders like Kalaignar Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa, there is a vacuum in the political sphere and a slot for someone who can be a people’s leader and icon.
If on one hand Vijay is a cinema icon who can become a political icon, 39-year-old BJP state president K Annamalai is already being seen as a political icon. In fact, in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, it has been predicted widely that the BJP will gain vote share. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP vote share was just 3.9% but in 2024 this could get into the double-digit figure is the prediction.
Political analyst Bharath K explained, “The people of Tamil Nadu are also looking for new younger leaders. They are jaded by the leaders of today and want to see a new crop of politicians. With his ‘En Mann, En Makkal’ yatra, BJP leader K Annamalai has reached out to people at the grassroot level and his popularity is increasing. While he has become extremely visible, he has also strengthened the BJP on the ground.”
Interestingly, the DMK is also projecting 46-year-old Udhayanidhi Stalin as the heir to TN CM MK Stalin’s throne. The DMK youth wing secretary is another contender to be a people’s leader and given that he comes with a very strong political legacy and a party that is well-entrenched in the state, his political journey has been far easier. Udhayanidhi has been in politics for a while now and like Vijay, acted in films to create a fan base and help the people gain familiarity with him. While his success in cinema may not be like Vijay’s, his political legacy far outweighs other young leaders in the state. Thus, the 2026 assembly elections will also be a battle between K Annamalai, Udhayanidhi Stalin and Vijay.
Now, in the last few years, Vijay has used his fan club – the ‘Vijay Makkal Iyakkam’ (VMI) – to carry out welfare activities across the state thus trying to establish himself as a people’s leader. While the Dravidian parties and the BJP have shades of religion, caste and other factors, in their political ideology, Vijay reiterated that he wants a party that is not based on caste or religion and based only on humanity. “Everyone is the same by birth and all are equal,” said his statement. In a country and state that is divided by caste and religion, how successful he will be in creating a party that is above this and bringing it to power remains to be seen.
Another major factor that needs to be assessed is the financial strength of Vijay’s TVK. Contesting elections requires tremendous financial backing and while the DMK, AIADMK and the BJP are parties that have thrived in politics for decades and skilled in political strategy, how Vijay and TVK manoeuvre this new terrain will be key to their success. Vijay’s fans are mainly the youth of today and they are willing to work hard for their Thalapathy (leader) as could be seen from the fan club activities. But hard work alone will not ensure Vijay’s success – TVK ideology, electoral promises and what benefits the voters (especially women) get will matter. Tamil Nadu is known for its freebie culture and how will Vijay overcome this during 2026 is a question raised by many.
But actor-turned-politician Vijay has had the final word for now. “Politics is not a hobby for me. It is my deepest passion and I want to devote myself fully to it,” he wrote in his letter. 2026 will tell us how far he has succeeded in this new venture.