Vijay Biography: From Thalapathy to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (Age, Films, Family, Politics)

 

Vijay is one of the few people in India who has led both the box office and a state government. A top star in Tamil cinema for three decades, he retired from films to launch a political party in 2024 and became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in May 2026. His name trended in India on 11 October, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Chennai for a Metro inauguration. This biography covers his life, career, politics and latest news in a neutral way.

Vijay at a Glance

• Full name: Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay Wikipedia
• Born: 22 June 1974, in Madras (now Chennai) Wikipedia
• Age: 52
• Parents: film director S. A. Chandrasekhar and singer Shoba Chandrasekhar Wikipedia
• Party: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), which he founded Wikipedia
• Current office: ninth Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu since 10 May 2026, and MLA from Perambur Wikipedia
• Fan name: Thalapathy Wikipedia

Early Life and Education

Vijay grew up in a film family. He attended schools in Kodambakkam and Virugambakkam and studied visual communication at Loyola College, but left early to focus on acting. His father, S. A. Chandrasekhar, directed many of his early films. Wikipedia

Child Actor to Leading Man

He debuted as a child actor in Vetri in 1984 and appeared in several of his father’s films through the 1980s. His first lead role came at 18 in Naalaiya Theerpu in 1992, which failed at the box office and drew harsh criticism of his looks and acting. The setback did not last. His father cast him alongside Vijayakanth in Senthoorapandi (1993), a hit, and in 1994 he became popular as “Ilaya Thalapathy” (Young Commander) after Rasigan. C. Joseph Vijay +2

Romance Years and First Awards

His breakthrough came with Poove Unakkaga in 1996, followed by Love Today, Kushi, Friends and other romantic hits. For Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), he won his first Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor and was given the Kalaimamani title. Thullatha Manamum Thullum (1999) was a blockbuster that built his fan base in Kerala. WikipediaWikipedia

The Action Hero Era

Around 2003 his image shifted. The success of Thirumalai turned him into an action hero, and Ghilli (2004) became the first Tamil film to gross over ₹50 crore domestically. Pokkiri (2007) followed, and in the 2010s he delivered a string of commercial hits: Thuppakki (2012), Kaththi (2014), Theri (2016), Mersal (2017, his first film above ₹250 crore), Sarkar (2018), Bigil (2019), Master (2021), Leo (2023, over ₹600 crore) and The Greatest of All Time (2024, over ₹450 crore). He is also a singer, having debuted as a playback singer with Rasigan and sung for composers including Ilaiyaraaja and A. R. Rahman. C. Joseph Vijay +2

Fan Club to Political Party

In 2009 he launched the fan club Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, which carried out welfare work and whose members won 115 seats in the 2022 local elections. On 2 February 2024, he launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and announced he would retire from cinema after one more film. WikipediaWikipedia

The Karur Incident

In September 2025, a rally addressed by Vijay in Karur led to tragedy. On 27 September 2025, 41 people died in a crowd crush, and he announced ex-gratia payments for the families of those who died and were injured. The Supreme Court transferred the investigation to the CBI, which questioned him in January and March 2026. This remains a sensitive subject, so report only confirmed facts. WikipediaWikipedia

Final Film: Jana Nayagan

His last film, Jana Nayagan, was delayed by censorship issues and leaked online in April 2026, before opening in theatres on 23 July. Despite that, it became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2026. WikipediaWikipedia

The 2026 Election

The TVK made its election debut in 2026 and the result changed Tamil Nadu politics. The party won 108 seats, becoming the largest party and breaking the long hold of the DMK and AIADMK. Vijay won both seats he contested, Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East, and later gave up one of them. The Governor did not invite him on 7 May, and he was sworn in on 10 May 2026 as head of a coalition with the Congress, while other parties extended outside support. His government’s opposition leader is Udhayanidhi Stalin, whom the page describes as a close friend since childhood. C. Joseph Vijay +3

Latest News

On 3 October, TVK formally took part in the first state-level INDIA bloc meeting in Chennai, with two TVK ministers representing the party and Vijay absent. Reports say the party is keeping the national INDIA alliance at arm’s length. A by-election was held in this period: polling on 6 October and counting on 9 October. I could not confirm the result. Why Vijay and his TVK do not want to rush into the national INDIA bloc? - The Week +2

On 11 October, Modi and Vijay were scheduled to share a stage in Chennai for the first time since Vijay became Chief Minister, with a joint Metro ride from Poonamallee to Porur planned after the inauguration of the first Phase II stretch. Check news reports before saying it went ahead as planned. newstodaynetnewstodaynet

Family

He married Sangeetha Sornalingam in 1999, and they have a son, Jason Sanjay, and a daughter, Divya Sasha. Jason Sanjay is preparing to make his debut as a film director. A divorce petition from his wife made news in 2026 and was withdrawn in August 2026. C. Joseph Vijay +2

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Vijay? He is 52, born on 22 June 1974.

Is Vijay the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu? Yes, since 10 May 2026.

What was Vijay’s last film? Jana Nayagan, released on 23 July 2026.

What does TVK stand for? Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.