Vijay has drawn a comparison with legendary actors-turned-politicians MGR and NTR in his latest Assembly speech, invoking the two stars who went on to become Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, respectively.
Vijay is the latest major South Indian film star to make a successful transition from cinema to electoral politics. While several actors have entered politics over the years, including Chiranjeevi, none had managed to become a Chief Minister in the current century until Vijay.
Vijay launched his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) less than two years ago and, following the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, became Chief Minister, marking a significant chapter in the state’s political history.
In his speech today, Vijay referred to the journeys of MGR and NTR, who successfully transformed their popularity as film stars into political movements with strong mass support.
Vijay also criticised the previous DMK government over the scrapping of welfare initiatives such as Amma mini clinics and alleged delays in taking action in cases involving members of the ruling party. He positioned his party’s 2026 electoral victory as another step in the legacy of cinema stars who went on to become leaders representing ordinary people.
His speech has since gone viral on social media. Interestingly, several TDP supporters have praised Vijay for referring to NTR in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, despite the ideological differences between the TDP and Vijay’s TVK, with the latter being in alliance with the Congress.
