Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar (born June 22, 1974), known professionally as Vijay, is an Indian actor and politician who works in Tamil cinema. Over the course of more than 30 years, he has appeared in 69 films and is among the highest-paid actors in India. He is one of the most successful actors in the industry, with several of his films listed among the highest-grossing Tamil films. He has received many awards for his acting. He is called "Thalapathy," which means "Commander," and has a large group of fans.

Vijay began his career as a child actor in the Tamil film Vetri (1984). After appearing in several films directed by his father, he took his first lead role in Naalaiya Theerpu (1992) at age 18. He continued to take lead roles in the following years, with notable films including Poove Unakkaga (1996), Love Today (1997), Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), Thullatha Manamum Thullum (1999), Kushi (2000), Priyamaanavale (2000), and Friends (2001).

He starred in the popular action films Thirumalai (2003) and Ghilli (2004), moving away from romantic films. His success in Thirupaachi (2005) and Pokkiri (2007) helped him become one of the leading actors in Tamil cinema. After a period of moderate success, Vijay appeared in several films that were both critically and commercially successful starting in the early 2010s. These include Thuppakki (2012), Kaththi (2014), Mersal (2017), Sarkar (2018), Master (2021), Beast (2022), Leo (2023), and The Greatest of All Time (2024).

In February 2024, Vijay announced he would retire from acting and enter politics by launching his own political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

Early life and family

Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay was born on June 22, 1974, in Madras, Tamil Nadu. His father, S. A. Chandrasekhar, is a film director, and his mother, Shoba Chandrasekhar, is a singer and vocalist. His father is Christian, and his mother is Hindu. Vijay had a sister named Vidhya, who passed away when she was two years old. His native language is Tamil. Vijay attended school first at Fathima School in Kodambakkam and later at Balalok School in Virugambakkam. He enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in visual communication at Loyola College but left before completing it to focus on his acting career.

Film career

Vijay made his debut as a child actor in the Tamil film Vetri in 1984. The film was produced by P. S. Veerappa. He later acted as a child actor in films such as Kudumbam (1984), Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Vasantha Raagam (1986), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987), and Ithu Engal Neethi (1988). All of these films were directed by his father, S. A. Chandrasekhar.

Vijay played the lead role for the first time in Naalaiya Theerpu at the age of 18 in 1992. The film was not successful and received negative feedback about his looks and performance. SAC, his production company, decided to cast him alongside an established hero. His frequent collaborator, Vijayakanth, agreed to act with him in Senthoorapandi (1993). The film became a hit, helping Vijay gain popularity. In 1994, the film Rasigan played in theaters for more than 175 days. Directed by his father, Vijay became known as “Ilaya Thalapathy” (young commander). In 1995, Chandrasekhar directed Deva with his son in the lead role. The film was a box office hit and completed a 100-day run in cinemas. He had leading roles in films such as Rajavin Parvaiyile, where he co-starred with actor Ajith Kumar, followed by Vishnu and the romantic drama Chandralekha.

In early 1996, the romantic comedy Coimbatore Mappillai was a box office hit. Later that year, Poove Unakkaga, directed by Vikraman, helped Vijay gain his first break and popularity. His other films that year included Vasantha Vaasal, Maanbumigu Maanavan, and Selvaa. In 1997, Vijay appeared in Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen, Love Today, and Once More. In Once More, he shared the screen with veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan. In Nerrukku Ner, he starred with actor Suriya, who made his debut in the film. Later that year, Vijay attracted family audiences through Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, directed by Fazil. This film earned him his first Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor. The Government of Tamil Nadu also awarded him the Kalaimaamani honor for his role.

In 1998, Vijay starred in romantic films such as Ninaithen Vandhai, Priyamudan, and Nilaave Vaa. In 1999, the film Thullatha Manamum Thullum was a blockbuster success. The romantic drama helped Vijay create a fan base in Kerala. He won the MGR Honorary Award, and the film received the second prize for Best Film. The next films released were Endrendrum Kadhal, Nenjinile, and Minsara Kanna. In 2000, he appeared in his 25th film, Kannukkul Nilavu, alongside commercially successful romantic films Kushi and Priyamaanavale. In 2001, he had three box office successes: Friends, Badri, and Shahjahan. He later starred in the action film Thamizhan alongside Priyanka Chopra in 2002. That same year, he appeared in the romantic film Youth and the action film Bagavathi.

Vijay began 2003 with the films Vaseegara and Pudhiya Geethai. The success of his masala film Thirumalai changed his on-screen persona into an action hero. Before this, he was known for playing charming and comical roles. Thirumalai was considered a turning point in Vijay's career. In 2004, the film Udhaya was released after several delays. Later that year, Vijay acted in Ghilli, directed by S. Dharani, alongside Trisha and Prakash Raj. The movie became a commercial success and was the first Tamil film to gross over ₹500 million at the domestic box office. It also broke the record for the most people watching the movie within the first week of its release, previously held by M. G. Ramachandran’s Adimai Penn (1969).

In 2005, Vijay acted in Madhurey. Director Perarasu made his directorial debut with the film Thirupaachi, which became a hit. In 2006, Vijay starred in the film Pudhukottaiyil Oruvan, which was a box office success. In 2007, he acted in the film Kaththi, which was

Music career

Vijay is one of the most successful singers among Tamil actors. He has sung songs for many composers, including Ilaiyaraaja and A. R. Rahman. He began singing with the song "Bombay City Sukkha Rotti" in the movie Rasigan (1994). After recording his 25th song, "Vaadi Vaadi" in Sachein (2005), he took a break from singing to focus on acting. He returned to singing with the song "Google Google" in Thuppakki (2012). This song won the award for favorite song of the year at the Vijay Awards and earned him a nomination for best playback singer at the South Indian International Movie Awards. In 2015, he was nominated for the Best Playback Singer award at the Filmfare Award South for the song "Yaendi Yaendi." In 2016, the song "Selfie Pulla," sung by Vijay, became popular in Europe. He was again nominated for the Filmfare Award for this song.

Political career

In 2009, Vijay started his fan club called Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. This group supported the AIADMK-led team during the 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly elections. In February 2019, Vijay expressed disagreement with the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019, stating it could harm the nation's social and religious harmony.

Members of his fan club participated in the 2022 Tamil Nadu local elections and won 115 seats. On 2 February 2024, Vijay announced the creation of a new political group named Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

On 27 September 2025, 41 people died in a crowd crush during a political rally where Vijay spoke in Karur. He expressed sadness over the deaths and later offered financial assistance to the families of the deceased and injured.

On 30 January 2026, Vijay shared that his role models include M. G. Ramachandran, J. Jayalalithaa, and M. Karunanidhi. This was his first interview with NDTV, a national media outlet, since entering politics.

Personal life

Vijay married Sankgeetha Sornalingam, a Sri Lankan-born British Tamil from a wealthy business family, on August 25, 1999. Their marriage was arranged after Sankgeetha met Vijay as a fan on the film set of Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen (1997), and their families became friends. They have two children: a son named Jason Sanjay and a daughter named Dhivya Sasha. Jason Sanjay is a film director who will make his first film, Sigma, and previously appeared in Vettaikkaaran with his father. Dhivya Sasha also appeared in Theri with her father.

In 2025, Sankgeetha filed for divorce. In 2026, she filed a legal petition stating that Vijay had prevented her from entering their home and had been unfaithful with an unnamed actress. The case received media attention after Vijay was seen at an event with actress Trisha Krishnan.

Supporting actors Sanjeev Venkat, Sriman, and Srinath have been close friends with Vijay since college and have appeared in many of his films. Playback singer S. N. Surendar is Vijay’s maternal uncle. Actor and cricketer Vikranth is Vijay’s cousin, though they have not worked together on any films. Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who produced Vijay’s film Kuruvi, described Vijay as a childhood friend. Later, Vijay’s political party, Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam, competed against Udhayanidhi’s father, M. K. Stalin, the incumbent chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Vijay is one of the highest-paid actors in Tamil cinema. As of March 2026, his net worth was over ₹6.25 billion (about $74 million). He earned ₹1 billion ($12 million) for the film Beast and between ₹1.2 billion ($14 million) and ₹1.5 billion ($18 million) for Varisu. In 2023, he received ₹2 billion ($24 million) for The Greatest Of All Time, making him one of India’s top-paid actors.

In 2015, the Income Tax Department searched Vijay’s home, revealing an additional ₹15 crore in income for the 2015–16 financial year, including earnings from the film Puli. Vijay paid taxes on the income, but the department later imposed a ₹1.5 crore penalty because the income was reported only after the search. Vijay challenged the penalty in the Madras High Court in 2022, arguing the penalty was too late. The Income Tax Department said the penalty was valid. As of 2025, the case is still pending, with temporary protection against collecting the penalty.

On February 5, 2020, the Income Tax Department raided Vijay’s home in Chennai, looking for evidence of tax evasion and investments in real estate. Officials later said no significant items were found. On July 13, 2021, the Madras High Court rejected Vijay’s 2012 petition to exempt his Rolls-Royce Ghost car from entry tax and fined him ₹0.1 million ($1,200). A two-judge bench of the court paused this decision. On January 25, 2022, the court dismissed the earlier judge’s statements, and on July 15, 2022, the court ruled that no fine would be imposed.

Accolades

In 1998, Vijay was given the Kalaimaamani award by the Government of Tamil Nadu. In 2007, he received an honorary doctorate from Dr. M.G.R. University for his work in the film industry. He has won many other honors for his acting. In 2018, he was named Best International Actor at the International Achievement Recognition Awards for his performance in the movie Mersal.

In the media

Vijay, known as Thalapathy, is a well-known actor in India with many fans. News 18 calls him a "skilled actor" and an "excellent singer, dancer, and philanthropist." The Times of India praised his dance moves as energetic and effortless. Zee Media reported that Vijay impressed audiences with his acting and presence on screen.

In 2012, Vijay was ranked second on Rediff.com's "Best Tamil Actors" list. He appeared multiple times on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list between 2012 and 2019, reaching 26th place in 2018. In 2020, he was the third most talked about South Indian actor on social media, and in 2021, he was the most talked about actor on the same list. A wax figure of Vijay was displayed in a museum in Kanyakumari in 2019. In 2023, he was ranked eighth among Asia's top global celebrities by Eastern Eye magazine. A 2023 study by the Indian Institute of Human Brands found Vijay to be one of South India's most bankable celebrities. In 2024, he was placed 35th on IMDb's list of 100 most viewed Indian stars and ranked sixth in Eastern Eye's Top 50 Asian Stars.