New Delhi: On May 10, when actor and Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Joseph Vijay threw his hands open and raised his fist while taking oath as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the audience caught a glimpse of the theatrics that the state has long been familiar with.For nearly three decades, Vijay has occupied a unique space in Tamil Nadu’s public imagination. To millions of fans, he is a matinee idol with enormous box-office power. To the film industry, he is one of Tamil cinema’s last surviving mass superstars. But to political observers, Vijay has long appeared to be something else entirely. He was a man discreetly preparing for public life.With the launch of his political party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), that transition was no longer speculative. Defying opinion and exit polls, Vijay’s TVK won a stunning 108 seats in the state assembly elections with a vote share of 35%.Vijay’s political rise did not emerge overnight. It has been carefully staged over years, through films, symbolism, public interventions and sometimes, calculated silences.Born Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar in 1974 to film director S.A. Chandrasekhar and playback singer Shoba Chandrasekhar, Vijay entered cinema with the burden of expectation and the stigma of nepotism.In fact, when delivering a speech after taking oath as the Chief Minister, Vijay said he was born to an assistant director and was well aware of poverty and hunger.His early years in Tamil cinema were uneven. Films like Naalaiya Theerpu and Sendhoorapandi gave him visibility, but he was not initially viewed as a natural performer or future superstar. Critics often questioned his screen presence, dialogue delivery and dancing.Also read: ‘New Era of Real, Secular, Social Justice Starts Now,’ Vijay Says After Taking OathThe turning point came in 1996 with Poove Unakkaga, directed by Vikraman. The film transformed Vijay’s image completely. He became the soft-spoken romantic hero capable of carrying emotional dramas. A string of family-oriented hits followed, including Love Today, Kadhalukku Mariyadhai and Thulladha Manamum Thullum. By the late 1990s, Vijay had built a loyal youth and family audience.The next phase of his career was even more significant. Vijay gradually reinvented himself as an action star. The transition mirrored a familiar Tamil cinema formula where heroes move from romance to mass politics-inflected masculinity. Films like Thirumalai marked the beginning of that shift, but Ghilli in 2004 cemented it.Joseph Vijay in the film Ghilli. Photo: Screegrab of Youtube video.Ghilli was not merely a blockbuster. It established Vijay as a dominant commercial force. The swagger, punch dialogues, dance numbers and underdog heroism created the template that would define much of his career. Films like Pokkiri, Sivakasi, Thuppakki and Kaththi further strengthened his mass image. His fan clubs expanded rapidly across Tamil Nadu, functioning with an organisational discipline that resembled early political cadre networks.As Vijay’s stardom grew, so did the political messaging in his films. In 2009, around the time his fiftieth film Sura was released, Vijay began publicly signalling that he was not averse to politics.Tamil cinema has historically blurred the line between screen image and political ambition. From C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi to M.G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa, cinema has often acted as a political launchpad. Vijay appeared increasingly aware of that tradition.Joseph Vijay in Thalaivaa. Photo: Screengrab of Youtube video/MISHRI MOVIES.Films like Thalaivaa hinted at themes of reluctant leadership and public responsibility. The film itself ran into controversy before release, with political objections and protests delaying screenings in Tamil Nadu. The title, which translates to “leader”, and its storyline about an unwilling man stepping into public leadership added to speculation around Vijay’s own political ambitions. Vijay attempted to meet the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to facilitate the release and when the attempt failed, he released a video message appealing for the smooth release of the film.But it was Mersal and Sarkar that openly positioned Vijay in political territory.Mersal criticised aspects of the healthcare system and referenced policy failures under the Union government, triggering sharp reactions from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Around this period, Vijay increasingly began signing public statements as “Joseph Vijay”, a move many interpreted as a response to attacks from Hindutva groups and an assertion of identity. The controversy around GST and Digital India references in the film elevated Vijay into national political conversations. BJP functionaries publicly attacked the film, while supporters framed Vijay as a rare mainstream star willing to challenge the ruling establishment.Sarkar (2018) generated even greater political controversy. The film’s scenes on electoral malpractice and governance drew criticism from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government in Tamil Nadu. Ministers objected to certain sequences and demanded cuts. Protests erupted outside theatres. Instead of damaging Vijay politically, the controversies reinforced his image as an actor increasingly willing to confront authority.By then, it had become clear that Vijay’s political ambitions were not accidental.His fan clubs were gradually transformed into welfare-oriented organisations. Educational assistance programmes, blood donation drives and relief work helped maintain a grassroots presence beyond cinema.Certain public moments deepened this political perception.During the Marina protests in support of Jallikattu in 2017, Vijay made a careful political appearance. He visited the protest site wearing a mask, avoiding overt spectacle while still signalling solidarity with the largely youth-led movement. The gesture was widely interpreted as support for a broader assertion of Tamil identity and regional rights.Another defining moment came after the death of Anitha, the Dalit student from Ariyalur whose suicide became a rallying point against NEET. Vijay’s visit to Anitha’s family carried political symbolism far beyond a condolence gesture. In a state where cinema stars often avoid direct engagement with contentious policy debates, the visit signalled empathy with anti-NEET sentiment and wider anxieties about social justice and educational inequality.At the same time, Vijay maintained strategic ambiguity. He avoided directly entering electoral politics for years despite constant speculation. That caution distinguished him from actors like Rajinikanth, whose prolonged political teasing eventually weakened public momentum.When Vijay finally announced TVK in 2024, the timing appeared deliberate. Tamil Nadu’s political landscape had changed dramatically after the deaths of Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa.Vijay’s announcement suggested he believed the moment was finally favourable.His early political positioning has also been notable. Vijay has attempted to present himself as independent from both Dravidian majors and the BJP-led national alliance politics.Even when numbers were not immediately in his favour after his stunning and largely unexpected victory, Vijay chose to seek the support of the Left parties and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), rather than align with the AIADMK or the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). The decision appeared aimed at preserving TVK’s independent political identity instead of allowing it to be absorbed into older caste or alliance structures.Tamil Nadu politics is deeply organisational and historically resistant to outsiders without cadre strength. Cinema popularity alone no longer guarantees political success. Yet dismissing him would be premature. Few public figures in Tamil Nadu command the emotional reach Vijay possesses across class and regional lines.Yet contradictions within Vijay’s political positioning remain visible. His ministry reflects an uneasy ideological mix. CTR Nirmal Kumar, once associated with the BJP’s IT wing in Tamil Nadu before moving to the AIADMK and eventually joining TVK, remains a controversial presence. Other figures within the party like minister S. Keerthana have publicly praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past.Tamil Nadu chief minister Joseph Vijay pays tribute at Thanthai Periyar Memorial (Periyar Thidal) in Vepery, Chennai on May 10, 2026. Photo: PTI.Against this backdrop, Vijay’s visit to Periyar Thidal soon after assuming office carried layered political symbolism. Whether it represented a deeper ideological commitment to the Dravidian social justice tradition or a carefully staged reassurance to sceptical voters remains open to interpretation. Unlike many celebrities who flirt with politics rhetorically, Vijay appears to have spent a long time preparing his audience for this transition.That preparation has ultimately led him to Fort St. George. But whether it will help him retain power remains the larger question.One thing, however, is already clear: Vijay’s political story did not begin with the announcement of a party. It began long ago, in cinema halls where a star slowly rehearsed for power.