TVK President C. Joseph Vijay at Loyola College on Monday. | Photo credit: R. RAGU
On May 4, 2026, a tsunami of sorts swept through the State of Tamil Nadu and one man rode the wave – C. Joseph Vijay. The actor, once known to his fans as ‘Illaya Thalapathy’ or the Young Commander, switched to the title of Thalapathy (Commander) a decade ago, a moniker apt enough as he led his people in one of the most historic political performances in India’s electoral history. In 2026, he was the hero of a feature film with the Dravidian duopoly and defeated them.
Born on June 22, 1974, into a family deeply rooted in the Tamil film industry (his father is the film director Chandrasekhar, his mother is the singer Shoba), Mr. Vijay grew up in the narrow streets of Kodambakkam in Chennai – the city in which he led a victory march almost half a century later. Starting with child roles, he went on to play lead roles and starred in about 70 films over a span of nearly 30 years, growing a huge fan base and becoming one of the highest paid actors in the country.
Published – May 5, 2026 01:21 IST
