Film Star Vijay Thalapathy Sworn In as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

TLDR: Actor-turned-politician C Joseph Vijay has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Image Source: BBC UK

Path to Victory

The path to the Chief Minister’s office was not without challenges. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar initially refused to invite Vijay to form the government, demanding proof of majority support. It took four meetings over several days before Vijay finally received the appointment letter on Saturday night.

The oath-taking ceremony was held on Sunday morning at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium under tight security.

Nine ministers were sworn in alongside Vijay, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and numerous film personalities attending the event.

A Political Phenomenon

Known as “Thalapathy” (Commander) Vijay, the actor has appeared in 69 films and ranks among India’s highest-paid stars.

His political rise mirrors that of MG Ramachandran, another film icon who became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1977.

After launching TVK in 2024, Vijay announced his retirement from films to focus on politics full-time, despite having no prior political experience.