Who Is Vijay AKA Thalapathy?
Vijay as Thalapathy. A name fans use for Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, born in Chennai in 1974. You first saw him as a child actor in the 1980s, then as a lead from the early 1990s, building a career that spans over 30 years in Tamil cinema.
His rise through romantic hits, action films, and mass entertainers shaped Kollywood across generations. A household name that has stood for generations.
Although he will be stepping away from Kollywood to focus on politics, his influence on movies have and will continue to be celebrated, recognised and praised through his fans.
Vijay’s Best Movies Over 40 Years
Vijay has managed to portray various types of roles from a young age – ranging from untouchable heroes to morally grey anti-heroes. He has acted in every genre of film you can think of, and here are some of his most iconic works throughout his stellar 40 years in cinema.
1. Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997)
- Cast: You watch Vijay as Jeeva and Shalini as Mini, supported by Sivakumar, Srividya, and Manivannan
- Genre: You step into a romantic musical drama
“Innum ennai pidikkudha?“
You follow Jeeva, from an affluent Hindu family, and Mini, from a close-knit Christian household, as they fall in love and face firm resistance from both sides.
Notice how this film reshapes your view of Vijay, moving him away from loud heroics toward restraint, empathy, and emotional clarity.
This is the performance that earned him his first Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor, as his calm presence carries the film without overpowering those around him.
2. Pokkiri (2007)
- Cast: Vijay, Asin, Prakash Raj, Napoleon, Nassar, Vadivelu
- Genre: Action, crime thriller
“Oru mudivu eduthittaa, naan en vaarthaiyum kekka maatten.”
One of the finest romantic musical drama in Indian cinema.
You follow a Chennai underworld hitman whose violent work hides a deeper purpose tied to law enforcement. The story turns when his true identity surfaces, reframing every choice he makes and tightening the conflict with the city’s crime network.
You watch Vijay play a dual-layered role, shifting from street rogue to disciplined IPS officer without changing his core presence. The restraint, timing, and physical control in his performance connected strongly with audiences and helped make the film a long-running box-office success.
3. Jana Nayagan (2026)
- Cast: Vijay, Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju
- Genre: Tamil political action thriller
“Ungal adhikaaram makkalai kaakkaatti, adhu onnum illa.“
In Jana Nayagan watch Vijay play Vetri, an IPS officer pulled into a public fight where law, leadership, and conscience collide. The story keeps its focus tight, showing how one decision can shift a system without turning the film into a speech.
The tone stays symbolic and restrained, with a leader‑centric approach that lets actions carry weight instead of slogans. You see Vijay evolve here, choosing control over excess and intent over noise, signaling a clear step beyond routine star vehicles.
This film stands as your final moment with Vijay on screen before his full move into public life, and it reflects what the role means to him. You feel a personal handover, as if cinema gives way to service, with Jana Nayagan playing at TGV Cinemas on 9 January.
*UPDATE* The screening of Jana Nayagan has been postponed until further notice.
4. Thuppakki (2012)
- Cast: Vijay, Kajal Aggarwal, Vidyut Jammwal, Sathyan
- Genre: Action thriller
“Naan waitr pannuren.”
You follow Captain Jagadish Dhanapal, an Indian Army intelligence officer on leave in Mumbai, who uncovers a coordinated sleeper-cell operation after surviving a bombing.
It’s a tightly controlled narrative that favors strategy over spectacle, even when the scale widens across the city. The film keeps its focus on consequences, making each decision feel deliberate rather than impulsive.
You respond to Vijay’s performance because he plays power without noise, projecting calm authority instead of rage- a modern action hero shaped by discipline and clarity.
5. Ghilli (2004)
- Cast: Vijay, Trisha, Prakash Raj
- Genre: Action, Sports drama
“Kabaddi da!”
You follow Velu, a state-level kabaddi player, as he travels to Madurai for a match and ends up rescuing Dhanalakshmi from a violent power broker who wants to control her life. The story moves fast, mixing sport, romance, and pursuit without overcomplicating its goals.
You see this film mark a turning point where Vijay’s screen presence shifts into full mass appeal, blending athletic energy with emotional clarity. Audiences responded with repeat viewings, loud theatre reactions, and lasting affection, embracing the songs, confrontations, and the hero-villain dynamic as shared celebration rather than spectacle alone.
6. Kaththi (2014)
- Cast: Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Neil Nitin Mukesh
- Genre: Action drama
“Naanga ellaam saththiyamaa saapdurom… anna vivasaayam saagudhu.”
Watch a small-time thief step into the life of his lookalike, a jailed activist, and choose to fight for farmers whose water sources face corporate abuse.
Kaththi stays grounded in social issues while moving through courtroom pressure, public protest, and personal sacrifice.
Vijay carry dual roles with clear contrast, shifting from instinctive survival to quiet responsibility, and you feel the emotional weight without forced sentiment.
7. Mersal (2017)
- Cast: Vijay, Nithya Menen, S. J. Suryah, Kajal Aggarwal, Samantha Ruth Prabhu
- Genre: Tamil action thriller
“Maruthuvam panam kaaga illa… uyir kaaga irukkanum.”
You follow a story that moves between past and present, where a string of abductions exposes corruption in the healthcare system.
The plot links a compassionate doctor and a skilled magician, revealing how personal loss drives a fight against unethical practices.
Vijay take on triple roles with clear intent, using each character to serve a different moral and emotional purpose.
It’s pure versatility.
8. Leo (2023)
- Cast: Vijay, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun, Trisha
- Genre: Action thriller
“Nallavaa irundhaalum kettavaa irundhaalum, naan yaar aaganumnu naan dhaan mudivu pannuvaen.”
Leo places you in a quiet hill town before tearing away the calm. The story follows a café owner whose violent past resurfaces when dangerous men claim he is someone else, forcing him to protect his family at any cost.
The film keeps the plot tight and direct, relying on confrontations, buried memories, and moral choices rather than twists. Each turn pushes you closer to the truth behind Parthi and the name Leo.
9. Master (2021)
- Cast: Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Andrea Jeremiah, Arjun Das
- Genre: Action drama
“Vaathi coming!”
You follow JD, a troubled college professor sent to teach at a juvenile facility, where you watch him collide with a criminal network that exploits children.
The story keeps its focus tight on reform, responsibility, and the cost of looking away.
The film found strong commercial success despite a disrupted release window, and audiences responded to its mix of social themes, music, and star presence.
10. G.O.A.T (The Greatest of All Time) (2024)
- Cast: Vijay, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan, Jayaram, Ajmal Ameer
- Genre: Action thriller, science fiction
“GOAT mode on.”
You follow a former anti-terror squad leader who returns to the field when unfinished missions resurface and family wounds reopen.
The story moves between past and present, building toward a confrontation where loyalty, revenge, and identity collide.
You watch Vijay play dual shades with intent, using meta-casting to reflect his own legacy while revisiting familiar action-hero rhythms.
The film strengthens his public stature, reinforcing why your connection to his work continues to grow with each high-profile release.
