Actor-producer Baiju Ezhupunna has acted with Vijay in the 2011 films Velayudham, directed by M Raja, and Kaavalan, directed by Siddique. Recently, Baiju spoke exclusively to The New Indian Express about the actor-Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's fans and his experience working with the superstar.
He said that the fans provide theatre staff with food and so forth when the actor's film releases. "The staff does not earn much salary. There are operators who earn less than 20,000 rupees even today. These operators have been around for a long time now."
Baiju Ezhupunna also said that Vijay fans help the old and impoverished with food and so forth with regard to the release of his films and otherwise. The actor added that Mammootty and Mohanlal fans also do such charity work, but Vijay fans are the best in this regard.
Baiju reminisced his time working with Vijay in Velayudham and Kaavalan as well. "When I did Velayudham and Kaavalan, fans in Tamil Nadu started to call me 'Win Star'. A superstar such as Vijay has never been beaten up in films, but in Kaavalan's climax, my character, Palani, thrash him. He is afraid of that character. That film became a big hit," Baiju said.
The actor also remembered a time when the leader of a group of Vijay fans recognised him from Kaavalan. "The leader said, 'He is our Win Star'. Since then, I have been having the support of these fans."
The actor added that some of the fans of the superstar in Kerala would support him and his film Koodothram. "Fans from 14 districts would assemble and organise an event in support of me and my film. After all, I inaugurated their charity programs," Baiju said.
