If you are helming a Vijay film, chances are you are a star director with a strong presence among the people. Take, for instance, Lokesh Kanagaraj, who once picked up a minor leg injury in an unreal fan frenzy at a theatre in Palakkad during Leo promotions. This does not happen even in relation to Mohanlal or Mammootty films. This begs the question: Why does Vijay have such a cult-like following in Kerala, even rivalling the local superstars?
According to Lesley, manager of Vanitha Theatre in Edappally, Kochi, Vijay’s stardom is a direct result of the quality of his films from the 1990s with “strong content,” such as Kadhalukku Mariyadhai and Thullatha Manamum Thullum. “Malayali audiences always appreciate such films. Vijay’s mass films came a few years later, and they took his popularity to another level,” Lesley adds. While the acceptance of Thullatha Manamum Thullum has often been cited as the biggest turning point in Vijay’s popularity in Kerala, the existence of his fan clubs predate the poignant love story. Anandhu Padikkal, president of Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam Kollam District Committee, says that Vijay fan clubs have been in existence since the mid-1990s, around the release of Poove Unakkaga. The association, also known as Kollam Nanbans, is situated in the same district featuring the largest Vijay cutout in India.
Quality and Star Power: The Box Office Drivers
Vijay’s increasing popularity in the 2000s has often been attributed to a lack of young stars in Malayalam cinema with the capability to deliver the type of mass films he championed back then. Vijay has a bigger fanbase in Kerala than Rajinikanth, says Linto Davis, owner of Vanitha Theatre, who attributes his popularity solely to the quality of the actor’s films. “Vijay’s films still drive a large number of viewers into the theatre on days one and two, as for Mohanlal or Mammootty’s films. However, if the quality of the film is bad, it does not matter how big a star you are or how large your fanbase may be,” Linto adds.
Like Linto, Anandhu also does not agree with the view about the lack of a young star allowing space for Vijay to step in and win over the Malayali audience. “It is not like an actor of Vijay's calibre needed that void to be able to gain a foothold in Kerala. Ultimately, it all depends on the quality of your films and acting. Vijay sir delivered on both counts,” shares Anandhu.
On whether the review culture affects the box office performance of Vijay films, Anandhu says, “It does not happen for the first two days, not for Vijay sir’s films. From then on, it depends on the quality of the films, as with Mohanlal or Mammootty films.”
Fan Associations: Beyond the Screen
According to Lesley, the audience for Vijay films now consists of youngsters and older family viewers, unlike the days of Pokkiri where the fanbase mostly comprised youth. “Mostly Kerala’s male audience, especially youngsters and Tamil film lovers, made films such as Pokkiri a big hit. On the other hand, nowadays, girls and older female family audiences come to watch Vijay films. I think the work of Vijay fans associations plays a big role in this trend,” says Lesley.
Addressing the shift in the dynamics between Vijay and his fans, Anandhu says, “Our welfare activities play a key part in that. During the COVID lockdown, we helped out-of-work theatre staff with a large sum of money. We have also helped some families build new homes and helped others with their marriage finances. This continues to reflect positively on Vijay and his films.” Now, is Vijay involved in all this? “No,” says Anandhu before adding, “But we keep him in the loop. His one condition is that we should not be in debt while doing such charity work. ‘Do well for the people but do not borrow money for it,’ he would often say.”
The rerelease market for older films has seen a significant shift in audience expectations, particularly regarding technical quality. Fans and general viewers now anticipate pristine, often remastered, versions of their beloved classics, making non-remastered prints a hard sell. This changing landscape directly impacts how exhibitors approach screening older films, as Lesley, manager of Vanitha Theatre, explains.
“We have seen a clear shift. Audiences today expect 4K remastered versions for rereleases. Showing an old print, even of a classic like Pokkiri, just does not cut it beyond the initial fan rush. They are used to a certain visual quality now, and anything less impacts the long-term collection. This explains why a film such as Chotta Mumbai has been successful even after its rerelease,” says Lesley. The theatre owner goes on to add, “We are going to screen Mersal on Vijay’s birthday because it does not require remastering. Unfortunately, this is not the case with older Vijay films.”
Addressing the complaints about the older films, Anandhu explains, “The trend of 4K rereleases has been around only for the last two years or so. Before that, the use of original theatre print was rare. We rereleased 55 Vijay films in theatres across Kerala on his birthday a few years ago. At the time, theatre owners were not hellbent on using the original content. We had the option of taking the films to the screeners on a pen drive or laptop. Now, only those films from the distributors are released again in theatres.”
Some of Vijay’s recent films such as Beast, Varisu, and GOAT have not done well in Kerala. GOAT, especially, failed to work because it “lacked the usual Vijay film elements that suit the tastes of the Malayali audience,” says Lesley.
What explains the underperformance of GOAT in Kerala? “As fans, we all enjoyed GOAT. For us, it is a Vijay film with a difference,” Anandhu shares with a sense of excitement in his voice. “However, I can understand where the exhibitors are coming from, and yes the film did not do as well as expected in Kerala. This is primarily because people found that it did not have enough action, songs and mass heroism. The difference for them was off putting. It is ironic in a way because these same audiences found Vijay films in the last few years to be of a similar pattern. When a film such as Leo or GOAT goes away from the pattern, it dissatisfies the same audiences.”
The 'Jana Nayagan' and Politics
There is a popular perception that Vijay’s films with politics do not do as well as his other films in Kerala. Anandhu agrees with this, citing Thalaivaa and more particularly Sarkar as examples. “I think that happens because Tamil Nadu politics do not resonate with our audience.” However, in the case of Vijay’s political entry and Jana Nayagan, it is a case of double edged sword. Lesley, for example, expresses optimism about the film doing well in Kerala as it is Vijay’s swansong and reportedly has elements primed for the actor’s political ambitions.
On the other hand, Jana Nayagan is set to mark Vijay's departure from cinema. While respecting the actor’s decision to foray into politics, Anandhu shares the collective disappointment of Vijay fans in Kerala with it. “It would have been fine if he had said that he would focus on his film career at the same time as politics. But there has been a sense of disappointment among fans in general now that he has quit acting and entered politics.”
On the other hand, the title Jana Nayagan has been well received in Kerala as opposed to Tamil Nadu, where people found it too generic. “It is an apt name for a Vijay film,” says Anandhu. After all, he has always been the 'Jana Nayagan', the hero of the masses.
