Back in February 2025, when Vijay announced his political entry, fans seldom expected that announcement to be the first step towards his last film in his much-celebrated career. Within seven months, when Thalapathy 69 was announced, audiences had finally received the final blow—the film's release would be the last time they could cheer for their hero on the big screens in a new film.
Ever since that announcement, the character arc of Vijay from a star to the chief minister is almost like a film of its own, with some scenes perhaps taken from the actor's own Sarkar. While Jana Nayagan itself has gone through a tumultuous journey from the announcement on September 14, 2024, leading to its release on July 23, 2026, the actor-turned-chief minister's journey from Naalaiya Theerpu to his swansong has not been any less turbulent.
While star culture is not new to Tamil cinema, Vijay was always a step ahead as a star by building one of the most loyal fan bases in Indian cinema. The actor has remained at the top of the industry for over three decades, but it didn't come without failures, criticism and constant scrutiny. With two days left for Jana Nayagan to open in theatres, we trace his journey from filmmaker's son into one of Indian cinema's biggest stars before leading him to Fort St George.
How did it all start?
If Vijay sought a career in films, it was indeed because of his father, director SA Chandrasekhar. As per many reports, SAC first recognised Vijay's potential as an actor when he saw him recreating a scene from Rajinikanth's Annamalai. After a stint as a child actor in six films spanning from 1984 to 88, Vijay made his debut as a lead with his father's Naalaiya Theerpu in 1992.
With negative reviews, the film didn't witness much success back then at the box office. However, Cinema Express identified the talent in the actor and awarded him Best New Face Actor 34 years ago. Then, his films like Senthoorapandi and Rasigan enabled him to gain some visibility. With the latter, he not only made his debut as a singer under Deva's composition but also gave him the title 'Ilayathalapathy', an epithet that has now become his identity. Yet, true success remained elusive.
The first breakthrough
While Vijay, as we know him today, is a commercial hero, when his first breakthrough came, it established him as a dependable romantic hero. It started with Poove Unakkaga (1996), which came after a string of average films. The actor quickly followed it up with more successful outings like Love Today, Nerrukku Ner, Once More and Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, which was the film that gave him his Kalaimamani Award.
Up until 2001, Vijay played the field as the charming romantic with a range of films, including Ninathen Vandhai, Priyamudan, Thulladha Mananum Thullum, Kushi, Priyamaanavale, Friends, Badri and Shahjahan. Additionally, his stint as the brand ambassador of Coca-Cola also reflected his growing commercial appeal.
The rise of the commercial hero
Vijay's Thamizhan, Youth, Bhagavathi, and Vaseegara kept the momentum going for the actor. But in 2003, Thirumalai marked a major shift in his career, transforming him from a romantic hero into a full-fledged mass action star.
And yet, immediately after, the actor faced a setback with Udhaya, only to bounce back with Ghilli (2004), which was not only the biggest hit of his career then but also broke records during its re-release after 20 years. After the seeds were successfully sown, Thirupaachi, Sachin and Sivakasi only helped deeply root his position as one of Kollywood's leading commercial stars.
The string of setbacks
In 2007, Pokkiri was yet another feather to Vijay's cap. But Azhagiya Tamil Magan, which came out the same year, underperformed. As he neared his 50th film, Vijay faced back-to-back failure with Kuruvi, Villu, and Vettaikaaran, with his landmark half-century turning out to be his most-criticised film to date, Sura. From 2008 to 2010, the actor went through a very run-of-the-mill stage in his career, where he faced severe criticisms for his film choices.
The comeback king
Despite failures, Vijay only staged a mightier comeback. Kaavalan ended his slump, and Velayudham restored commercial success. But his resurgence came full circle only in 2012, with an experimental role in Nanban and a much-celebrated mass commercial role in Thuppakki. The latter, helmed by AR Murugadoss, not only scored him a hit but also reinvented his image as a stylish and mature action star. It helped him reset his career.
The blockbuster machine
For a period of six years between 2013 and 2019, Vijay's films became events. Thalaivaa, which came immediately after Thuppakki, was a film with potential and positive reviews but ended up with an underwhelming performance at the box office due to controversies surrounding its release. Kaththi, the actor's reunion with Murugadoss, eventually restored his winning streak.
Puli, Vijay's experimental film for children, failed, but the actor bounced back with Theri, helmed by Atlee, with whom he went on to collaborate more than once. Then came Bairavaa, which disappointed, but the actor made up for it with Mersal, Sarkar, and Bigil in three consecutive years. While Mersal refined his title to become 'Thalapathy'. Bigil established him as one of Tamil cinema's biggest bankable stars.
During this phase, his onscreen characters and audio launch speeches also slowly began nurturing his political image, fuelling speculation about his future and eventually helping him in his ambitious political career. This phase made it clear that even when some films received mixed reviews, Vijay consistently broke his own collection records.
The road to Jana Nayagan
When Vijay's momentum was unmatched, the pandemic came to derail it. Even then, Vijay's Master created history in 2021, as it was one of the first films to release amidst social distancing and theatres being advised to have only half occupancy. Yet, the film, which marked Vijay's first collaboration with Lokesh Kanagaraj, was one of his first grey roles, with references to the actor's JD still ruling the internet.
Following the pandemic, Vijay proved to be bankable even after the world's economic setback, given that despite the criticism faced by both Beast and Varisu, both films were commercial hits. Then, Leo, Vijay's second collaboration with Lokesh, and Venkat Prabhu's The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) defied expectations. While the former faced the second half curse, the latter faced disappointment over failing to be a trademark Venkat Prabhu entertainer. Yet again, both films ruled the box office.
Just days after GOAT's release, Vijay's Thalapathy 69, now Jana Nayagan, was announced, marking the curtain call for the actor's career. From there, the film faced a release postponement due to censorship issues and a piracy leak, leading to its release arriving well after Vijay has taken charge as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
One last dance
When it was leaked online, some of those who watched it illegally found Jana Nayagan underwhelming. Yet, booking apps are malfunctioning once again this week, as fans struggle to find tickets for the first-day shows of the film. Irrespective of success or failure, Vijay had a successful market, which he knowingly left behind to pursue a career as a state's leader. While his script choices may have been questionable several times over the years, there's no doubt the actor was constantly taking the effort to reinvent himself.
Now that the star has chosen another stage, for his fans, who have now become his political and ideological followers, Jana Nayagan is not just another Friday release—it is the last first day, first show they will celebrate with their Thalapathy.