Years before Vijay's full-fledged political entry, director Vijay's Thalaivaa (2013) had stirred massive speculations on his interest to join the political game in Tamil Nadu, with the tagline 'Time To Lead' fuelling further curiosities. Controversies aside, the director has now clarified that Thalaivaa was "not a political film" and wondered why it was perceived to be so by the audience.
In a recent interview with Cinema Vikatan, Vijay said, "It is not a political film at all. That's what is shocking for us. The story is about a kingdom ruled by Sathyaraj's character. After him, Vijay takes the position and becomes the leader for the people. It's a non-political film. I am not sure how it was perceived as a political film, but it was amazing journey I had with Vijay sir."
The filmmaker further explained that the tagline 'Time to Lead' was given by his producer as he thought it would complement the title well.
Thalaivaa starred Amala Paul, Sathyaraj, Santhanam, Abhimanyu Singh, Ragini Nandwani, Nassar and Rajeev Pillai in prominent roles. It revolved around Vishwa (Vijay), a dancer who also who runs a small business. After finding out that his father Ramadurai (Sathyaraj), an underworld don is killed by an enemy, he takes up his position to take revenge against those who conspired against his father, leading to his death.
Despite the hype surrounding the movie, Thalaivaa's release was significantly delayed due to many controversies and eventually earned underwhelming reviews when it released. Reflecting on the film's response, Vijay shared an anecdote from the actor and underlined how people should decide the film's success and not situations. "We have been caught several times because of unfavourable situations. Looking at it, we shouldn't blame anyone. Instead, we should look into ourselves and see if we have put sincere efforts for it. I always never let success or failure affect me. Balancing it is tough and I am learning the art of it," he said.
Speaking about Vijay's entry into politics, Vijay underlined the need for good people to come into the game for the welfare of people. "I am very happy for Vijay sir. We are a democratic country. For a person like Vijay who has the ruling capacity, his entry into this is good for the people," he added.
The director is now focusing on documenting Ajith Kumar's life on the racing track as a feature-length film. It is set to explore his passion for sport and his achievements in the field.
