Irrespective of who is going to form the government in Tamil Nadu, actor-turned-politician Vijay has been ruling the headlines, as he has indeed created a frenzy, making even the apolitical politically charged. The 2026 Tamil Nadu State Assembly marks the debut elections for the Jana Nayagan actor and the leader of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Vijay, who contested two constituencies, namely, Trichy East and Perambur, is a contender in the chief ministerial race against DMK's MK Stalin and AIADMK's Edappadi K Palaniswami. The newbie politician has not only been leading in his constituencies, but his party has also been leading with about 40 per cent of votes calculated so far.
While fans and supporters have already been sharing posts and posters with the words "CM Vijay", did you know there was a time when Vijay turned down the chance to be the CM—even if it was just for a day? While this was not in real life, he was offered the chance onscreen.
When Shankar was done scripting Mudhalvan, his first choice for the film was Rajinikanth, followed by Vijay. Only when both turned down the offer did the film go to actor Arjun. The news was confirmed by Vijay during the audio launch of Nanban, his eventual collaboration with Shankar. At the audio launch, he conveyed his regret at missing the chance to star in Mudhalvan.
For the unversed, Mudhalvan tells the story of a reporter who seizes the chance to become a CM for a day. Having punished and arrested corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and even the actual CM, the reporter starts facing the consequences. In 2019, there were also speculations that Vijay and Shankar were set to join hands for Mudhalvan 2, but the project never took off.
With Vijay in the lead, his family, along with father SA Chandrasekhar and mother Shoba, are already seen rejoicing in his win. Meanwhile support for the actor is also pouring in from other actors like Sriman and Tiger Shroff.