When Vijay said he wanted to follow Rajinikanth’s path, then achieved what even Thalaivar couldn’t

Cinema Anatomy | From onscreen messiah to Tamil Nadu CM: The cinematic blueprint behind Vijay’s political ascent

When Rajinikanth almost entered politics

Prior to Vijay, one of the biggest names most anticipated to enter the political domain was “Superstar” Rajinikanth. Since the mid-1990s, speculation about his potential political entry has been rife, but he never made the plunge. In 2020, he even revealed that he was planning to launch a party soon, aiming to contest the 2021 Assembly elections. However, at the last minute, he cancelled that decision and announced that he would not enter electoral politics.

What’s intriguing here is Vijay himself once shared that if there’s anyone whose route he wished to follow, it’s Rajinikanth’s. A look at Vijay’s trajectory thus far shows that he not only followed in Rajinikanth’s footsteps and became one of the biggest names in show business, but also achieved what Rajinikanth himself couldn’t.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUPERSTAR @rajinikanth SIR. Wishing you good health and happiness in life always 🤗❤️ #HBDSuperstarRajinikanth pic.twitter.com/cIcbJin36A

— Vijay Fans Trends (@VijayFansTrends) December 11, 2020

What Vijay said about Rajinikanth

During a conversation with Sun TV in the 2000s, Vijay was asked about his favourite actor, and he replied, “The thing is… There’s not even a single actor I don’t like. I like everyone. There’s something to admire in everyone. However, we all would have a favourite, right? If there’s anyone whose path I wish to follow, that’s Rajinikanth’s.”

Although Vijay repeatedly stated during that era that he was a big admirer of the superstar, in the recent past, the two actors’ fans often clash on social media, trying to assert dominance. In fact, rumours of a rivalry and competition between them have been swirling for quite some time, even though the two aren’t contemporaries, and Vijay made his acting debut while Rajinikanth was already at the top of his game.

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Vijay-Rajinikanth ‘rivalry’

A speech Rajinikanth made at the audio launch of Jailer (2023), in which he shared a “crow-eagle” story, was also purportedly misinterpreted by many, who claimed he was taking jibes at Vijay. On a later occasion, Thalaivar clarified that his words were not aimed at Vijay.

“The story of a crow and an eagle was interpreted differently. On social media, many spread rumours saying it was against Vijay. It’s so disappointing. Vijay grew up in front of my eyes. During the shooting of Dharmathin Thalaivan (1988), he was just 13 years old and looked at me from upstairs. After the shooting, SA Chandrasekhar (Vijay’s father and noted filmmaker) introduced Vijay to me and said that he was interested in acting. He asked me to tell Vijay to concentrate on his studies first. I advised him to complete his schooling,” India Today quoted Rajinikanth as saying at the audio launch of Lal Salaam (2024).

He continued, “Vijay then became an actor, and now he’s at the top because of his discipline, hard work and talent. He is going into politics next. It’s sad to hear there’s competition between us. Vijay had said that he is his own competitor, and I have also stated the same. It’s disrespectful to say that we are each other’s competition. I’d request our fans not to compare.”

After Vijay’s win, Rajinikanth took to social media and congratulated Vijay. He wrote, “My congratulations to Thiru Vijay, President of the victorious Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, and to the members of his party, on their resounding victory in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections.”