Thalapathy Vijay's father SA Chandrasekhar says his son chooses service over money: ‘All he wants is to serve the people of Tamil Nadu’

Thalapathy Vijay praises son

Filmmaker SA Chandrasekhar, father of actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay, recently shared some heartfelt thoughts about his son’s journey in both cinema and politics.

Speaking at a Behindwoods event in Chennai, Chandrasekhar said that his son Vijay has chosen a path guided by purpose and social consciousness, even if it meant earning less money than he could have as a full-time actor.

When he began talking about Vijay, the audience’s cheers were so loud that Chandrasekhar paused to let them settle. “My son Vijay…in general, money isn’t the only thing in life. He can easily act and earn a lot of money. I am talking about your TVK leader. But instead, all he wants to do is serve the people of Tamil Nadu. With this thought in his mind…there might be many reasons for it,” he said, painting a picture of a man driven by more than fame or fortune.

Chandrasekhar also drew a parallel between Vijay and the late actor-turned-politician Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (MGR), suggesting that the films an actor chooses can plant seeds of social awareness.

“Some of the films he acted in might also be the reason. They sow seeds in an actor’s heart. MGR acted in such films and became a leader. Likewise, in this generation, he did many films which instilled social consciousness within him,” he said, showing how cinema can shape not just audiences, but the actors themselves.

He credited director AR Murugadoss for being a major influence on Vijay’s path.

Chandrasekhar recalled that Murugadoss was the only filmmaker to whom Vijay ever showed real emotion during script narrations.

“In the beginning of his career, I would join Vijay when he would listen to stories. Vijay would silently enjoy it without saying a word. But after Thuppaki’s (2012) first narration, he hugged Murugadoss.

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“The film is a cult today because of that screenplay,” Chandrasekhar said, highlighting a pivotal moment in his son’s career.

Vijay, who last appeared in Venkat Prabhu’s 2024 film The GOAT, is now preparing to step away from films and enter politics.

Fans will still get one last cinematic experience with his upcoming film, H Vinoth’s Jana Nayagan, which is set to release in theatres on January 9, 2026, during Pongal.