Thalapathy Vijay’s rise from one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars to Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister marks a major new chapter in his public life. As he took charge of the state after his political debut, interest in the actor’s personal and professional background has also grown. At the centre of that story is his father, S. A. Chandrasekhar, a veteran filmmaker who played an important role in Vijay’s early entry into cinema. His mother, Shoba Chandrasekhar, is also associated with the industry as a singer and filmmaker, while several members of Vijay’s extended family have worked in films and television.
S. A. Chandrasekhar and Shoba Chandrasekhar’s role in Vijay’s initial career
S. A. Chandrasekhar popularly known as SAC has a long career as a director, producer and screenwriter. He has directed more than 70 films across Tamil and other Indian languages and was known for his work with actor Vijayakanth. Chandrasekhar also directed Vijay in several of his early films after introducing his son as a lead actor. Shoba Chandrasekhar, meanwhile, has worked as a playback singer, writer, and director. She is the sister of singer and dubbing artist S. N. Surendar and actress Sheela. Surendar’s son Viraj is an actor, while Sheela’s sons Sanjeev and Vikranth have also entered the entertainment industry. Vikranth, in particular, has built a career as an actor and is Vijay’s maternal cousin.
Thalapathy Vijay’s extended family has strong links to the Tamil film industry
The cinema connection continues on Vijay’s paternal side too. His aunt Vimala Rani is an entrepreneur and educationist, while her husband Xavier Britto is a businessman and film producer. Britto produced Vijay’s ‘Master’ and has been associated with several other Tamil films. Their daughter Sneha Britto has worked as a director and producer and is married to actor Akash Murali, son of late actor Murali. Vijay’s extended family therefore connects him to multiple generations of Tamil cinema. While some members have chosen to work behind the camera and others in front of it, Vijay has remained the most recognisable name in the family. His political transition has now added an entirely new dimension to a family legacy that was built largely around cinema.
Vijay’s film career remains a major part of his journeyLong before entering politics, Vijay established himself as a leading star through a career spanning more than three decades. His first film as the lead hero was ‘Naalaiya Theerpu’ in 1992, while he rose to fame with his role in ‘Poove Unakkaga.’ Some of his other films include ‘Kadhalukku Mariyadhai,’ ‘Thulladha Manamum Thullum,’ ‘Kushi,’ ‘Ghilli,’ ‘Pokkiri,’ ‘Kaththi,’ ‘Mersal,’ ‘Sarkar,’ ‘Bigil,’ ‘Beast,’ and ‘Leo.‘ Most of the films he acted in had social-political themes.With his last film ‘Jana Nayagan’ delivered successfully, Vijay’s journey now moves from the screen to the political stage, making his family’s long association with cinema an important part of the story behind the man entering public office.
