Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on May 7, 2026. Popularly known as Thalapathy Vijay, he was born on June 22, 1974, into a Catholic Christian family.
Following the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerged as the single-largest party but fell short of a simple majority. Discussions are going on with various parties to form the next state government.
Vijay founded the TVK on February 2, 2024, specifically aiming to contest the 2026 elections. His rapid rise to the top post in just over two years has been compared to the political journey of legendary matinee idol M. G. Ramachandran (MGR).
Stardom
Vijay’s journey from a child artist to a political leader followed a trajectory designed to build deep loyalty among the masses. He became one of Tamil cinema’s most consistent box office force. His films Leo (2023) and The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) (2024) grossed over ₹600 crore and ₹450 crore respectively, solidifying his status as a “Box Office King” before his political plunge.
For Vijay, film stardom has not just been a career but a carefully constructed springboard for his rise to the Chief Minister’s office in 2026. Unlike his contemporaries, Vijay’s stardom evolved into a powerful grassroots political network that has now successfully challenged the decades-old DMK-AIADMK duopoly.