Vijay's first question after oath was for his father, says CM's mother Shoba
Vijay's mother looked back at the emotional moment that followed his swearing-in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the long journey that led there. The actor-politician is celebrating his 52nd birthday on June 22.
Sometimes, the biggest moments are marked by the simplest questions. Moments after taking oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in May this year, Vijay turned to his father, filmmaker SA Chandrasekhar, and asked, "Have I fulfilled your dream?" The actor-politician is celebrating his 52nd birthday today.
According to his mother, Shobha Chandrasekhar, Vijay's father responded with a quiet nod. Speaking in a recent interview, she recalled the emotional exchange and reflected on Vijay's long journey from cinema to politics, revealing that his father's political aspirations for him dated back nearly two decades.
Speaking to Thanthi TV, Shobha said SA Chandrasekhar had long seen politics in Vijay's future, dating back to the launch of the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam in 2009. She also opened up about the criticism, doubts and family struggles that marked his journey from superstar to the state's top political office.
Recalling Vijay's decision to contest elections, Shobha admitted that the family was initially anxious.
"We knew many had entered politics and failed. Others had aspired to become Chief Minister but couldn't achieve it. But after seeing Vijay's fan following across Tamil Nadu, we became confident that he had a real chance," she said.
She also spoke about the criticism Vijay received after entering politics, saying it reminded the family of the difficult days when he first stepped into the film industry.
"Our family felt hurt seeing the criticism directed at him. It was similar to what happened when he entered cinema. But Vijay remained silent through every phase of his journey. He accepted everything positively, and that ultimately led to his success," she said.
Shobha also revisited the brief family rift in 2020, when SA Chandrasekhar attempted to register Vijay Makkal Iyakkam as a political party without informing his son and actor Vijay. He had named himself as the party's general secretary and Shobha as its treasurer. Vijay publicly distanced himself from the move at the time, though the family later reconciled.
Six years later, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) scripted a remarkable political debut by winning 108 of the 234 Assembly seats and forming the government in its very first election.
Addressing speculation over whether Vijay would continue acting after entering politics, Shobha said the actor had always been certain about his path.
"Vijay was very clear that he would focus on only one field. From the beginning, it was either acting or politics," she said.
She added that years in the public eye had taught the family to live with rumours and speculation, which no longer affected them the way they once did.
Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister on May 10. While his transition from cinema to politics has remained under public scrutiny, Shobha's recollection offered a rare glimpse into the personal moment that, for the Chandrasekhar family, marked the fulfilment of a dream they had nurtured for nearly 20 years.
Meanwhile, Vijay is gearing up for the release of his 69th film, Jana Nayagan, helmed by H Vinoth.
Sometimes, the biggest moments are marked by the simplest questions. Moments after taking oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in May this year, Vijay turned to his father, filmmaker SA Chandrasekhar, and asked, "Have I fulfilled your dream?" The actor-politician is celebrating his 52nd birthday today.
According to his mother, Shobha Chandrasekhar, Vijay's father responded with a quiet nod. Speaking in a recent interview, she recalled the emotional exchange and reflected on Vijay's long journey from cinema to politics, revealing that his father's political aspirations for him dated back nearly two decades.
Speaking to Thanthi TV, Shobha said SA Chandrasekhar had long seen politics in Vijay's future, dating back to the launch of the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam in 2009. She also opened up about the criticism, doubts and family struggles that marked his journey from superstar to the state's top political office.
Recalling Vijay's decision to contest elections, Shobha admitted that the family was initially anxious.
"We knew many had entered politics and failed. Others had aspired to become Chief Minister but couldn't achieve it. But after seeing Vijay's fan following across Tamil Nadu, we became confident that he had a real chance," she said.
She also spoke about the criticism Vijay received after entering politics, saying it reminded the family of the difficult days when he first stepped into the film industry.
"Our family felt hurt seeing the criticism directed at him. It was similar to what happened when he entered cinema. But Vijay remained silent through every phase of his journey. He accepted everything positively, and that ultimately led to his success," she said.
Shobha also revisited the brief family rift in 2020, when SA Chandrasekhar attempted to register Vijay Makkal Iyakkam as a political party without informing his son and actor Vijay. He had named himself as the party's general secretary and Shobha as its treasurer. Vijay publicly distanced himself from the move at the time, though the family later reconciled.
Six years later, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) scripted a remarkable political debut by winning 108 of the 234 Assembly seats and forming the government in its very first election.
Addressing speculation over whether Vijay would continue acting after entering politics, Shobha said the actor had always been certain about his path.
"Vijay was very clear that he would focus on only one field. From the beginning, it was either acting or politics," she said.
She added that years in the public eye had taught the family to live with rumours and speculation, which no longer affected them the way they once did.
Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister on May 10. While his transition from cinema to politics has remained under public scrutiny, Shobha's recollection offered a rare glimpse into the personal moment that, for the Chandrasekhar family, marked the fulfilment of a dream they had nurtured for nearly 20 years.
Meanwhile, Vijay is gearing up for the release of his 69th film, Jana Nayagan, helmed by H Vinoth.
