By Easwaran Rutnam
The King of Tamil cinema Vijay officially ended his acting career with the launch of the audio from his last movie, Jana Nayagan, in Malaysia in front of thousands of his fans.
Vijay had decided to end his career as an actor after three decades, to focus on politics.
At the event Thalapathy Vijay spoke about the significance of Malaysia to Tamil cinema after Sri Lanka and why he decided to step down as an actor.
“For me, one thing matters. People come and stand in theatres for me. For that reason, I’m ready to stand for them for the next 30–33 years. For these Vijay fans, I’m stepping away from cinema….. I’ve faced every kind of criticism right from day one, the same old story. But my fans have stood by me from the very beginning, supporting me relentlessly for 33 years. That’s why, for the fans who stood for me, I will stand for them. This Vijay will repay his debt of gratitude,” Vijay was quoted as saying in Malaysia.
Videos shared on social media showed Vijay being escorted to the venue of the event in Malaysia under tight security.
He was welcomed by thousands of fans at the venue and he did not disappoint them.
The actor turned politician took a few minutes to dance for his fans before greeting them for one last time.
Vijay made his debut as a child actor in the Tamil film Vetri, produced by P. S. Veerappa in 1984 at the age of 10.
He then acted as a child actor in films such as Kudumbam (1984), Vasantha Raagam (1986), Sattam Oru Vilayaattu (1987) and Ithu Engal Neethi (1988). He also acted in a supporting role with Rajinikanth in Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), directed by his father.
In February 2024, Vijay announced that he would appear in only one more film, which will be his 69th and last as a lead actor, titled Jana Nayagan.
Also in February 2024, Vijay announced the launch of a new political outfit, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.
