Vijay is an Indian actor and playback singer who is probably known for his starring roles in such movies as Kushi, Ghilli, Thuppakki, Kaththi, Theri, and Mersal. Vijay is commonly referred to by his fans and media as Thalapathy.
He is one of the most followed and the highest-paid actors in the South Indian entertainment industry. He has received three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, one Cosmopolitan Award, one India today Award, eight Vijay Awards, three Edison Awards, two Vikatan Awards
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Vijay Biography
Vijay was born on the 22nd of June 1974 in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India. He is currently 47 years old.
| Birth Name | Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar |
| Nickname | Vijay, Thalapathy |
| Date of Birth | June 22, 1974 |
| Place of Birth | Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Age | 47 years old |
| Sun Sign | Gemini |
| Profession | Actor, Playback Singer |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Indian (Tamil) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Residence | Saligramam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Family and Education
Vijay is the son of A. Chandrasekhar, a film director and Shoba, a playback singer and Carnatic vocalist. His sister Vidhya died when she was two years old.
He attended Fathima Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Kodambakkam and then Balalok Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Virugambakkam, Chennai. After completing schooling, he enrolled at Loyola College to study Visual Communications but eventually dropped out to focus on his acting career.
Vijay Wife and Kids
Vijay married Sangeetha Sornalingam on 25th August 1999. She is a Sri Lankan Tamil and they met in the UK while he was on a vacation. The couple has two children together, a son named Sanjay Vijay (Born 2000) and a daughter named Divya Vijay (Born – 2005). Both his children had made a cameo appearance along with him in movies like Vettaikaaran (2009) and Theri (2016).
Physical Statistics
| Height | Feet – 5 feet 9.5 inches Centimeters – 177 cm Meters – 1.77 m |
| Weight | Kilograms – 73 kg Pounds – 161 lbs |
| Body Build | Athletic |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Shoe Size | 10 (US) / 9.5 (UK) |
| Distinctive Features | Good Dancer and Singer Calm and Subtle Acting |
Professional Statistics
Debut Film
Vijay got his start in Kollywood as a child actor, playing cameos in his father’s movies. He was first seen in the 1984 film Vetri.
His first adult acting role came in 1992 with the film ‘Naalaiya Theerpu,’ which was directed by his father and produced and written by his mother.
Significant Works
The actor has been a part of several commercially successful films. His notable films include Poove Unakkaga (1996), Nerrukku Ner (1997), Kushi (2000), Ghilli (2004), Pokkiri (2007), Thuppakki (2012), Kaththi (2014), Theri (2016) and Mersal (2017).
Brand Endorsements
The actor has been a face of several brands such as Coco-Cola, Sunfeast, Chennai Super Kings (IPL franchise), Jos Alukkas and Tata Docomo.
Awards
- Kalaimaamani – 1998
- Honorary doctorate – Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute (2007)
- Tamil Nadu State Film Awards – 1997, 2002, 2005
- Vijay Awards – 2006, 2007, 2012 (3), 2013 (2), 2014
- South Indian International Movie Awards – 2016
- Edison Awards – 2011, 2012, 2016
- Behindwoods Gold Medals – 2014, 2016
Vijay Net Worth
The South Indian Film icon has an estimated net worth of $60 million dollars, according to the media. He charges Rs 80 crore upwards as salary per film. If reports are to be believed, he received a hefty paycheck of Rs 100 crore as remuneration for his upcoming project Beast. With that, he surpasses Rajinikanth to become the highest-paid Tamil actor.
Vijay is one of the highest-paid actors in India and enjoys lucrative endorsement deals. He lives in a luxury home in Kaveri Street, Saligramam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
He is an avid car lover and has an extensive collection of exotic cars such as BMW X5, Toyota Innova, BMW X6, Rolls Royce Phantom, Audi A8, and Mini Cooper S.
Favorite Things
- Actors – Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth
- Actress – Simran
- Food – Chicken Biryani
- Holiday Destination – London, Los Angeles
Social Media Portfolio
Being a popular artist in South India, Vijay has a cult fan following on social media. He converted his fans club into a social welfare organization known as Vijay Makkal Iyakkam. Follow him on:
- Facebook – ActorVijay
- Twitter – actorvijay
Vijay Facts
He is also referred to by Thalapathy by his fans, earned recognition with his roles in hit films like Poove Unakkaga (1996) and Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997).
Thalapthy has recently completed his 25 years in Tamil cinema and has never turned his back even after facing several failures at the box office during the early stage of his film career.
He started his career as a child artist and has appeared in more than 62 films in a career spanning more than 25 years.
He has never acted in other language films except Tamil.
Thalapathy started a social welfare organization Vijay Makkal Iyakkam which was officially launched at Pudukottai on 26 July 2009. It is responsible for much of his philanthropic work.
Vijay was supposed to feature in Dharani’s Dhool and Shankar’s Mudhalvan, but due to busy schedules, he wasn’t able to take up those offers.
He was honored with Doctorate by Dr. MGR University for his contribution to Tamil Cinema.
Vijay is the first actor in Kollywood to have his movies gross more than Rs 1 crore at the Chennai box office on its opening day.
He was ranked #28 and #49 on Forbes’ “Celebrity 100” list in 2012 and 2013.