India, March 30 -- Vijay is one of the biggest names in Tamil cinema, who was at the peak of his film career when he announced his plunge into politics.

Son of film director SA Chandrashekar and playback singer Shobha Chandrashekhar, Vijay, also known as Thalapathy (commander), is among the highest-paid actors in the Tamil industry. But in 2024, he did something probably only a few saw coming. He launched Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), a political party and made a bid to become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, India's southernmost state.

Tamil Nadu is scheduled to vote on April 23 to elect the state assembly members and the next person to head the state. And the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be Vijay's first direct foray into...