Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, former actor and president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, C Joseph Vijay, is celebrating his 52nd birthday on Monday (June 22, 2026). Affectionately called ‘Thalapathy’ by his fans, Vijay was widely considered one of the most successful actors in Tamil cinema before he made his plunge into politics.

As a star who acted in 68 films, he enthralled millions of Tamil cinema fans in a career spanning almost four decades. After a few roles as a child actor in films directed by his father, SA Chandrasekhar, Vijay made his debut as a lead at the age of 18 in 1992’s Naalaiya Theerpu. The actor starred in several notable films in the late ‘90s, like Coimbatore Mappillai, Poove Unakkaga, Love Today, Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, Priyamudan, and Thullatha Manamum Thullum, to become a much-sought-after Tamil actor over the turn of the century.

Vijay continued acting in romance dramas in the early 2000s, like Kannukkul Nilavu, Kushi, Priyamaanavale and Shahjahan, before gradually transforming into an action hero much like his fellow contemporaries. It was, after all, the age of the angry young man in Tamil cinema. With action films like Thirumalai, Ghilli, Thirupaachi, Sivakasi, and Pokkiri becoming blockbusters, the sign was clear: a superstar was in the making.

Despite facing a few setbacks and flops in the late 2000s, Vijay made a roaring comeback with Nanban and Thuppakki in the early 2010s and went on to become a superstar of Tamil cinema, known for having fans across all age groups.

Currently, Vijay is at a crucial stage of his career, having announced his retirement from films — his yet-unreleased film with H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan, being his last — and having plunged into politics with his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.

At the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, TVK won the majority of seats to form the government. Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on May 10, 2026.

On his 52nd birthday today, here’s a collection of stories on Vijay.