Thalapathy Vijay is gearing up to bid farewell to cinema with ‘Jana Nayagan’, directed by H. Vinoth. Ahead of the release, ETimes readers can revisit some of Vijay’s most popular films that showcase the qualities that transformed him into one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars. If you are planning a Vijay marathon before ‘Jana Nayagan’, these films deserve to be on your watch list.
‘Kathi’
Released in 2014 and directed by AR Murugadoss, ‘Kathi’ remains one of the defining films of Vijay’s career. The actor appears in two roles and beyond his commercial entertainment, the film addresses issues affecting farmers, land acquisition and corruption. Another aspect of the film is Anirudh’s power packed music. After ‘Thuppakki,’ Ani gave another pulse pounding track in ‘Kathi,’ which is still one of the best goosebumps evoking scores ever made in Tollywood.
‘Thalaivaa’
Directed by AL Vijay, ‘Thalaivaa’ explores the journey of Vishwa, a man whose life changes after unexpected circumstances force him to accept leadership. The film balances action, emotional drama and family relationships while following the evolution of its central character. Apart from the action set pieces, Vijay performed in a raw and realistic style, compared to his other commercial films. The unique blend of drama and mass elements of ‘Thalaivaa, definitely makes it one of the fan favourites.
‘Mersal’
Now comes the most commercial flick ever made in Tollywood. “Mersal”.Atlee’s directorial, which released in 2017, featured Vijay in three different roles. The story combines action, emotion and humor while addressing issues connected to the health care system. The film also became popular due to its great visuals, chart-topping music and many unforgettable twists.From a pulse pounding trailer to the full-fledged film, ‘Mersal’ is surely a blueprint of what commercial cinema should be. Atlee knows how to present Vijay on screen with his complete charisma and style. The same tactics were applied in SRK’s ‘Jawan’, which received good reviews from the Hindi belt.
‘Sarkar’
Vijay is reuniting with AR Murugadoss for ‘Sarkar’, a political action drama centered on elections, governance and the power of ordinary citizens. The actor portrays a successful businessman who unexpectedly finds himself challenging the entire political system.While ‘Sarkar’ is often regarded as the weakest film of the AR Murugadoss-Vijay collaboration, it still delivers a relevant message about the importance of voting responsibly.