- 11 minutes ago
The Axis My India exit poll projected a massive victory for Tamil superstar Vijay's newly formed political party TVK in the just concluded Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
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00:00Hello and welcome. You're joining us on the special broadcast on India Today.
00:04I'm Akshita Nanda Gopal and the focus, the man of the match, the man of the moment is Talapati Vijay.
00:10Tamil Nadu's political script seems to be changing and it's all focused on one person, on Joseph Vijay.
00:17Superstar to perhaps superneta.
00:20With 2026, the political battle shaping up to be all about the Vijay factor,
00:25we take a look at the Access My India exit poll numbers which has said that TVK, Vijay's party, will
00:32be the single largest party.
00:34And that's what's led to all of the speculation on whether a superstar is now stepping into the political fray
00:41with a dramatic entry with a first day first show.
00:49What once sounded like speculation is now looking like reality.
00:56Tamil Nadu could be heading for a political earthquake in 2026.
01:00For the first time in 70 years, the iron grip of the DMK-AIDMK duopoly is under serious threat.
01:08And at the centre of it all is Talapati Vijay.
01:13Why? Because Access My India has come up with an explosive projection.
01:18A projection that paints a stunning picture.
01:21It has given DMK plus 92 to 110 seats.
01:26Vijay's party, TVK, a surging 98 to 120.
01:31AIDMK is trailing far behind at just 22 to 32.
01:37The vote share tells the same story.
01:40Both TVK and DMK locked at 35% vote share.
01:44And AIDMK at 23% vote share.
01:48There's also another headline.
01:50Vijay emerging as the most preferred Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at 37%.
01:55With MK Stalin at 35% and AIDMK General Secretary EPS 22%.
02:02The projections are here.
02:05And it is clearly going to be a neck and neck battle between the TVK and the DMK.
02:09This leaves us with a question.
02:12Is a fractured mandate and a massive twist on cards.
02:17Going by these numbers, Vijay may not just be the kingmaker, but could actually be the king.
02:24But it's not a clean sweep across both.
02:27While AXIS MyIndia has put TVK ahead, other surveys still back DMK return.
02:33One survey even points to a sharply different outcome.
02:37With AIDMK win in Tamil Nadu.
02:43From real to real Janan Igan, Vijay is no longer a newbie.
02:48He's here and he's here to shape outcomes.
02:51And 2026 could be his ultimate blockbuster.
02:57Bureau Report, India Today.
03:03With Vijay gearing up for his last bow on the big screen with Janan Igan,
03:10the film has reportedly locked its much-awaited release date.
03:13There have been several hurdles.
03:15The excitement, however, around Janan Igan remains intact.
03:18So while he's all set to focus on politics,
03:23the question of Janan Igan's release is finally being addressed.
03:46The spotlight dims, the crowd holds its breath,
03:49and a legend prepares to take his final bow.
03:52It's a nice woodropline.
04:00Halapati Vijay's swan song, Janan Igan,
04:04isn't just another big-ticket relief.
04:06It's an emotional farewell.
04:20After a prolonged tussle with the censor board,
04:23the much-anticipated political action drama
04:25has finally locked its release date.
04:45The film is now set to hit theatres worldwide on May 8, 2026,
04:49with an official confirmation expected soon.
04:58Backed by KVN Productions,
05:00Janan Igan has been under intense spotlight for months.
05:21In fact, its significance goes far beyond its cinematic scale,
05:26as it represents a pivotal turning point in Vijay's life and career.
05:40However, the journey has not been without hurdles,
05:43including a recent leak of the film online,
05:46posing a potential threat to its box office performance.
06:01Interestingly, the film's release comes right after the Tamil Nadu election results,
06:06adding a compelling real-world dimension to its reception.
06:10The overlap of real and real life, therefore,
06:13makes this release uniquely significant.
06:21Directed by H. Vinot,
06:23the film features Vijay as a former police officer,
06:26with Bobby Deol stepping in as the antagonist,
06:29and Pooja Hegadeh as the female lead.
06:34The ensemble cast further includes Mamata Behju,
06:37Gautam Vasudev Menon,
06:39Prakash Raj, Priyamani,
06:41and Narayan, among others,
06:43promising a layered and engaging narrative.
06:51Originally slated for a Pongal 2026 release,
06:55Janan Ayagan had to be post-polled,
06:57despite reportedly achieving over 100 crore rupees in advance booking.
07:23Meanwhile, Vijay was last seen in Venkat Prabhu's
07:26The Greatest of All Time,
07:28a high-octane spy action thriller that saw him in dual roles.
07:34Despite mixed critical reviews,
07:36the film went on to become a major commercial success,
07:39reportedly earning over 400 crore rupees worldwide
07:42on a production budget of 380 crore.
08:04A superstar who's ruled the silver screen
08:07as a beloved Abhineta as an actor
08:10has now stepped into a far more consequential role
08:13that of a politician.
08:14Vijayan's transition isn't just about ambition,
08:17it reflects determination, purpose,
08:19and a deep-rooted connect with people
08:22that extends well beyond cinema halls.
08:25Here's a special report on Talapati's evolution.
08:28The real to real-world Jalan Ayagan.
08:38Back in 2018,
08:40Tamil Nadu's biggest superstar
08:42walked onto a movie screen
08:48and played a man who decided
08:51enough is enough.
08:53It's time to take on the Sarkar.
08:57The film was called Sarkar.
09:02And the people went absolutely wild.
09:19Fast-forward to today.
09:23And life is imitating art
09:25in the most extraordinary way.
09:38For three decades,
09:41Vijay, born as Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar,
09:44has been nothing short of a phenomenon
09:46in Tamil cinema.
09:49He grew up in a home
09:51where cinema was not just a profession.
09:54And in these 30-plus years,
09:57Vijay has acted in at least 69 films
10:00and has delivered blockbusters
10:03like Gilly, Tupaki, Mursal, and Master.
10:09Vijay is regarded as one of contemporary
10:11South Indian cinema's biggest stars,
10:14popularly referred to as Talapati,
10:17which means commander by fans.
10:22In 2021, Vijay's fan club
10:25successfully contested local body elections
10:28in Tamil Nadu for the very first time.
10:31The organization won 115
10:32of the 169 seats it contested.
10:36A quiet but clear signal
10:39that the fan base could translate into woes
10:42and could even compel an Abhineta
10:45to turn into full-time Neta.
10:49In February 2024,
10:52Vijay formally announced
10:53the formation of his political party,
10:56Tamil Raga Vetri Karagam,
10:58declaring it would contest
11:00the 2026 elections.
11:04During his party's first major conference
11:07in 2024,
11:08Vijay declared the BJP
11:10as his party's ideological opponent.
11:12and the DMK
11:14as its political adversary.
11:27The man who once played heroes on screen
11:30was now picking real enemies.
11:33And conference after conference,
11:35Vijay sharpened his attacks
11:37on CM MK Stalin
11:39and the ruling DMK.
11:44But just like a cinematic twist,
11:46on September 27, 2025,
11:50everything changed.
11:52Thousands of men,
11:54women and children
11:55gathered in Karoor district,
11:58hoping to catch a glimpse of Vijay.
12:00As excitement peaked,
12:03overcrowding,
12:04poor crowd control
12:05and confusion
12:07led to a deadly stampede,
12:10resulting in 41 deaths.
12:16Cops then blamed
12:18the TVK's leadership
12:19for the tragedy.
12:21After four days of silence,
12:24Vijay reappeared
12:25to apologise,
12:27but also to blame
12:28the Stalin government,
12:30alleging attempts
12:32to sabotage
12:33TVK's growth.
12:36Vijay sought a CBI inquiry himself
12:39and faced
12:40the investigators
12:42fiercely.
12:44And just when Vijay thought
12:45it was the end
12:46and all the political drama
12:48was over,
12:50his film
12:50Jananayagan,
12:51a triumphant
12:53cinematic goodbye
12:54before a full-time
12:55political career
12:56came in the eye
12:58of the storm.
13:01But Vijay seems
13:03to be unstoppable.
13:04In a high-stakes
13:05political gamble,
13:06he has decided
13:07to contest
13:08from not one
13:09but two constituencies,
13:12Perambur
13:13and Trichy East,
13:15both
13:16DMK bastions.
13:18I am
13:21coming.
13:22From whistles
13:23on the silver screen
13:24to a whistle-poured moment
13:26in politics,
13:28can he deliver
13:29a blockbuster
13:30and rise like a real
13:33Jananayagan here?
13:38Vidasta Bharadwaj,
13:40Bureau Report,
13:41India Today.
13:45So before making
13:46his entry into politics,
13:48Vijay had already
13:48donned the hat
13:49of people's representative
13:50on the big screen.
13:52Here's how
13:53Vijay wooed his fans
13:55endless number of times
13:57as their leader,
13:58as their talapati
13:59in films.
14:14Talapati Vijay,
14:15also known as
14:16Makkal Talapati,
14:17which actually
14:18translates to
14:18People's Leader,
14:19is finally taking
14:21the plunge
14:21and begin his innings
14:22as a politician.
14:23His intention
14:24towards serving
14:25the public
14:25has been quite evident
14:27even through
14:27his film choices,
14:29wherein he time
14:30and again
14:30fought bad guys,
14:31corrupt politicians
14:32and emerged
14:33as a righteous hero.
14:35The case in point?
14:41The dance team
14:42will join us.
14:43Dance is a custom,
14:44bro.
14:45What is it,
14:45bro?
14:46You're dancing.
14:48You're dancing.
14:48Saliva witnessed
14:49Vijay as a leader
14:51who steps into
14:51the shoes of his father
14:52to take down
14:53his arjenemy Bhima,
14:55who with the help
14:56of corrupt
14:56chief minister
14:57initiates riots
14:58in Mumbai,
14:59leading to several
15:00casualties.
15:06Directed by
15:07A.L. Vijay,
15:07the film for its content
15:09was opposed
15:09by the ruling
15:10AIDMK
15:11as insisted
15:12by then
15:12chief minister
15:13Jai Jailalata,
15:14thus impacting
15:15its box office number.
15:16Haliva, however,
15:17was widely
15:18appreciated overseas.
15:33Jailalata, in 2014,
15:36Jailalata, in 2014,
15:36was different
15:37from his role
15:37in Talaiva.
15:38In fact,
15:39in this film,
15:40Talapati Vijay's character,
15:41Shakti,
15:42goes through
15:42a 360-degree time.
15:43Yes,
15:45from being an adopted
15:46son of a gangster
15:47who hated
15:47the khaki uniform
15:48to becoming
15:49an IPS officer
15:50for a selfish motive.
15:52That is,
15:53to save his father,
15:54Sivan,
15:55a role essayed
15:56by Mohan Laat
15:57and his syndicate
15:58to wreck
15:58havoc in the city.
16:13To finally
16:14having an eye-opener
16:15of a moment
16:16to follow the path
16:17of an honest
16:18police officer.
16:19Jila is one
16:20rollercoaster ride
16:21and Talapati Vijay
16:22ensures to fight
16:23against a minister
16:24in this
16:24R.T. Nisan
16:25directorate.
16:50Directed by
16:51A.R. Murgadams.
16:53Kathi featured
16:54Talapati in dual roles
16:55as Kathi Resan
16:56and Jivanandam.
17:07While Kathi
17:08was a small thief,
17:09Jiva, on the other hand,
17:10led a group
17:11of rebellion farmers
17:12to protest
17:13against an entrepreneur
17:14who had exploited
17:15the water resources
17:16of their village.
17:23This action drama
17:24marked the second
17:25collaboration
17:26between Murgados
17:27and Talapati Vijay
17:28after Tupak.
17:47Helmed by Atli,
17:48Theriv was
17:49Talapati's
17:50yet another battle
17:50against corruption
17:51and the ministers
17:52ruling the system.
17:54It was a story
17:55of an unbiased,
17:56honest DCP
17:57Vijay Kumar
17:57essayed by the actor.
17:59He was fierce
18:00but due to sudden
18:01turn-off events
18:02had to leave his job
18:03and hide his identity
18:04for the sake of his daughter.
18:11However,
18:12as time went by
18:13his core enemy,
18:14the minister
18:15learns about him
18:16and orchestrates
18:18an accident
18:18to kill Vijay's daughter.
18:20There starts
18:21the resurrection
18:22of Talapati's
18:23old self
18:23as he kills
18:24as he kills
18:25the politician
18:25and re-employs him
18:26into the police force
18:27to keep serving justice.
18:50after emerging as one true leader
18:53in all these films,
18:54he finally portrayed the role
18:55of a politician
18:56in Sarkar,
18:57a role
18:58which he's now set
18:59to take on
19:00beyond the screen
19:01as well in real life.
19:05About this 2018 release,
19:07it was the third collaboration
19:09between A.R. Murgados
19:10and Talapati.
19:11The film followed
19:13the story
19:13of a corporate raider
19:14named Sundar Ramaswamy
19:16who contests
19:17as a non-partisan politician
19:19in the elections
19:19amid several attempts
19:21made on his life
19:21and reputation
19:22to raise awareness
19:24against electoral fraud.
19:30With Yanisha Malik,
19:31Entertainment Bureau,
19:32India Today.
19:38Cinema,
19:39politics
19:40go hand in hand,
19:41particularly in Tamil Nadu.
19:42There have been
19:43so many actors
19:44who have pursued
19:45a political career.
19:46It's not new at all
19:47in Tamil Nadu.
19:48There have been
19:49success stories,
19:50there have been
19:50political flops.
19:51as well.
19:52So let's give you
19:53a lowdown on how
19:53A-listers in southern cinema,
19:55think Kamal Haasan,
19:56Jai Lalita,
19:57MGR,
19:58Shivaji Ganeshan,
19:59all of them
20:00took a plunge
20:00into politics.
20:04It's true that
20:05politics and
20:06southern cinema
20:07have had
20:08a symbiotic relationship.
20:10From the iconic
20:11M.G. Ramachandran
20:13to the magnetic
20:14Nandamuri Taraka
20:15Rama Rao,
20:16the connection
20:16between fame,
20:18cinema and politics
20:19remains a
20:20captivating narrative.
20:23Jiranjeevi or
20:24the mega star
20:25as he's known
20:26kick-started his
20:27acting journey
20:27with Puna Dhiralu
20:29but it was
20:30Pranam Khareed
20:31that marked
20:32his initial foray
20:33into the
20:33cinematic world.
20:36Notably,
20:37the period
20:37between 2007
20:38and 2017
20:39witnessed a
20:41hiatus
20:41from films
20:42and he
20:43ventured
20:43into the
20:44realm of
20:44politics.
20:47politics.
20:48However,
20:49during his
20:49tenure,
20:50Jiranjeevi made
20:51two cameo
20:52appearances
20:52in Maghadira
20:53and Bruce Lee
20:54the fighter.
20:57The political
20:59landscape saw a
21:00significant shift
21:01in 2008
21:02when he started
21:03his Praja Rajyam
21:04party in
21:05Andhra Pradesh.
21:06Adding another
21:08dimension to his
21:09multifaceted career,
21:10he served
21:11as the
21:12Minister of
21:12Tourism
21:13from October
21:142012
21:14to May
21:152014.
21:19MGR
21:22MGR,
21:23the legendary
21:24figure,
21:24wore multiple
21:25hats with
21:26flair
21:31from being
21:33a beloved
21:33Indian actor
21:34to a filmmaker
21:35who on his
21:36own terms
21:37ventured
21:38into the
21:38political
21:39arena.
21:40The veteran
21:41actor was
21:42sworn in
21:43as the
21:43Chief Minister
21:44of Tamil Nadu
21:45in 1977
21:46and except
21:47for a
21:48four-month
21:49interregnum
21:49in 1980,
21:51he remained
21:51Chief Minister
21:52until his
21:53death in
21:541987.
21:56Such was
21:57his popularity
21:58among the
21:58people of
21:59Tamil Nadu
22:00that he
22:00earned the
22:01enduring
22:02title of
22:03Makkal
22:03Tilagam
22:04which means
22:04People's
22:05King.
22:07Kamal
22:07Hassan
22:09Kamal
22:10Hassan,
22:11the enigmatic
22:12icon of
22:12the South
22:13commands reverence
22:14across the
22:15nation.
22:15In 2018,
22:17he unfurled
22:18his own
22:18political
22:18party
22:19Makkal
22:20Needy
22:20Mayam
22:20where he
22:21serves as
22:22the
22:22president.
22:24with over
22:26200 films
22:27to his
22:27credit,
22:28Kamal
22:28Hassan
22:28achieved
22:29the
22:29remarkable
22:29feat
22:30of
22:30completing
22:31six
22:31decades
22:32in
22:32the
22:32industry
22:33in
22:332019,
22:34a
22:35distinction
22:35shared
22:36by only
22:36a select
22:37few
22:38in the
22:38Indian
22:38film
22:39fraternity.
22:42His
22:43versatile
22:43maestro
22:44has also
22:45raised
22:45screens
22:46in
22:46Telugu,
22:47Malayalam,
22:48Kannada,
22:49Hindi and
22:50Bengali films
22:50showcasing
22:51his
22:52pan-Indian
22:52cinematic
22:53prowess.
22:58Jairam
22:58Jailalita
23:08Shifting gears
23:09from a
23:09flourishing
23:10film career,
23:11the late
23:11chief minister
23:12of Tamil Nadu
23:13seamlessly
23:14ventured
23:15into politics
23:16after leaving
23:17her cinematic
23:17imprint
23:18with films
23:19from
23:191961
23:20to
23:211980.
23:24Following
23:25the
23:25influential
23:25footsteps
23:26of
23:27her
23:27mentor
23:27MGR,
23:28Jailalita
23:29joined
23:29AIA-DMK
23:30in
23:311982.
23:32A remarkable
23:33milestone
23:34awaited her
23:34in
23:351991
23:35when she
23:36became
23:37the youngest
23:37chief
23:38minister
23:38of
23:39Tamil Nadu.
23:40Her
23:40political
23:40journey
23:41continued
23:41with
23:42Jailalita
23:43serving
23:43as
23:43the
23:44chief
23:44minister
23:44for
23:45more
23:45than
23:4514
23:46years,
23:46spanning
23:47six
23:47impactful
23:48terms
23:48between
23:491991
23:50and
23:502016.
23:52NTR
23:55Beyond
23:55his stellar
23:56acting prowess,
23:58NTRama Rao
23:58wore the hat
23:59of a politician
24:00as well.
24:02Establishing
24:03the Telugu
24:03Desam Party
24:04in 1982,
24:06he navigated
24:06through three
24:07turbulent
24:07terms as the
24:08chief minister
24:09of Andhra Pradesh
24:10from 1983
24:11to 1995,
24:13commencing
24:14his cinematic
24:14journey
24:15with
24:16Manadesam,
24:16he showcased
24:17his versatility
24:18in the role
24:19of a courageous
24:20policeman.
24:23Recognizing
24:24his significant
24:25impact on
24:26Indian cinema,
24:27the government
24:27of India
24:28even honored
24:29him with
24:30the prestigious
24:30Padma Shri
24:31in 1968,
24:33solidifying
24:34his status
24:34as an
24:35entertainment
24:35and political
24:36juggernaut.
24:40Rajnikand
24:45Rajnikand
24:46the Talaivar
24:46of Indian
24:47cinema,
24:48through his
24:48films has
24:49not only
24:50entertained
24:50the masses
24:51but also
24:52minted fortunes
24:53at the ticket
24:53counters.
24:54He creates
24:55magic every
24:56time he
24:57appears on
24:57the screens
24:58and his
24:59aura as
25:00an actor
25:00is unmatchable.
25:02However,
25:02like other
25:03A-listers,
25:04even Rajnikand
25:05had announced
25:06his entry
25:06into politics
25:07on 31st
25:08December
25:092017
25:10and formed
25:11his political
25:11party called
25:12Rajni Makkal
25:13Mandiram
25:14only to
25:15dissolve it
25:15due to
25:16health issues.
25:17He even
25:17made it
25:18clear to
25:19not step
25:19back into
25:20politics
25:20after his
25:21exit.
25:24So yes,
25:25amidst the
25:26electrifying
25:27aura and
25:27fan fervor
25:28of southern
25:29stars,
25:30their seamless
25:30transition into
25:31the political
25:32arena only
25:33adds another
25:34dazzling chapter
25:35to the script.
25:37With
25:37Branjali Sethi
25:38Entertainment Bureau,
25:39India Today.
25:43Can Vijay from
25:44Superstar become
25:46Supernetha?
25:46Can he ensure
25:48that his real
25:48life blockbuster
25:50hits turns into
25:50a first day
25:51first show?
25:52May 4th,
25:53we'll have
25:53Al Uftar's
25:54answers and
25:54we're going to
25:54track it very
25:55closely here on
25:56India Today.
25:56Thanks for the
25:57moment for
25:57tuning in to
25:58the special
25:58broadcast.
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