Leading Tamil actor Thalapathy Vijay declared on Friday that he would be running for the state assembly in 2026 and that he would be forming a political party called Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam.
In a statement released here, he said that politics was “holy public service,” not just another career.
Translating “Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam” roughly means “Tamil Nadu Victory Party.”
Fans of the actor spontaneously celebrated the announcement, despite long-standing rumours that he would enter politics in a state where notable figures from the film industry, such as the late M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa, had graduated to politics.
According to Thalapathy Vijay, the party decided at its most recent General Council and Executive Council meetings that it would neither support anyone nor run for office in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“I have decided to complete the film I have already committed to, without affecting the party work and completely involve myself in the politics of public service.”
“I consider this my gratitude towards the people of Tamil Nadu,” Vijay stated.
