Mersal row: Vijay thanks fans in note, signs using Christian name

BJP national secretary H Raja had pointed out that Vijay was Christian, while criticising the film and targeting the actor. Vijay, who issued a note on a letter pad with his name in red and bold, wrote “Jesus Saves”.

Mersal, Vijay, Vijay movie, BJP, BJP Mersal, Narendra Modi, Mersal controversy, Kamal Haasan, Indian Express

Vijay, who issued a note on a letter pad with his name in red and bold, wrote “Jesus Saves”. He said Mersal has been highly successful, but faced some opposition too.

Tamil actor Vijay on Wednesday thanked his fans and supporters in the film industry for defending his film Mersal, which mocked GST and demonetisation and was criticised by BJP leaders. Vijay’s thank you meesage broke almost a week’s silence by the actor after the film was attacked. In his message, for the first time, the actor also used his full Christian name, C. Joseph Vijay.

BJP national secretary H Raja had pointed out that Vijay was Christian, while criticising the film and targeting the actor. Vijay, who issued a note on a letter pad with his name in red and bold, wrote “Jesus Saves”. He said Mersal has been highly successful, but faced some opposition too. “My colleagues in the film industry, actors, directors, producers, organisations representing actors, directors, some of the renowned national leaders, media houses and my friends have given them a befitting reply. I thank all of them who supported Mersal,” he wrote.

Sources close to him said it was for the first time he introduced himself as C. Joseph Vijay before his fans. “He was always Vijay to everyone. Who bothers about the surname of an actor? He has rarely issued similar public statements for his fans as most such communications were video messages. I do not remember him using his official name in a public statement addressing fans. When politicians try to put him in bad light for having a Christian identity, this is a strong reply,” said a source.

S A Chandrasekhar, Vijay’s father who is a familiar face in the Tamil film industry, told The Indian Express two days ago that he left the columns of religion and caste vacant when he admitted his son to school. “Why is a national leader worrying about my son’s Christian surname? Why is that significant in the life of an artiste? What is the problem even if he is a practising Christian? We see cinema as a medium, but they see it as a weapon and get scared of dialogues,” he said.

Arun Janardhanan

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More

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