Vijay was forever changed by sister’s death, reveals mother: ‘He was quieter, reserved’

Talking about Vijay’s childhood, she said, “My husband and I had hoped he would become a doctor, a wish that grew stronger after we lost our daughter. Vijay had his own plans at the time, wanting to become a pilot until he was about 18, before acting entered the picture.”

Also Read: Long before historic election win, Vijay used ‘pookie’ innocence to conquer Tamil cinema

The most difficult part of the account concerned Vijay’s younger sister, Vidhya, who died at the age of two in 1984, while S A Chandrasekhar was away filming. “Until then, Vijay had been a jolly, lively child, but my daughter’s death changed him and the rest of the family as well. Vijay, once talkative and a little mischievous, grew noticeably quieter afterward, and that his school teachers had even noticed him getting emotional whenever the subject of sisters came up in class.”

‘Vijay is reserved even with friends’

Shoba described Vijay as someone who laughs and opens up mainly around his close friends. “He stays fairly reserved otherwise and is not someone who talks a great deal even with people he is close to.” On his food habits, she said he has never been much of an eater or a food enthusiast, which she sees as one of the reasons he has kept up his fitness over the years. “However, dosa and mutton curry is among the few dishes he genuinely enjoys”.

On his behaviour, she remarked, “He likes to be alone. Even if you take him abroad, he sends off the family to shopping, and he’ll be alone in his room. I don’t know why but he doesn’t like to step out.”

According to Shoba, Vijay doesn’t like taking advice. “It’ll be nice if we take advice from him but he doesn’t like it,” she added.

The actor, who spent more than three decades as one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, formed his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, in February 2024 and led it to victory in the Tamil Nadu assembly election in April 2026, becoming the state’s ninth Chief Minister the following month.