Throwback: Vijay says how his father SA Chandrasekar used Vijayakanth's popularity to launch him in Sendhoorapandi

Vijayakanth and Vijay acted together in a film titled Sendhoorapandi (1993), which was directed by latter's father.

Chennai | December 28, 2023 01:33 PM IST

2 min read

Poster of Sendhoorapandi

Many videos about actor-politician Vijayakanth are going viral on social media after his death on Thursday at MIOT Hospital, Chennai. One such video is a clip from actor Vijay’s old interview; the reigning Tamil superstar played a supporting role in Vijayakanth’s Sendhoorapandi (1993). Directed by Vijay’s father SA Chandrasekar, a frequent collaborator of Vijayakanth, the film ended up as a hit, helping Vijay get popular among the masses.

Vijay, who started his career as a child artist, made his debut as a hero in Naalaya Theerpu (1992), directed by his father. The film failed at the box office, with Vijay receiving bitter criticism for his looks and performance. SAC decided then to cast him alongside an established hero, and his frequent collaborator Vijayakanth agreed to do the project. It is said that the ‘Captain’ did it as a kind gesture and didn’t charge for his call sheet for the film.

In the clip, Vijay is seen sharing the reason behind the project. “We have two kinds of audience: class and mass. For someone to become an actor, the mass audience should accept him as one. It is important. From then to now, Vijayakanth Anna has been a mass hero. When my father directed him in a film, he cast me as his brother in the film. So, audiences who are coming to see Vijayakanth sir are getting to know me. That’s why we did the film, and the film was a hit and everything we wanted to do worked.”

Vijayakanth, who was 71 years old, has been ill for a long time now. He was admitted to MIOT Hospital in Manapakkam, Chennai for a lung-related issue a few weeks ago. He was later discharged on December 11. However, on Tuesday night, he was again rushed to the hospital with pneumonia. He was diagnosed with Coronavirus and was put on a ventilator. According to reports, he breathed his last on Thursday morning.

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