Ghilli... Kadhalukku Mariyadhai... Thuppakki... These are some of the most frequent answers when people are the asked their favourite films of Vijay that established his fandom for the ages. But in a career of almost 33 years, there have been many facets of Vijay's performances that have added all-important layers to his stardom. Here's a quick understanding of the films that defied the stereotypes surrounding the actor, and yet played an important role in transforming Vijay, the actor, into Ilayathalapathy, the superstar, and Thalapathy, the demi-god.
The Vulnerable Hero
Chimbudeven's Puli dared to do something different with Vijay at his heights of superstardom. Around that time, it was a given that Vijay would play roles that knew how to be the alpha. However, in this 2015 film, for the longest time, he played the underdog. The first time we see him he is tightly clasping the feet of a villain, albeit in a humorous scene. Puli, similar to Bruce Banner's 'Super Soldier Serum', needs to consume a herbal potion to pretend to be a warrior 'Vedalam', or he's just be reduced to his ordinary self. Even though the film didn't explore this vulnerability explored satisfactorily, it shows the willingness of the star to once again embrace the aspect of his performance that made him a household name.
The Do-Badder Hero
In one of his biggest theatrical hits, Pokkiri (2007), Vijay does everything possible to make a hero look despicable and cold. Vijay's Tamizh doing all the undesirable things most of the time made me wonder, as a child, if the film had a hero. But as they say, it isn't over till it is over, and when Vijay walks in wearing khaki during the climax, and rights all the wrongs, one thing was clear about the Pokkiri Pongal for ages... It is always cool to see the good guy do bad things, of course, with a twist.
The Un-stoic Hero
Tamil cinema is often criticised for making emotional coldness look somehow cool when exuded by mass heroes. Unfortunately, most Vijay films have fed into this unhealthy trend. But there are films of his that break away from this trend as well. There is a scene in the actor's Thirumalai (2003) where he is invited by artist Selvam (Raghuvaran) for a feast, where Vijay, playing the titular role, confesses how much he yearned to call a place his home and people as his own. The film constantly puts Thirumalai, an orphan, in emotional turmoil, be it with his friendships or romantic relationships, and underlines his urge to have positive reinforcement. Ironically, this film also marked Vijay's successful foray into the action genre, and kickstarted a gradual move away from his emotionally charged roles.
The Comic Relief
Vijay's career was in a waning phase during the late 2000s with box-office disasters. With voices about "Vijay's charm is fizzling out" growing louder, it was almost like he had to prove his worth with a non-masala and non-formulaic film. And it was the 1-2 punch with two remakes that sealed this deal. Siddique's Kaavalan (2011), a remake of the filmmaker's Malayalam film, Bodyguard (2010), and director Shankar's Nanban (2012), a remake of Aamir Khan's 3 Idiots (2009). These films helped him reinvent his witty and comical performance, and his strength in romantic dramas, which many thought were things of the past.
The Deranged
I can go on and on about how Vijay has been underutilised by the Tamil film. It's a shame that Priyamudan (1997) is the only film that allowed Vijay to go completely unhinged. As the unbalanced Vasanth, Vijay's performance was well beyond his years as an actor, and it would have been fascinating to see Vijay explore this aspect even deeper. Playing an openly bad guy is one thing; playing Vasanth was a different ball game, which Vijay aced like a pro. The Taj Mahal miniature scene to this day remains a hallmark of character exposition.
The Non-Idealistic Hero
While the second half of Lokesh Kanagaraj's Master (2021) played to the gallery, albeit for a short while, the rest of the film was truly a MASTERclass for experimenting with a star. It takes guts for a star with political ambitions, now a politician too, to star as a forever tipsy professor, who has a lot of fun till the proverbial trouble hits the roof. The scene where he drives a cycle whistling late actor Sivaji Ganesan's 'Vandha Naal Mudhal' after miscreants puncture his car felt like Vijay enjoying his vacation from all the hero assignments before switching back to his 'thappa thatti kekra' mode. The film also effectively redefined the hero-villain binary, where the hero can be an imperfect person (alcoholism being the imperfection here) and the villain can be vicious despite being a teetotaller.
The Guilt-Ridden Hero
Designing the hero as perfection personified is one thing, but what's even worse is the easy atonement it accords to the heroes. We've often seen how the heroine's death or atleast a health condition magically absolves the hero from all his misdeeds. Guilt isn't an emotion the directors are often open to associating a hero with. Thankfully, Vijay ticked that box with Thullatha Manamum Thullum (1999). Kutty (Vijay) is hated by Rukku (Simran) after he unwittingly becomes the reason she loses her eyesight. He stays with her without disclosing his identity because his guilt isn't letting him live in peace. And that iconic scene where he cries alone? How do you cry like no one's watching when everyone's watching? Watch that scene, again.
Not Your 'Love and Love Only' Hero
Tamil cinema and Indian cinema are replete with films of lovelorn heroes either wasting their lives or endangering the lives of the women they love or, they think have wronged them. Such behaviours are being questioned and rightfully termed toxic today. Vijay, who has played his fair share of such heroes, has also headlined Love Today (1997). Vijay's Ganesh is smitten by Sandhya (Suvalakshmi), making him turn blind to every other thing in his life, even his ailing father's eventual death. In the film's hard-hitting finale, Ganesh turns down Sandhya who finally reciprocates his love. He asks her if the love is worth staking his well-being, as in her pursuit he wasn't even aware of his father's death and could not even be a part of his funeral. The film ends movingly, as a reformed Ganesh, who once sang 'Yen Penn Endru Pirandhai', finishes his graduation and attends a job interview according to his father's wish.
The Defeated Hero
Last, but very much not the least at all, we have often associated a character's onscreen success with the image of the matinee idol. In a romantic film, the hero must succeed in love and in an action film, the hero must vanquish the villains. Despite his larger-than-life image, Vijay did make room to accommodate the 'lesser heroes' too. Shahjahan's anti-climactic end made people uncomfortable because every romantic fairytale has to end with the prince ending up with the princess. But what if it doesn't happen? With a mix of humour, love, and loss, Shahjahan (2001) did a marvellous job of humanising the star Vijay as much as possible.
And in a career that had him save more than his fair share of days, and him leaving it all now to enter the political fray, it is always good to remember the Vijay he was before he was the superstar, the demi-god, and the Thalapathy... The Vijay who was the people's hero... the Jana Nayagan.