After a successful two-week run of Leo in the box office, it was a day of celebration for actor Vijay’s fans as the makers of the film organised a grand success meet in Chennai on November 1. The fans went crazy as they heard their matinee idol talk politics, hint at the power politics in Tamil cinema and narrate a ‘kutty’ story loaded with subtext.
Getting on to the stage after director Lokesh Kanagaraj, actor Trisha Krishnan and others made their comments on the making of Leo, Vijay began his speech with a song from the film Naa ready than Varada (meaning ‘I am ready. Can I come?’). The song had already hinted at his political entry, even before the film was released.
Vijay then said, “En Nenjil Kudiyirukkum en anbana nanba nanbigal” (meaning ‘my dear friends who live in my hearts’), making the fans go frenzy. Vijay said the fans live in his hearts and he lives in their hearts, and wondered how he is going to repay them.
“You guys are bloody sweet,” Vijay uttered the lines from his Leo.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi on how non-violence is more powerful than violence, he asked his fans to “keep cool and calm” and never get angry over the social media posts.
Narrating a ‘kutty’ story, as he usually does during the audio launch or any social gatherings, Vijay hinted at the power politics in cinema.
“Crows and eagles also exist in the jungles,” said Vijay leaving fans in uproar.
The fans equated the story to Rajinikanth’s recent example on eagle and crow competing with each other to fly high. Rajinikanth had said this during the Jailer success meet.
Vijay fans uproared watching the actor’s body language as he said, “crows and eagles also exist in the jungles”.
Vijay asked his fans to always aim for the biggest in life.
“Achieving what you can easily achieve is no big deal, but to try at something much bigger than you is the real success,” he said.
Asking his fans to dream bigger, Vijay quoted Tamil poet Bharathiyar, “perithinum perithu kel” (Ask for something bigger than big).
He then said that there can be only one Puratchi Thalaivar (revolutionary leader) MGR, only one Nadigar Thilagam Shivaji Ganesan, only one Ulaganayagan Kamal Hassan, only one Captain Vijayakanth and only one superstar Rajinikanth.
“The people are my bosses and I am their Thalapathy (warrior). You tell me what I should do. I shall,” Vijay said, making the fans go crazy. Later answering questions, he hinted at his political plunge in 2026, by saying “cup mukkiyam bigilu” a catchphrase from his super hit movie Bigil.
The speech, which the fans feel has a political touch in it, however, seems to lack a strong political statement as he did not make his political plans apparent. In fact Vijay has been hinting at politics for the past few years, since his Mersal days. Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, his fan club contested as independents and won from 161 wards during the local body polls. The Iyakkam has also been organising meetings and workshops to politically orient the fans.
Vijay’s Leo had crossed the Rs 600 crore mark in the box office making it a super hit, breaking the records made by Rajinikanth’s Jailer.
