06 May TC2 Vijay

Rani: When and Why? I have often been teased why he is my favorite.  Hmmm….Got me thinking.   No, not because I am a dance guru and he is #1 dancer, then Ragava or Prabhudeva or STR or Dhanush should be my favorite too.  So it is definitely not Dance.  Not fights for sure.  His looks?  (Perhaps there is some resemblance in mannerisms of my second son, Sumithrin.)  Kushi, Youth, Thullatha Manamum Thullum, or Kathalukku Mariyathai several great hits but he wasn’t my favorite then.

When KB named Mammooty as ‘Azhagan’ I thought it was a joke.  Then came ATM.  Bold and Vibrant! Surely Vijay fit the title – Azhagiya Thamizh Magan. Dhool!  But the biggest attraction is his choice of films and fitting the role as best as one can.  Whether it is an erring agreement spouse in Piriyamanavale, or sacrificing love for the honor of family friendship in Vasegera, or unrevealed love in a villain chase in Ghilli, or a string of Badri, Kuruvi, Kathi, Thuppakki, Thalaiva etc. etc.  – each in its own genre.  But captivating was his brother role in Thirupachi and Velayutham and most of all mother sentiment in Sivakasi.  I fell flat! I cannot keep count of how many times I have seen these movies again and again.  Then recent impressions were:  Kavalan, Theri, Mersal, Sarkar, Bhairava and …  BIGIL that simply rocked the Thamizh Cinema field. No need of extra fittings, just a great versatile actor!

Here’s what TIMES OF INDIA has to say:

DIE-HARD FAN  – SHYAM RADHAKRISHNAN

Back in the days when I was screening movies, this little boy would be so excited over just the utterance of Vijay.  He soon began dancing like him – and true to his role model even took dance seriously when he entered college. Avid dance performer in different events, the big moment came at his wedding.  His friends appalled him as Vijay’s fan.  These North Indian friends said they hadn’t even heard of such an actor until Shyam exposed this great star.  Bravo, Shyam – way to go – so proud of you.

In Shyam’s words: I’ve been a Vijay fan for as long as I can remember. My parents always tell me a story of when they took me to the theater to see my very first Vijay movie as a baby. I would not stop crying, but as soon as he appeared on screen, I stopped and just stared. Since then, I’ve been in awe of his talent. In my opinion, there’s no actor in Indian cinema who can both act and dance at such a high level. His dance, specifically, captured my interest. It inspired me to pursue dance from a young age, dancing for Tamil movie songs throughout my childhood and then taking it to the next level with dance teams in college and beyond. Dance taught me about how much can be accomplished with hard work, persistence and repetition. I will always attribute the passion for dance back to Vijay. To this day, every new movie of his excites me. Going to a theater and watching a new Vijay movie takes me back to being that baby – forgetting all else going on in the world and filling me with joy.

Are you a fan of Vijay ? Make this your platform and add your comments/pictures etc. Send an email to nurtureindia@yahoo.com or whatsapp 301-537-2916.