Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor-turned-politician Vijay may be known today for his composed demeanour, but according to his mother, Shoba Chandrasekhar, he was once a lively and mischievous child. In a recent interview, she opened up about the family’s humble beginnings and revealed how the death of Vijay’s younger sister, Vidhya, deeply changed him.
Speaking to Thanthi TV, Shoba recalled the heartbreaking loss of her daughter in 1984, when Vidhya was just two years old. At the time, Vijay’s father, filmmaker S.A. Chandrasekhar, was working as an assistant director and was away from home.
According to Shoba, the tragedy had a profound impact on the entire family, especially Vijay.
“Until then, Vijay had been a cheerful and playful child. After his sister’s death, he became much quieter. Even his teachers noticed that he would become emotional whenever the topic of sisters came up in class,” she revealed.
She added that Vijay, who had once been talkative and mischievous, gradually became more reserved after the incident.
Parents Wanted Him To Become A Doctor
Shoba also shared that she and S.A. Chandrasekhar had hoped their son would become a doctor, a wish that became even stronger after losing their daughter. However, Vijay had dreams of his own.
“He wanted to become a pilot and held on to that dream until he was around 18 years old. Acting entered his life much later,” she said.
Even today, she described her son as someone who prefers to keep his thoughts to himself and only opens up to a close circle of friends.
“He doesn’t talk much, even with people close to him. He is naturally reserved,” she said.
Vijay Enjoys Solitude
Shoba further revealed that Vijay likes spending time alone and prefers solitude, even when the family travels abroad. Despite being one of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars and now the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, he has retained his quiet personality.
A Middle-Class Upbringing
Recalling their early struggles, Shoba said the family belonged to a lower-middle-class background. Before S.A. Chandrasekhar left his government job to pursue filmmaking full-time, the household largely ran on the income she earned through singing.
“In our modest setting, Vijay grew up in a middle-class family,” she said.
From Cinema Superstar To Chief Minister
Vijay’s journey from actor to politician reached a historic milestone earlier this year when his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), secured a landslide victory in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The party won 108 out of 234 seats, making TVK the single-largest party in the state.
He officially took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on May 10, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his career.
Before entering politics full-time, Vijay was working on what was expected to be his final film, Jana Nayagan. However, the film has been surrounded by controversies and delays since the beginning of the year and is yet to receive a release date.
While millions know Vijay as a superstar and now a politician, his mother’s recollections offer a glimpse into the personal tragedy and humble beginnings that shaped the man behind the public image.
