Joseph Vijay

Joseph Vijay

C. Joseph Vijay (born 22 June 1974) is an Indian film actor, playback singer and dancer who works in Tamil cinema. Referred to by fans and media as Thalapathy (commander), Vijay is the highest paid actor and one of the most significant figures in the industry. By 2017, he became the second-highest grossing actor in Tamil cinema history, behind Rajinikanth. As of 2019, Vijay has acted in 64 films as a lead actor and won numerous awards including three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, eight Vijay Awards, an Indiatoday Award, SIIMA Award, Cosmopolitan Award and National Film Award UK, three Edison Awards and two Vikatan Awards. He received an honorary doctorate from the Dr. M. G. R. Educational and Research Institute of the Tamil Nadu Dr. M. G. R. Medical University in 2007 for his contributions to social welfare and in honour of his achievements in the film industry. He has been included five times in the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, based on the earnings of Indian celebrities. At 10 years old, Vijay's first role was in the drama Vetri (1984); he continued to perform as a child artist in films until Ithu Engal Neethi (1988), directed by his father S. A. Chandrasekhar. He then featured as the lead in Naalaiya Theerpu (1992), again directed by his father. He received his breakthrough in the film Poove Unakkaga (1996), which was directed by Vikraman. Vijay began the new millennium with successful films such as Kushi and Priyamaanavale. The success of his masala film Thirumalai (2003), where he was paired opposite Jyothika, changed his on-screen persona to that of an action hero. He appeared next as a kabaddi player opposite Trisha in Dharani's Ghilli (2004), which went on to become the most commercially successful Tamil film of the year and the first Tamil film to earn ₹500 million (Indian rupees). His performance in Thirupaachi (2005) earned him a Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize. Vijay continued to achieve commercial success during the 2000s with films including Sivakasi (2005) and Pokkiri (2007).

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