The trolls are not going to like this. But I personally think Vijay is going to be the next superstar, a position that Rajini holds today. It’s not like he is going to be the next Rajini. For that matter, Rajini wasn’t the next MGR. He took a similar spot and re-invented it(or it was thrust on him, whatever). Vijay will do that too and we are witnessing it happen. This isn’t a post to compare and contract Rajini to Vijay but to think through why Vijay, despite the fact that he does some bad cinema, will make it as the next super star.
Vijay, like Rajini can evoke heroism in his movies. When Vikram, Ajith, Surya and many others have the same playing ground like Vijay, none of them have used it effectively like him. They wouldn’t want to do such masala films and its their prerogative. Simbhu and Dhanush look like kids doing vishk vishk heroism. Since there is no one else , as of today, to compete with Vijay on this, he is the next superstar-like-star.
Vijay’s rising fan clubs are also one other reason. He is treading on the same path as Rajini. Some might argue that Rajini was a better actor than Vijay. But that’s nearly an useless argument. Because after Thillu Mullu, the actor Rajini was long gone. The mass effect plays a very important part in turning an actor into a Superstar. We have more than a handful of samples for this. MGR, NTR and now Rajini. So Vijay’s fan clubs and his growing fan base(kids and rural youth) have made him into a ‘minimum guarantee’ hero for film producers. Not just minimum guarantee but a ‘big opening’ guaranteed hero.
So it doesn’t really matter if he has a small string of flops, he can bounce back provided the flops don’t keep happening. Pokirri, ATM and Kurvi’s failure at the box-office hasn’t affected Vijay by any measure. He will contine to have 32 producers lining-up at his house every morning and he has more than enough directors in Kodambakkam, smoking wills and racking their brains(not really needed for a masala movie) to create a storyline for him.
So what should Vijay do ? Nothing. Sit tight and stay the course. Kamal once said that he had to act a hundred films before he could make Raja Paarvai and Guna. So Vijay has a long way to go even if he wants to turn into a Ulaga Nayagan(which I should say impossible, given Vijay’s calibre) and I think he is on the right path of masala stardom.
His dad Chandrasekar, in the recent interview to Vikatan, talks about Vijay entering the Tamil Nadu politics. Whether you and I can do anything about it or not, its probably going to happen. Did we not see Vijaykanth making it to politics ? The legendary parties that made fun of him are now calling him as serious competition. It will happen to Vijay too. Good Luck !!
Previous Jabber : On Ajith
