Nani On Vijay Becoming Tamil Nadu CM: ‘It’s Not Just About Stardom Or Box Office Collections’

Telugu actor Nani is currently promoting his upcoming film The Paradise, directed by Srikanth Odela. During a promotional event in Chennai, Nani was asked about Tamil superstar and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s political journey and his electoral success.

Nani said he does not believe Vijay’s popularity at the box office or his status as a major film star alone explain the support he received from voters in Tamil Nadu.

Nani On Vijay Winning Votes In Tamil Nadu

Asked how he felt as an actor seeing a star like Vijay become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Nani said it was “amazing” and reflected the trust actors can build with audiences over the years.

“It’s amazing. That’s the kind of love we as actors gather. Like Vijay sir being the bigger star here. The kind of trust the Tamil people have shown…it shows that it’s not about success or it’s not about…just because he’s a star who collects the highest at the box office. I don’t think they’d vote for someone,” Nani said.

Elaborating on his comments, Nani said Vijay’s political support was built over years through a sense of familiarity and trust among the people.

“I think it is years of making them feel like they know him and making everyone feel like family. There’s a trust built over many years for many reasons. It’s not just for someone’s stardom or someone’s box office collections,” he said.

Nani added that Vijay’s electoral support showed the level of trust placed in him by the people of Tamil Nadu.

“That clearly shows the kind of trust people of Tamil Nadu have placed in Vijay sir, and I hope the next few years of rule will be amazing. And all the voters and all the Tamil people will be proved right for their choice,” he added.

Nani Says Vijay Is ‘Rocking’ As CM

Nani also shared his impression of Vijay’s performance as Chief Minister, saying he had seen clips of the actor-turned-politician in the Assembly online.

“From whatever I’ve seen online, from the clips in the Assembly and all that, I think he’s rocking the show,” Nani said.

Vijay launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in 2024, marking his formal entry into politics. The party contested the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, with voting held in April and results declared in May.

Vijay was subsequently sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on May 10. His final film, Jana Nayagan, was released in July and, according to the figures cited in the report, earned ₹324.54 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year.