RIP, Vijayakant: Hundreds say goodbye to their “Captain” as the revolution comes to an end, both in real life and on screen

Hundreds of supporters and DMDK party employees flocked to the party headquarters in Koyambedu as word of their beloved “Captain”‘s passing spread, hoping to get a last look at Vijayakant.

As protesters occupied the Koyambedu flyover, traffic on one side of the recently constructed flyover on Jawaharlal Nehru Salai came to a complete stop.

Anwar Shah (42), who stood in line to pay respects to the leader, recalled how Vijayakant had assisted him when he was an actor and the people of Aranthangi, in the Pudukottai district, came to his door. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he said, “I think Vijayakant harbored a soft corner towards us since he himself was from Madurai.”

“He has really benefited our village. He used to even provide us with financial support after we were married. However, we were unable to meet him after he joined politics, according to Anwar, who attended the memorial service with his family. The actor-turned-politician received a ton of accolades from his followers for his giving nature. He had assisted my father on several occasions. Vijaykant was the one who gave my father the money so he could run for assembly,” Menaka added.

42-year-old car driver S Devandran said that instead of going to work that day, he decided to give the actor his last respects. “I will never see him again. Thus, as soon as I learned of the news, I came here. Among my favorite films are Captain Prabhakaran, Chatriyan, and Chinna Gounder. There is no one to take his position. Devandran said, “I love his punch phrases in the movies.

The movie Captain Prabhakaran is my favorite. All of his films are enjoyable and have worthwhile messages. Living a modest existence, he was a natural performer, according to S Devi, a native of Korukkupet, in North Chennai. A section of the audience began yelling slogans, calling on the government to set aside a space for him to be buried at Marina Beach.

Traffic was redirected at Padi Bridge, Thiruveedhi Amman service road, and Shanthi Colony 13th major road in order to regulate the huge number of cars near the Koyambedu flyover. Massive tailbacks were seen from the Koyambedu junction to Arumbakkam. From the Koyambedu intersection to the CMBT bus stop, the situation was the same.

North Arcot laments a leader who understood the agony of hunger

VILLUPURAM: In Villupuram and Kallakurichi, where the DMDK has a sizable following, the passing of Vijayakant has left a profound vacuum among the cadre. Since the party’s founding in 2005, I have actively contributed to its expansion. Our leader was someone who spoke out for us and understood our situation,” K Jegathambal, a 51-year-old Villupuram sanitation worker, said.

The widespread support DMDK receives in North Arcot is a result of individuals like Jegathambal’s unwavering support. Hard-core supporter R Kumar, 42, attributes this phenomenon to Vijayakant’s motto: poverty alleviation.

“A guy may only consider another person’s empty plate and provide food if he understands the agony of hunger. Our leader described the hunger of the impoverished and, with his egalitarian vision, transcended caste-based communal divisions. That’s exactly why I adored him,” Kumar said.

Since his days as an on-screen rebellious hero, Vijayakant has amassed a sizable fan base in Villupuram, Cuddalore, and Kallakurichi. “His film Bharathan was released when I was eleven years old. I got a tattoo of Captain America’s face on my right hand because I was so inspired by the movie. I’ve been unable to eat since Thursday morning when I learned he’s passed away,” Kumar said.

“Captain stuck to his words even when the Dravidian party officials were straying greatly from their ideological commitments. His unabashed candor both on and off stage tapped with the class’s pent-up resentment, DMDK officials at the district level told TNIE.

The giving face of politics, the movies, and much more

Any attribute you can think of—kind, humble, jealous, humane—Vijayakant has them all. Apart from his political legacy and acting prowess, the leader has made a name for himself.

It was believed that he was choosing his positions and giving aid to the poor in a manner similar to that of previous Chief Minister MG Ramachandran. Vijayakant forged his own route by working with obscure producers and directors at the height of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan’s acting careers when well-known filmmakers turned a blind eye to him.

In the first six years of his political career starting in 2005, Vijayakant was hailed as Puratchi Kalaignar by former DMK president M Karunanidhi. He was positioned as a rival to the leaders of two Dravidian parties, AIADMK and DMK. The DMDK saw significant growth in its vote base from the 2006 Assembly elections. But in 2011, due to political pressures, he allied with the AIADMK.

Rather than using a pragmatic political approach till his party was able to stabilize, Vijayakant addressed the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the state assembly. It turned out to be true in his later years that Jayalalithaa had informed the actor, “From this moment on, it will all be downhill for you (Vijayakant).”

If Vijayakant had been well, he may have used various tactics to go back into the public eye. He was in excellent health, yet he did nothing to stop the eight rebel DMDK MLAs. Later on, this resulted in other defections.

Veteran reporter Tharasu Shyam recounted working with Vijayakant in his early days in the film business. “Vijayakant emulated MGR in the film industry by portraying a young person fighting for the rights of the underprivileged and oppressed as well as speaking out against injustice. He used movies to influence his political career. Vijayakant fostered his fan clubs as potential political organizations from the beginning, as shown by the fact that they each had their own flag.

“Vijayakant had lofty political goals when he founded his party. However, he was duped by the “alliance trap.” Shyam noted that Vijayakant was the only politician to form an alliance with the AIADMK in 2011 without having visited J Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden.

When asked about the political trajectory of DMDK after Vijayakant’s passing, seasoned reporter Tharasu Shyam said, “Vijayakant’s party’s vote base has fallen below 2% even in his lifetime. The party has already lost its luster as a result of his political gaffes. Premalatha Vijayakant lacks the political acumen necessary to grow this base of support. The future of the DMDK will resemble that of Vaiko’s MDMK. It’s doubtful that his passing will result in any votes of sympathy. The DMDK may be a modest partner in any of the coalitions since certain political parties consider even a tiny proportion of votes to be crucial in the hustings.”

Senior cinema reviewer J Bismi took a trip down memory lane, recalling Vijayakant’s early years as a rising star up till his most recent phase. “Vijayakant is a politician, a successful performer, and a kind person. Out of the three, the kind guy excelled all of his life. He was willing to aid everyone who approached him, and countless numbers of individuals benefited from his assistance. He mostly played masala characters in movies that followed the formula of the good guy triumphing and the bad power being vanquished. I can state with confidence that, unlike many movie stars who disregard their followers after reaching the top, Vijayakant has never refused to meet his fans.”

“In general, a lot of performers chased attention for helping the public and their followers. However, Vijayakant strongly objected to this. He was giving without asking for anything in return. According to the proverb “Dharmam Thalaikaakkum,” which states that “the upright road would preserve one’s life,” Vijayakanth ought to have lived for an additional 20 to 25 years,” said Bismi.

Vijayakant made a noteworthy contribution to Nadigar Sangam, the South Indian Artistes Association, as it is formally called. In August 2000, he was elected Sangam president without a challenger. Viajyakant took a number of actions to reduce the Sangam’s enormous debt—which totaled crores of rupees. He arranged Star Night events in Singapore and Malaysia to generate money for the Sangam, and upon the DMDK’s release, he resigned as the Sangam’s president.