Vijayakanth is an Indian politician, former Tamil actor, producer and director. He is the founder, chairman and general secretary of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazagam (DMDK) political party. From 2011 to 2016, he served as the Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Wiki/Biography
Vijayakanth was born Narayanan Vijayaraj Alagarswami (71 years old; as of 2023) on Monday, August 25, 1952, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. His zodiac sign is Virgo. He completed his 6th standard in MC High School, 7th and 8th standard in Devakottai School, 9th standard in another school and 10th and 11th standard in St. Mary’s School standard. As he was managing his father’s rice milling business at the time, he could not pursue further education in the eleventh standard.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′7″
Weight (approximately): 70kg
Hair color: brown
Eye color: dark brown
family and caste
Vijayakanth belongs to a Kamma Naidu family in Madurai.
Parents and siblings
Vijayakanth’s father KN Alagarswami is a businessman. His mother Aandal Azhagarswami died a year after giving birth to Vijayakanth. He has three siblings. Later, his father married another woman named Rukmani. He has 7 step-siblings.
wife and children
On January 31, 1990, Vijayakanth married politician Premaratha. The couple has 2 sons, actor Shanmuga Pandian and internet celebrity Vijay Prabhakar Alagarswami.
Vijayakanth (second from right) with Vijay Prabhakar, Premalatha and Shanmuga Pandian (from left to right)
Relationships/Affairs
Vijayakanth was rumored to be dating Radhika Sarathkumar before getting married, but he never confirmed his relationship with her. They acted together in several films such as “Uzhavan Magan” (1987), “Neethiyin Marupakkam” (1985) and “Nanne Raja Nanne Mandhiri” (1985).
Vijayakanth and Radhika in stills from the movie Neethiyin Marupakkam
address
10/12A, Kannammal Street, Kannapiran Colony, Saligiramam, Chennai-600 093
sign
Vijayakanth’s signature
Profession
actor
In 1979, Vijayakanth made his debut in the film “Inikkum Ilamai” directed by MA Kaja, playing the role of a villain. He also made several other films that same year. In 1980, his film Doorathu Idi Muzhakkam was screened at the India Panorama at the International Film Festival of India, but it was SA Chandrasekhar’s 1981 film Sattam Oru Iruttarai that truly made him a commercial hero. The movie Sattam Oru Iruttarai was remade in many other languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. In 1990, he starred in the Tamil action thriller Pulan Visaranai, which is considered one of the greatest crime thrillers in Tamil at that time. In 1991, Vijayakanth starred in the movie “Captain Prabhakaran”, which was his 100th film. He played an IFS officer in the film Captain Prabhakaran, which earned him the nickname “Captain”. In 1993, he co-starred in the Tamil film Sendhoorapandi with director SA Chandrasekhar’s son Vijay. Chandrasekhar feels that having his son Vijay star alongside Vijayakanth will help boost Vijay’s acting career. In this film, Vijayakanth played a cameo for a long time without any charge and Vijay eventually gained huge popularity. In 2000, he made his debut as a producer with Captain Cine Creations’ film “Vallarasu” along with his brother-in-law LK Sudheesh. Over the next few years he made various other films. In 2010, he made his directorial debut with the film “Virudhagiri”, a remake of the French film “Taken”. Not only did he direct and act, he also starred in the film. After five years away from the big screen, he made a brief cameo in the Tamil film Sagaptham (2015). The film stars his son Shanmuga Pandian in the lead role and is Shanmuga’s debut film.
politician
On September 14, 2005, Vijayakanth launched his political party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), a regional party in Tamil Nadu. The party follows a centre-left ideology. In 2006, he contested the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections from Vridhachalam constituency on the ticket of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazagam (DMDK) party and won by a margin of 13,777 votes. Members of his party contested in all 232 constituencies but won only in Vridhachalam constituency where Vijayakanth contested. In 2009, the DMDK contested for 40 seats in the 15th Lok Sabha elections, with Vijayakant as the party leader, but did not win any seats. In the 2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, the DMDK party formed an alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Various parties contested in 41 constituencies of the 14th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and won 29 seats. Vijayakanth won from Rishivandhiyam constituency and became MLA for the second consecutive term. Vijayakanth became leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. In 2013, the DMDK party contested 11 seats in the Delhi Legislative Assembly elections but failed to win any seat. In January 2014, the alliance between AIADMK and DMDK came to an end due to some heated exchanges between Vijayakanth and Jayalalithaa during a parliamentary meeting. In 2014, the DMDK party formed an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and other political parties such as MDMK, PMK and IJK. Subsequently, they contested for 14 seats in the 16th Lok Sabha elections with Vijayakant as the party leader, but did not win any seats. In 2016, Vijayakanth lost his position as Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly after eight of his MLAs submitted their resignations to the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. In 2016, he contested in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections from Ulundupatei constituency but did not win. In 2019, the DMDK party contested 4 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha election with Vijayakant as the party leader, but did not win any seats. In 2021, Vijayakanth and his party contested 60 seats in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections but failed to win any seats.
dispute
Dispute with Vadivelu
Vadivelu filed an attempt to murder case against Vijayakanth after a gang attacked his residence on September 21, 2008. According to Vadivelu, the attack was planned by Vijayakant as a case was pending in the court between Vijayakant and Vadivelu and the hearing was scheduled for the day after the attack. While campaigning for the 2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, Vadivelu and Vijayakanth took digs at each other at various election rallies.
inappropriate behavior towards journalists
In December 2015, Vijayakanth spat at a reporter at a press conference and accused the reporter of asking specific questions to him instead of the other party. He said at the press conference,
I’m standing here talking to you guys, I’m being nice, but what about trying to get closer to her? You are all scared. Do any of you dare to ask her to organize a press conference? If your master asks you to do so, you can do it, otherwise, you won’t even come close to her for a few miles. “
Subsequently, the Chennai Press Club lodged a complaint against Vijayakanth, accusing him of inappropriate behavior towards journalists.
Assault on security personnel
In April 2016, Vijayakanth was on his way to a party meeting when he was caught punching a security guard who walked to his right. The incident was caught on camera and broadcast several times on television channels.
Awards and Honors
- In 1986, he won the South Filmfare Award for Best Actor in Tamil for the film Amman Kovil Kizhakale.
- In 1986, he won the Tamil Film Express Award for Best Actor for the film Amman Kovil Kizhakale.
- In 1988, he won the Film Express Award for Best Actor for the film “Poonthotta Kaavalkaaran”.
- In 1988, he won the Cinema Express Awards for Best Actor for the movie “Senthoora Poove”.
- In 1988, he won the Tamil Nadu Film Award for Best Actor for the film Senthoora Poove.
- In 1994, he received the MGR Tamil Nadu National Film Honors Award for his contribution to Tamil cinema.
- In 2000, he won the Cinema Express Awards for Best Actor for the movie “Vaanathaippola”.
- In 2001, he received the Kalamamani Award, the highest civilian award in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
- In 2001, he received the Best Indian Citizen Award from the Indian Citizens Forum.
- In 2009, he received the Top Ten Legends of Tamil Cinema award for his contribution to Tamil cinema.
- In 2011, he received an honorary doctorate from the International Academy of Church Administration.
Facts/Trivia
- He last played a villain in the film Om Shakti (1982) and he never played a villain again.
- In 1984, he released 18 films, making him the only actor in the Tamil film industry to have released one.
- Vijayakanth intentionally incorporated patriotism into his films before turning to politics in the 1990s.
- His 100th film, Captain Prabhakaran (1991), became a silver jubilee blockbuster and has been in theaters for 25 weeks since its release. The only actors to achieve this feat are MGR, Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa.
- He has appeared in 154 films and is one of the most popular film stars in the Tamil film industry.
- He was voted one of the 20 greatest Tamil actors of all time by Movie Maniacs.
- In 2001, he founded Shri Andal Alagar Engineering College in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu.
- On October 1, 2001, Vijayakanth announced that Tamil Nadu would celebrate Actors’ Day on October 1 to commemorate Sivaji Ganesan’s birthday.
- In 2001, he served as the President of the South Indian Film Artists Association. During his tenure as president of the association, he organized celebrities to appear abroad to help the association pay off its debts.
- On April 14, 2010, he launched a 24-hour television channel called Captain TV, and two years later he launched a 24-hour news channel called Captain News.
- He drank frequently and was found in a drunken state at various public meetings.
- He has played police officers in more than 20 different movies. Thus creating “the record for the most number of times a contemporary actor has played a police officer.”
- In the film “Bharathan” (1992), his dance was choreographed by Prabhu Deva.
- He co-starred with Nalini in the Tamil film Annai Bhoomi (1985), the first 3D film in the history of the Tamil film industry.
- On November 18, 2023, he was admitted to Miot Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu with a throat infection. On November 30, 2023, hospital authorities updated his health status and said:
Mr. Vijayakanth showed great improvement. However, over the past twenty-four hours, he has shown mild deterioration and requires minimal pulmonary support. We remain confident that he will make a full recovery. You may be hospitalized for another fourteen days. ”
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education