Long before the massive fan armies, the record-breaking box office numbers, and the political buzz, there was a quiet young man on a Chennai film set who greeted a journalist with folded hands, said “Vanakkam,” and simply walked away. That man was Thalapathy Vijay — and that one moment tells you more about him than most interviews ever could.
What Did the Journalist Say?
Senior entertainment journalist Jyothi Venkatesh recently sat down with Pinkvilla’s Hindi Rush for a candid chat, where he shared a vivid early memory of encountering Vijay on a film set — decades before the superstar became the phenomenon he is today.
Venkatesh had visited a Chennai set to interview Bipasha Basu, who was filming a Tamil movie at the time. The producer introduced him to Vijay, who was also on set. Rather than offering a handshake or striking up a conversation, the young actor simply folded his hands, said “Vanakkam” (a traditional Tamil greeting), and quietly left.
Bipasha herself reportedly told the journalist: “He never talks. I’m the heroine and he doesn’t even talk to me — so why would he talk to you?”
The Bigger Picture Behind That Moment
Venkatesh didn’t read the brief encounter as rudeness. He explained that at the time, Vijay didn’t know Hindi or English, and didn’t know the journalist was himself Tamil. He likely assumed the conversation would have to happen in a language he wasn’t yet comfortable in — so he chose dignified silence over awkward small talk.
The journalist also noted that Vijay’s seriousness was in his DNA: his father S. A. Chandrasekhar and mother Shoba are both respected veterans of the Tamil film industry, and Vijay inherited their quiet discipline and work ethic naturally.
Vanakkam: Which Film Was This?
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Film in question | Sachein (2005) |
| Vijay’s co-stars | Bipasha Basu, Genelia Deshmukh |
| Journalist | Jyothi Venkatesh |
| Vijay’s current film | Jana Nayagan |
Sachein was a youthful romantic entertainer — one of several milestones in Vijay’s early career that helped build the cult following he commands today. You can read more about Vijay’s journey and upcoming projects on TechnoSports.
Why This Story Resonates So Much
Tamil cinema has produced many stars, but few with Vijay’s unique combination of mega-stardom and personal restraint. In an industry where public image is carefully manufactured, stories like this one — unscripted, decades-old, and told by a third party — offer a rare, unfiltered glimpse into who the actor really is.
Soft-spoken, focused, and unbothered by small talk: that young man on the Sachein set and the superstar making headlines today are very clearly the same person.
