June 21, 2008
Some people are just blessed with that presence! A presence that can make everything else seem small and insignificant. They do not need big weighty dialogues, lavish songs or heavy duty stunts, they capture your attention by just being there, everything else just adds to the effect. Some call this charisma, others refer to it as magnetism or aura - all these mean the same when Vijay is on screen. The man of the masses of Tamil cinema, he lives our dreams and fantasies on screen like no other actor of his generation has done over the past decade. Starting off as the timid young lad in the early 90s, to being the romantic hero, the action star and steadily building his place in our minds and hearts to become the Ilaiya Thalapathi. Behindwoods joins thousands of Vijay fans all over Tamil Nadu in wishing him a very happy birthday.
Unlike popular perception, being a mass hero is not something very easy. As a peoples' star there is a certain pattern or formula that is expected every time he appears on screen and he has to live up to it and yet give something different each time he does a movie. In short, he has a tough job of finding unpredictability in predictability. When fans watch a Vijay movie there is a feeling of comfortable familiarity that they enjoy, the knowledge that they will be entertained, that their hero will emerge on top in the end and that no matter what, they can go back home, happy having had a great time inside the theaters. Vijay has to provide all this, keep his fans happy and yet try to find something new. There has been the criticism that most of his movies follow the same formula (which some call clichéd), which is harsh because of its narrow perspective. Many say that he is far too predictable to be enjoyed but then those who feel that Vijay is getting repetitive must check out his figures at the box office. There are few (one or maybe two) contemporaries that can guarantee the kind of openings that he can generate, the euphoria that he can create, the celebrations that he can trigger in the galleries every time he dances or fights- if Vijay was repetitive as the critics had thought, then all this would never have been possible.
Yes, there have been the failures and pitfalls but Vijay has always got up, dusted himself and moved forward. As the saying goes, failure is not when you fall, it is when you refuse to get up. But then, when you have to match the expectations of the countless fans waiting eagerly for your movie things are bound to go wrong once in a while. Look at it in this way and you will find that Vijay's consistency in satisfying his fans is something you have to tip your hat to. Vijay the actor's formula is simple, to get into the character and Vijay the star's formula is simple, keep your fans happy and when these two are put together, the result is a no holds barred entertainer.
The Vijay brand of entertainment may not be everyone's cup of tea (or so some may like to pretend) but how many times have we caught ourselves enjoying those swift and elegant dance moves, those powerful dialogues and the stylish bashing of the baddies. There can be a debate over whether Vijay is a cinematic genius or a versatile actor, but there are no two opinions on his stardom, unchallenged and undisputed. Mass hero, Ilaiya Thalapathi Vijay- many happy returns of the day.
This time, too, Ilaiya Thalapathi's fans have come out with big plans for their hero's birthday and it really does look big this time. For the first time since its inception the Vijay lead Narppani Iyakkam will have an official flag, don't read too deeply into it, it is just an identity. The crowds expected to turn out at the venue, the Centenary Hall of Madras University, are so big that only five members from each registered Vijay Fan's Association will be permitted into the venue (that speaks loads about the man's pull). Meanwhile, Vijay the perfect professional was shooting in Pazhani for Villu. The schedule wrapped up just a day prior to the celebrations and he is slated to join them on the big day. That shows why he is such a big star, no amount of adulation has changed his approach to cinema, and he simply continues working.
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