As Tamil superstar Vijay, also known as Thalapathy Vijay, gears up for the release of his final film before entering politics, Jana Nayagan, on January 9, 2026, coinciding with Pongal 2026, let's take a look at his illustrious career.
Throughout his acting career, Vijay has delivered numerous hit films and captivated audiences with his outstanding performances. Let's take a look at some of his most impactful performances over the years.
Vijay’s most iconic performances through the years
1. Mersal (2017)
Mersal follows the story of a police officer who arrests a doctor for crimes targeting medical professionals, but later discovers the real culprit. The film holds an IMDb rating of 7.5 and is available to stream on Prime Video.
2. Thuppakki (2012)
Directed by AR Murugadoss, the 2012 crime thriller film, Thuppakki, is one of the highest-rated films of Thalapathy Vijay. The film revolves around the story of an army captain who is on a mission to track down and destroy a terrorist gang.
3. Leo (2023)
Lokesh Kanagaraj's directorial Leo features Thalapathy Vijay, Sanjay Dutt, Trisha Krishnan in the lead roles. The action thriller film was made with a budget of Rs 250 crore and went on to collect Rs 605.9 crore worldwide, according to industry tracker Sacnilk.
4. Kaththi (2014)
Written and directed by AR Murugadoss, the 2014 film Kaththi features Vijay, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the key roles. This film is considered as one of the famous films of Vijay. It holds an impressive IMDb rating of 8.1. It can be streamed on Zee 5.
5. Kaavalan (2011)
Kaavalan is a romantic comedy film that received praise from audiences. Directed by Siddique and produced by KR Gowri Shankar, the film stars Vijay, Asin, and Raj Kiran in lead roles. Notably, it is the Tamil remake of the Malayalam movie Bodyguard. Salman Khan's Bodyguard is the Hindi remake of the same Malayalam film.
6. Theri (2016)
Theri is a cop drama thriller which features Thalapathy Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Amy Jackson in the lead roles. The film was well-received by the audience and critics, resulting in an IMDb rating of 7.4. Notably, the Bollywood movie Baby John is the remake of this Atlee film.
7. Ghilli (2004)
Ghilli is one of the most famous films of Thalapathy Vijay. Released in 2004, the film follows the story of an aspiring kabaddi player who travels to Madurai to participate in a regional match. The plot unfolds as he rescues Dhanalakshmi from a powerful man. Critics have given the film 8.2 stars out of 10 on IMDb. It features Trisha Krishnan and Prakash Raj in lead roles.
8. Bigil (2019)
The 2019 Tamil sports drama Bigil, starring Vijay and Nayanthara, received praise from the audience upon its release. Directed by Atee, the film follows the story of Michael, who gives up his dream of becoming a footballer after his father's murder. With an IMDb rating of 6.7, the film can be streamed on the Prime Video platform.
Next, Thalapathy Vijay will be seen in Jana Nayagan. It marks his last acting project before venturing into politics full-time. The film is set to release on January 9, 2026.
