Vijayakanth
Portrait of Vijayakanth
Born	Vijayaraj Prabhakar Alagarswami (1952-08-25) 25 August 1952 (age 59)[1] Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Residence	Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Other names	Viji
Occupation	Leader of Opposition in the Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly, film actor, film producer, director
Years active	1979–present
Home town	Madurai
Political party	Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam
Spouse	Premalatha (1990–present)
Children	Vijay Prabhakar Shanmuga Pandian
Parents	K. N. Alagarswami and Aandal Azhagarswami

Vijayakanth (born 25 August 1952 as Vijayaraj Prabhakar Alagarswami) is an Indian actor and politician. He is the founder of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam and a Member of Legislative Assembly representing Rishivandiyam, Tamil Nadu, India. He is the unsung Superstar of Indian Cinema.

Early life[link]

Vijayakanth was born as Vijayaraj on 25 August 1952^[2] in Tirumangalam, Madurai to K. N. Alagarswami and Andal in a Thottia Naicker family. Alagarswami was Madurai's Councillor for two terms. He married Premalatha on 31 January 1990 and has two sons, Vijay Prabhakar and Shanmuga Pandian. Upon entering the film industry to pursue an acting career, director Khaja (who directed his first film) changed his name to "Amritaraj" and then "Vijayakanth", dropping the "raj" out of his name and suffixing "kanth". He has also been nicknamed "Captain" and "Puratchi Kalaignar".^[3] In the 2011 Tamilnadu elections, his party DMDK won 29 seats out of 41 contested seats and he became the leader of the opposition.

Acting career[link]

Inikum Ilamai was his first film, which was directed by M. A. Kaja. After this, he acted in Dhooraththu Idi Muzhakkam, Neerottam and Agal Vilakku. He is nicknamed 'Captain' after the 1991 movie Captain Prabhakaran which is his 100th film. Vijayakanth has starred in films including Vanathai Pola, Sethupathi IPS, Captain Prabhakaran, Pulan Visaaranai, Oomai Vizhigal, Senthurapoove, Ulavu Thurai, Periyanna, Vallarasu, Ramana, Neranja Manasu, and Sathriyan

1980s[link]

This period was a part of Vijayakanth in Kollywood. Some of the Vijayakanth films in the eighties include [[Sattam Sirikkiradhu, Auto Raja, Naan Soottiya Malar, Saatchi, Nalla Naal, Veettukku Oru Kannagai, Nooravathu Naal, Vetri, Madras Vaathiyar, Madurai Sooran, Kudumbam, Naalai Unadhu Naal, Naaney Raja Naaney Mandhiri, Amman Koyil Kizhakkale, Annai En Dheivam, Manakanakku, Oru Iniya Udhayam, Vasantha Raagam, Poomazhai Pozhiyudhu, Sattam Oru Vilaiyaattu, Siraipparavai, Uzhavan Magan, Veera Pandiyan, Therkathi Kallan, Sendhoorappoovey, Meenatchi Thiruvilaiyadal, Ponmana Selvan, Paattukku Oru Thalaivan]]and En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan. These movies earned him great accolades. He was leading the charts alongside Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. His First Movie is "Dhoorathu Idi Muzhakkam"

1990s[link]

Vijayakanth acted in a good number of blockbuster films in the nineties also. Some of them are Pudhu Paadagan, Pulanvisaranai(a blockbuster film directed by R.K. Selvamani), Sathriyan, En Aasai Machaan, Thayagam, Ezhai Jaathi, Karuppu Nila, Captain Prabhakaran(a blockbuster film directed by R.K. Selvamani and given 100th hit Film in Industry, all other actors 100th film flopped including Rajinikanth), Chinna Gounder, Sendhoorappandi, Enga Mudhalaali, Sedhupathi IPS, Thirumoorthi, Alexander, Dharma Chakkaram, Periya Maruthu, Thaai Mozhi(Guest Appearence(Sarath kumar as a Hero), Thamizh Selvan directed by BharathiRaja, Honestraj, Veeram Vilanja Mannu, Ulavuthurai, Periyanna and Kallazhagar.

2000s[link]

Vallarasu, Vaanathai Pola directed by Vikraman, Simhasanam, Vaanchinathan, Narasimma, Kannupada Poguthaiya, Thavasi, Devan, Thennavan, Rajjiyam, Engal Anna, Sokkathangam, Ramana (a blockbuster film directed by A. R. Murugadoss), Perarasu,Sudheshi, Arasangam (150th film directed by R.Madhesh), Sabari, Engal aasan, Mariyathai, and Virudhagiri (vijayakanth's first directional venture). But he couldn't get the attention he deserved.(?biased) He is one of the top 2 actors to have not featured in any commercial soaps (the other being Rajinikanth).

Political career[link]

He formed the center-left winged Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), a regional political party in Tamil Nadu. He formally announced the party's formation on 14 September 2005 in Madurai. His party contested in all seats in 2006 assembly elections and won one seat contested by him. In 2011 election held on 13 April 2011 he formed an alliance with AIADMK and contested in 41 constituencies. His party saw phenomenal success by winning 29 of the 41 seats it had contested from. It is a significant day in the history of Tamil Nadu as DMDK has won more seats than the DMK and occupied the position of MLA for the second time. Vijayakanth emerged victorious from the Rishivandhiyam constituency in the 2011 state assembly elections.

Dispute with Vadivelu[link]

During the legislative assembly elections that took place in Tamil Nadu during April 2011, actor Vadivelu vehemently campaigned for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its alliance. During his public speeches, he predominantly condemned Vijayakanth, whose party, the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), allied with the opposition party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), headed by J. Jayalalitha. This bitter rivalry was said to be caused during a film shoot in which Vadivelu was asked to call Vijayakanth as Future CM which Vadivelu refused.^{[citation needed]}

According to the Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, Vijaykanth's second son is going to debut in the movies as vice-captain (Vijaykanth himself is referred to as "Captain" by his fans in the Tamil film industry).

Awards and honors[link]

• 1986 – Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award for Amman Kovil Kizhakale
• 1988 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for Senthoora Poove
• 1996 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award (Special Prize) for Thayagam
• 2001 – Kalaimamani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu
• 2003 – Cinema Express Award for Best Actor for Vanathai Pola
• 2006 – Indian Government's Best Citizen Award
• 2011 – Honorary doctorate

Filmography[link]

Vijayakanth has acted in 153 movies, many of which feature him as a police officer.

References[link]

External links[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (May 2010)

• Vijayakanth at the Internet Movie Database
• DMDK official website
• Article on Vijaykanth's political foray
• Article on Vijaykanth's political foray and election results in The New Indian Express

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2010)

This following is a complete list of all the films Vijayakanth has acted in:^[1]

2010s[link]

2000s[link]

1990s[link]