Vijayakanth

Vijayakanth
Portrait of Vijayakanth
Born	Vijayaraj Prabhakar Alagarswami 25 August 1952 (1952-08-25) Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Residence	Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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 (Tamil: விஜயகாந்த்; 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.

Early life

Vijayakanth was born as Vijayaraj on 25 August 1952 in Tirumangalam, Madurai to K. N. Alagarswami and Andal in a Thotti 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 "Amirtaraj" and then "Vijayakanth", dropping the "raj" out of his name and suffixing "kanth". He has also been nicknamed "Captain" and "Puratchi Kalaignar". In 2011 Tamilnadu election his party DMDK won 29 seats out of 41 contested seats and he became the leader of opposition.

Education

Vijayakanth did part of his schooling at M. C. School in Madurai. He later switched over to Devakottai De Britto High School where he was an inmate. Vijayakanth's confidant, Munish Kumar Yellugari, Ibrahim Ravuthar were his school friends. He later switched to St. Marys School, Vickramasingapuram, Tamilnadu,and studied up to 8th standard. He belongs to Telugu Kapu minority.

Acting career

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 his 100th film. Managara Kavaal. 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

This period was a dominant part of Vijaykanth in Kollywood. Some of the Vijayakanth superhit 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 Thalaivanand En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan. His First Movie is "Dhoorathu Idi Muzhakkam"

Among his 150+ films, the character he played in Vaitheke katherunthal is widely acclaimed as good performance by Tamil cinema viewers besides, Amman Koil Kazhakaley. Though he is an action hero in his entire career, in these 2 films one can see a different Vijayakanth. He played a role as "Captain" (retd Indian Army Captain) in a film called " senthorapoove". This gives him the title "captain".

1990s

Vijaykanth acted in a good number of blockbuster films in the nineties also. Some of them are Pudhu Paadagan, Pulanvisaranai, Sathriyan, Captain Prabhakaran, Chinna Gounder, Sendhoorappandi, Enga Mudhalaali, Sedhupathi IPS, Thirumoorthi, Alexander, Thamizh Selvan,Honestraj, Veeram Vilanja Mannu, Ulavuthurai, Periyanna and Kallazhagar.

2000s

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), Arasangam (150th film), Sabari,Engal aasan, Mariyathai, and Virudhagiri (vijayakanth's first directional venture).

Political career

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 April 13, 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

During the legislative assembly elections that took place in Tamil Nadu during the month of April in 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. His allegations of Vijayakanth included him being a "drunkard". In a campaign speech in Tiruvarur, Vadivelu stated that "(his) only aim is to sweep out Vijayakanth’s whole team and to campaign vigorously for DMK’s victory". Vadivelu was criticized as being biased, only supporting a DMK-led victory for personal gains and not once mentioning anything against the official opposition, the AIADMK, or its leader. However in a turn of events, the election was eventually successful for the AIADMK alliance while Vijayakanth was victorious by a significant margin in his own constituency.

Awards and honors

• 1986 – Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award for Amman Kovil Kizhakale
• 1996 – Tamil Nadu State Film Award (Special Prize) for Thayagam
• 2001 – Kalaimamani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu
• 2003 – Cinema Express Best Actor Award for Vanathai Pola
• 2006 – Indian Government's Best Citizen Award
• 2009 – Filmfare Top 10 Legends of Tamil Cinema Award
• 2011 – Honorary doctorate

Filmography

Main article: Vijayakanth filmography

Vijayakanth has acted in 153 movies, in which many films featured him as a cop.

External links

• 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