Chennai,  28 Dec

Actor-politician Vijay, addressing a massive gathering of fans at the audio launch of his film Jana Nayagan in Malaysia, said he had decided to “give up cinema” to “stand up” for his admirers who, he said, had given him everything, including a ‘kottai’ (fort).

In Tamil Nadu, the word ‘kottai’ symbolises not just a personal bastion but also Fort St George, the historic complex that houses the State Assembly, Secretariat and the Chief Minister’s office.

“When I entered the cinema, I thought I was building a small sand house here. But you all have built me a palace. Fans helped me build a fort… That’s why I’ve decided to stand for them. For the fans who gave up everything for me, I’m giving up cinema itself,” Vijay said, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.

The audio launch, held at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on 27 December, attracted close to one lakh fans and entered the Malaysian Book of Records for the largest audience at an audio launch event. Malaysia hosts the world’s largest Tamil diaspora after Sri Lanka, making the occasion particularly significant for the actor.

Expressing gratitude to his Malaysian fans, Vijay said, “If you want to succeed in life, you may not need friends, but you need a strong enemy. Only when there's a strong enemy, you become stronger. So, in 2026, history will repeat. Let us be ready to welcome it for the people. Thank you, Malaysia.”

Branded as ‘Thalapathy Thiruvizha’, the five-to-six-hour extravaganza marked Vijay’s cinematic farewell ahead of his planned political innings. The programme featured live musical performances, emotional tributes and carefully choreographed segments, with tight security and a strict no-politics condition enforced by Malaysian authorities.

Popular playback singers Tippu, Anuradha Sriram and Saindhavi performed on stage, while fan-favourite tracks such as “Thalapathy Kacheri” and “Oru Pere Varalaaru” had already generated buzz ahead of the event.

Several industry veterans became emotional while recalling their association with the star. Actor Nasser delivered a tearful speech, thanking Vijay for his personal support during his son’s recovery and for his contribution to the Nadigar Sangam building. Quoting Vijay’s iconic “Pokkiri” dialogue, “Oru Thadava Mudivu Pannita” (once I made up my mind…), Nasser appealed to him to reconsider retirement, calling him irreplaceable and “critic-proof”.

Actor Pooja Hegde, Vijay’s co-star in Jana Nayagan, spoke about his professionalism and humility, saying she felt emotional that this would be his final film. She recalled that their earlier collaboration Beast gave her a lasting hit in the song “Arabic Kuthu”.

Director H Vinoth assured fans that the film would offer “100% entertainment” despite relatively low pre-release hype. Music director Anirudh Ravichander delivered a 45-minute tribute medley of Vijay’s hit songs, while filmmakers Atlee, Nelson and Lokesh Kanagaraj shared anecdotes from their collaborations with the star.

The apolitical event highlighted Vijay’s enduring global appeal, three years after his last visit to Malaysia. Jana Nayagan, featuring Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, Gautham Menon, Priyamani and Naren, is set for a worldwide Pongal release on 9 January 2026. The audio launch will be telecast on Zee Tamil on 4 January 2026.