A die-hard fan of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thalapathy Joseph Vijay has sparked an intense online debate by installing a statue of the actor-turned-politician inside his home’s puja room. Treating the statue on par with deities, the fan and his family members have been performing daily rituals, including offering traditional prayers and harathi. A video documenting these daily rituals recently went viral on social media platforms, drawing sharp criticism from netizens who condemned the act of elevating a political leader to the status of a god.
In response to the growing backlash, the fan—identified as 32-year-old Sukumar from Thiruverumbur in the Trichy district—vigorously defended his actions. Sukumar, who has been an ardent follower of Vijay for the past 20 years and previously held key positions in the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam welfare association, dismissed the negative comments. He explained that his devotion stems from a deep-rooted belief that Vijay is a transformative leader who genuinely intends to bring prosperity and positive change to the people of Tamil Nadu.
Expressing pride over Vijay’s transition into mainstream governance through his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Sukumar stated that the Chief Minister is his personal deity. “Thalapathy is everything to me; he is my god, and I pray to him daily. People used to mock us, saying we would only win a handful of seats and could never claim the Chief Minister’s post. But everything changed, and he is leading the state today,” Sukumar countered, reaffirming that his entire family continues to place absolute faith in Vijay’s governance.
