With Tamil superstar Vijay’s upcoming film Jana Nayakudu — the official remake of the Telugu blockbuster Bhagavanth Kesari — noted writer Gopi Mohan has credited Telugu cinema for playing a major role in shaping Vijay’s phenomenal rise in Kollywood.
“Vijay enjoys a massive fan base, and now he’s stepping into the role of a tough police officer originally portrayed by Nandamuri Balakrishna. The story’s political undertone might even help Vijay’s own political aspirations. Interestingly, this also marks his farewell film before stepping into politics,” reveals Gopi Mohan.
The writer points out that Vijay’s connection with Telugu cinema dates back to the early stages of his career. “He’s a fantastic dancer and action performer, and many of his early hits — like Priyamanavale, Youth, and Badri — were remakes of Telugu successes Pavitra Bandham, Chirunavvutho, and Badri. These remakes helped him expand his fan base across South India,” he explains.
Gopi Mohan further adds that the turning point in Vijay’s career came with remakes of Mahesh Babu’s blockbusters Okkadu (Ghilli) and Pokiri. “Both Vijay and Mahesh were of the same generation and had a similar mass image. Vijay smartly chose Telugu films that combined action, sentiment, and romance, while Mahesh stuck to originals. That difference worked brilliantly for Vijay,” he notes.
Interestingly, the creative exchange between the Telugu and Tamil industries wasn’t one-sided. Pawan Kalyan achieved success by remaking Vijay’s Love Today as Suswagatham and Sivakasi as Annavaram, while Nagarjuna struck gold with Nuvvu Vastavani, a remake of Vijay’s Thulladha Manamum Thullum. “Still, it was Vijay who most consistently relied on Telugu stories to power his stardom,” observes Gopi Mohan.
Over time, Vijay built a strong market in Telugu states through direct releases and dubbed versions like Thuppaki, Master, and Leo, which together grossed over ₹22 crore share. “With Jana Nayakudu, he’s expected to easily cross ₹25 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. However, he’s still a step behind Rajinikanth in terms of market reach in the region,” Gopi Mohan adds.
When asked if Vijay could emulate Pawan Kalyan’s transformation from superstar to Deputy Chief Minister, Gopi Mohan smiles and says, “Not really. Vijay’s path is different. Pawan earned people’s trust after years of tireless political work — through massive rallies, fiery speeches, and a strong social presence. Vijay’s political journey is just beginning, and we’ll have to wait until 2026 to see how it unfolds.”
