15.Vijayakanth

Vijayakanth
Portrait of Vijayakanth
Born	Vijayaraj Prabhakar Alagarswami 25 August 1952 (age 59) 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 (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[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 "Amirtaraj" and then "Vijayakanth", dropping the "raj" out of his name and suffixing "kanth". He has also been nicknamed "Captain" and "Puratchi Kalaignar".[3] In 2011 Tamilnadu election his party DMDK won 29 seats out of 41 contested seats and he became the leader of opposition.

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 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

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 Thalaivanand En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan. His First Movie is "Dhoorathu Idi Muzhakkam"

 1990s

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

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).

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.