Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu has praised her former co-star Vijay for his decision to enter politics, describing him as her “lucky charm” and saying his transition from films to public service is inspiring.
During an episode of the cooking reality show Celebrity MasterChef Tamil, Samantha spoke about her experience of working with Vijay in three films.
The conversation took place during the show's ‘Hero vs Villain' challenge, when RJ Vijay asked her to name her favourite star.
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“He is my lucky charm. I worked with him in three superhits,” she said for Vijay.
Samantha expressed her admiration for the Tamil superstar and recalled their collaborations in Kaththi (2014), Theri (2016) and Mersal (2017). The three films were commercial successes and remain among the notable collaborations in their careers.
She also praised the Tamil Nadu chief Minister (Vijay) for choosing to pursue politics after establishing himself as one of Tamil cinema's biggest stars.
Samantha described his journey as an inspiration and said he had entered politics at the right time.
“He is an inspiration as a person. Crores of fans, and to choose to be a leader, to choose governance, quiet, focused, and working so hard behind the scenes,” she said, adding, “Walking away from cinema at the peak of one's career to enter politics is not an easy decision.”
Vijay's Journey From Cinema To Politics
Vijay began his film career as a child actor in Vetri (1984), directed by his father, SA Chandrasekhar. He made his debut as a lead actor with Naalaiya Theerpu (1992), also directed by his father and produced by his mother, Shoba.
His career gained momentum with films such as Coimbatore Mappillai (1996), followed by a string of commercially successful releases. Over the years, Vijay established himself as one of the leading stars of Tamil cinema, with films such as Mersal and Leo contributing to his box-office success.
In 2024, Vijay announced his entry into politics and launched his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The actor then shifted his focus towards public life, marking a major transition from his film career.
TVK won 108 seats in this year's Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, emerging as the single largest party in the 234-member Assembly. Vijay was sworn in as the state's Chief Minister on May 10, 2026.
His final film, Jana Nayagan, was released in theatres in July 2026. The film attracted significant attention as Vijay's final cinematic outing before his full-time political career, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu's Recent Work
Samantha was last seen in Maa Inti Bangaaram, which was released earlier this year. She is also expecting her first child with her husband, filmmaker Raj Nidimoru.
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The couple announced the pregnancy in June, this year.
Her remarks about Vijay on Celebrity MasterChef Tamil highlight the professional association the two actors share, as well as her admiration for his decision to move from a successful acting career into politics.
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