I gave up cinema to stand up for fans who offered me everything, including ''kottai'': Vijay
Chennai (PTI): At the much-awaited audio launch event of his movie 'Jana Nayagan' in Malaysia, actor-politician Vijay has said he decided to "give up cinema" to "stand up" for his fans who offered him everything, including a 'kottai' (fort).
In Tamil Nadu, the word 'Kottai' (meaning fort) symbolises someone's bastion as well as Fort St George, a British-built fortress, that houses the state’s legislative Assembly, Secretariat and Chief Minister’s office since independence.
"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," the actor said.
The audio launch was organised at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on December 27, drawing nearly 1 lakh fans and entering the Malaysian Book of Records for the largest audience at such an event. Malaysia is home world's largest Tamil diaspora after Sri Lanka.
ALSO READ: From Kannada medium school in Hejamady to IT leader in US: Inspiring story of Imtiaz Iqbal
Thanking Malaysian fans particularly, 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."
Billed as 'Thalapathy Thiruvizha', the five-to-six-hour extravaganza marked Vijay's cinematic farewell before his political innings.
The event featured live performances and emotional speeches amid tightened security and a strict no-politics directive from Malaysian police. Singers like Tippu, Anuradha Sriram, and Saindhavi electrified the stage, building on hits like singles "Thalapathy Kacheri" and "Oru Pere Varalaaru," which had already won fan acclaim.
Industry veterans got emotional while talking about their interactions with the mega star.
Veteran actor Nasser delivered a tearful speech, thanking Vijay for aiding his son's recovery and supporting Nadigar Sangam construction. He invoked Vijay's “Pokkiri” dialogue, stating that the star lives true to his dialogue, “Oru Thadava Mudivu Pannita”, (once I made up my mind…). But he urged Vijay to make an exception this time and reconsider retirement, as he is "critic-proof" and irreplaceable for fans and the industry.
Actor Pooja Hegde, Vijay's co-star in the film, recalled how professional and humble he is and expressed her sadness over his final film. Their first film together, “Beast”, gave her a forever hit in the song “Arabic Kuthu”, she added, thanking the fans.
Speaking at the event, the director of the film, H Vinoth, promised 100% entertainment despite low hype.
This film's Music director, Anirudh Ravichander, delivered a 45-minute tribute with medleys of the hits of actor. Legends of Tamil cinema, directors Atlee, Nelson and Lokesh Kanagaraj, shared their experiences with the actor.
The apolitical gathering, permitted strictly as entertainment, highlighted Vijay's global pull three years after his last Malaysia visit.
'Jana Nayagan', starring Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, Gautham Menon, Priyamani, and Naren, releases worldwide on January 9, 2026, for Pongal, clashing with Prabhas' "The Raja Saab" and Red Giant Movies' "Parasakthi" starring Sivakarthikeyan.
The audio launch event will be telecast on Zee Tamil on January 4, 2026.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll rises to 20; sixteen workers undergoing treatment
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday.
The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.
The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.
According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident.
Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died.
"Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added.
Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured.
The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support.
The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said.
The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty.
He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated.
The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation.
Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry.
The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible.
He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured.
The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022.
Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction.
The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
