Samantha Ruth Prabhu meets Tamil Nadu CM Thalapathy Vijay, says 'He was never meant to be just a hero and...'

Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu has lauded Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for his transition from cinema to politics, saying his energy, presence and connect with people always indicated that he was destined for a larger role.

Samantha, who featured alongside Vijay in hits such as "Theri", "Mersal" and "Kaththi", shared a photo from her meeting with the Tamil Nadu CM on Wednesday. The 39-year-old actor said she felt an "immense sense of happiness" on arriving in the city as she was going to meet the chief minister.

"I've always felt that Vijay sir was never meant to be just a hero on screen. His energy, his presence, and the way people respond to him always felt like he was meant for something bigger," the actor wrote.

The actress added, "Wishing him strength, wisdom and the courage to stay the course. And for every young person watching, may this be a reminder that life can be so much bigger than the dream you started with."

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The controversies of Thalapathy Vijay

One of the biggest controversies to hit Vijay was the Karur stampede last September. On September 27, 2025, the actor-turned politician called for a political rally at Karur in Tamil Nadu. However, a regular address turned into a nightmare when a massive crowd surge led to a stampede, killing 40 people and injuring many others.

Soon after the stampede, Vijay rushed away from the scene, raising questions about his leadership skills. Many pointed out that the TVK had not taken sufficient precautions for the rally, and even blamed Vijay for it.

“If Vijay had come on time, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened,” R Balaji from Thanthondri Malai in Karur, told the New Indian Express. Echoing a similar view, eyewitness L Divyan said, “If proper restrictions and timings had been enforced, the situation would not have gone out of control.”