Vijay's retirement from cinema could cost Rs 1,000 crore annual loss to Kollywood; Thalapathy 69 in trouble?

Vijay's retirement from cinema has created a ruckus among his fans. The actor is taking a sabbatical from movies to focus on politics. Vijay announced the launch of his party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazham (TVK), through a post on X (formerly Twitter). Despite the timing preceding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Vijay emphasized that his newly established party would not engage in the upcoming general elections and would abstain from endorsing any other political group.

However, Vijay's decision to quit cinema will have huge financial consequences for Tamil films. According to industry estimates, there's a potential loss of Rs 1000 crore looming over the Tamil film fraternity. This projection is based on the consistent success of Vijay's films, which have been blockbuster hits, not only raking in substantial revenue during their theatrical releases but also commanding a significant viewership on television and OTT platforms during premieres.

The departure of this superstar could disrupt the industry's financial success and audience engagement. Presently, Vijay signs two films annually, collectively amassing nearly Rs. 1000 crore. Last year, both Varisu and Leo, featuring Vijay, were released, with Varisu earning Rs. 310 crore and Leo garnering Rs. 620 crore. The combined box office earnings from these two films reached approximately Rs. 930 crore.

And now the big question is who will direct Thalapathy 69, which would be the actor's final film. According to the latest buzz, Vetrimaaran, who is known for his intriguing storytelling, is likely to be the front-runner. For almost a decade now, there has been news of Vijay collaborating with the Asuran director, but none has worked out. And now it looks like things are falling into place. Apart from Vetrimaaran, other names linked to the project are Atlee, Lokesh Kanagaraj, Nelson, and Shankar.

Presently, the actor is getting ready for his upcoming project called GOAT (The Greatest Of All Time), helmed by director Venkat Prabhu. This film stars Vijay in a dual role and features a stellar cast, including Prabhu Deva, Prashanth, Sneha, Laila, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Yogi Babu, and more. Produced by Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh, and Kalpathi S Suresh under the AGS Entertainment banner, GOAT has generated significant excitement among fans.

The hush and buzz around Vijay's politics have been around for years now. Following MGR's footsteps, the All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, which manages the star's social activities, has been turned into his political party. Interestingly, during the recent rural local body elections, more than 100 members from the Iyakkam contested and won seats independently.

"I am aiming a corruption-free, progressive, and secular government, considering the current political climate that divides people by religion and caste, and one could witness corruption everywhere," his statement read. 

The Thuppakki actor's political dream started in 2009 when his father, SA Chandrasekhar prompted him to become the future CM of the state. However, Vijay has shown reluctance in his father's decision. Sources also say that the vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics due to the split in ADMK is the key catalyst for the actor's decision.