Mohanlal on ‘Jana Nayagan’ star Vijay's massive fan following, compares to legends MGR and Rajinikanth: ‘Unknowable magic’

Actor-turned-politician Vijay Thalapathy took the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s chair after his party dominated the 2026 elections. Recently, Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal, who worked with Vijay in the movie ‘Jilla,’ spoke about his popularity and the strong love people have for him.During the promotions of ‘Drishyam 3,’ Mohanlal spoke in an interview with Galatta Plus. He was asked why people feel so connected to Vijay and why his fan following is so huge. Mohanlal said stardom is not easy to explain and there is some magic behind it.He said, “It’s basically the characters we play, not the personal stuff.” Mohanlal explained that audiences mostly connect with actors through the roles they see on screen. He said people usually love the emotions and image created in films.Mohanlal also spoke about legendary stars like MGR and Rajinikanth. He said people loved MGR because of the characters he played in movies. He added, “We never really looked at the personal life; that is something different.”Talking about Rajinikanth, Mohanlal said his level of superstardom is very huge and difficult to explain in words. He said cinema has a special power and audiences connect deeply with some stars. Mohanlal said Vijay also has the same kind of connection with people and called it an “unknowable magic.”After Vijay’s election win, Mohanlal took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle to share his wishes. He wrote, “Congratulations, dear Vijay, on this wonderful victory. The people have chosen you; their trust is a true honour. I am sure you will wear it with pride and purpose as you embark on this new journey of service. My best wishes to you and your team. @TVKVijayHQ.“On Sunday, Vijay took the oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.