Tamil actor Vijay finds himself embroiled in controversy as his latest song, “Naan Ready,” from the movie Leo, appear to endorse the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, contradicting Vijay’s recent speech in front of school students where he emphasized the importance of maintaining ‘good character’. Social media users have been quick to point out this perceived hypocrisy, criticizing the actor for promoting unhealthy habits in movies while advocating for students to uphold moral values. Actor Vijay is being called out for his hypocrisy as he treads towards entering politics.
The song from Leo also has many lines hinting at Vijay’s political ambitions.
“Naan Ready Than Varava (I am ready only, shall I come?)
Annan Naan Erangi Varava (Shall I take the plunge?)
Evan Thaduthun En Route-u Maradhappa (Nobody can stop and my route won’t change)
Naan Ready Than Varava (I am ready only, shall I come?)
Annan Naan Thaniya Varava (Shall I come alone?)
Poster Adi, Annan Ready (Stick posters, I am ready)
Amidst speculations surrounding Vijay’s political aspirations, he recently felicitated the top three rank holders of the Class 10 and 12 board exams not district-wise but from all 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The event, which took place on June 17 at a private hall in Chennai, saw Vijay urging students to extensively study national leaders such as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, EV Ramasamy Naicker (hailed as Periyar by his followers) and Kamaraj.
During his speech, he advised the students, saying, “Read about everything, read about leaders like Ambedkar, Periyar, Kamaraj. Take what’s good and leave the rest.” He also shared his own journey, stating, “My dream was cinema, and my journey was on that path. The reason for this event is a recent dialogue that I came across. It said: Everything else can be stolen from you, but not your education! Those lines moved me. It’s the reality. I have been wanting to do something in the field of education for a long time. This is the time for that, I believe.”
Furthermore, Vijay addressed the young audience about the importance of voting, emphasizing their role as future voters and the responsibility of selecting good leaders. He expressed concern about the prevalence of vote-buying, stating, “Today people vote after getting money. Say, ₹1,000 is given for a vote. If there are around 1.5 lakh voters in a constituency, that’s around ₹15 crore.”
He urged for the inclusion of such topics in the education system, adding, “If someone has to spend ₹15 crore, imagine how much that person would have earned earlier. Just think about these things. I wish such things were taught in our education system.”
During the same speech, Vijay also proclaimed, “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, everything is lost.”
Many on social media pointed out that the actor was mimicking Superstar Rajinikanth during public appearances who coincidentally had uttered the same dialogue a few years back at an event.
Maybe what Thalaivar spoke in 2016 & what Mr.Vijay spoke now are of different contexts. But I think its needless to mention who needs this the most on social media. Let alone reacting, Speaking / Doing the right, even in a fake a/c speaks volumes abt your character. #Rajinikanth https://t.co/Uxp9obJwoM pic.twitter.com/KK1h9rgo4z
— Rana Ashish (@AshMark25) June 17, 2023
Ironically, these very words have now come back to haunt Vijay, as he faces criticism for promoting alcohol consumption and smoking in his newly released song, “Naan Ready.” The first single from his upcoming film, ‘Leo,’ was unveiled on his birthday, June 22, and while his fans celebrated the occasion, the general public has called out the actor’s perceived hypocrisy. Throughout the song, Vijay is seen smoking while dancing, and the lyrics explicitly endorse alcohol and tobacco use.
Lines from the song include, “A bottle (of alcohol) is not enough for me, bring it in a large container… Smoking tobacco provides me with a strong euphoria… If milli (quantity of alcohol) goes inside, Ghilli inside me will come out.”
Many people have taken to social media to highlight the discrepancy between Vijay’s advice to students and his on-screen portrayal. They question whether promoting alcoholism and smoking aligns with the cultivation of good character among school children.
Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.