Ram Gopal Varma shares old photo of young Vijay with M Karunanidhi following TVK win: 'The kid would destroy his party'

Young Vijay alongside M Karunanidhi (Pic/X)

Congratulatory messages and good wishes have been pouring in after actor-turned-politician Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerged victorious in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026 on Monday. Joining the long list of individuals extending their best wishes is filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who reacted to the dramatic political shift in the state with a unique, unseen throwback picture of Vijay.

Ram Gopal Varma shares Vijay's old photo with M Karunanidhi

After the election results were declared on Monday, May 4, Varma took to X (formerly Twitter) to share an old photograph on featuring young Vijay standing behind late DMK leader and former iconic Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, popularly known as Kalaignar, during a public event.

Sharing the image on his X handle, Ram Gopal Varma wrote, "Kalaignar wouldn't have dreamed that the kid behind him would one day destroy his party." The post quickly went viral as discussions regarding Vijay's political rise dominated online conversations.

TVK's historic win

Not many initially expected Vijay's TVK to create such a massive impact in Tamil Nadu politics, especially during its debut election. However, the actor's first electoral outing turned into a historic moment in the state's political landscape, with the party emerging as a major political force.

Meanwhile, outgoing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reacted to the defeat after the results were announced. "There is no victory we have not seen; there is no defeat we have not faced," Stalin said in his first public response.

Similarly, several celebrities from the film fraternity congratulated Vijay after the victory. Stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vikram, Rashmika Mandanna, Vijay Deverakonda, Khushboo Sundar, Keerthy Suresh, A. R. Rahman, Jiiva, Ravi Mohan, Sivakarthikeyan, Lakshmi Manchu, Mohanlal and Sandeep Reddy Vanga extended their wishes to Vijay.

For the unversed, the actor-turned-politician launched his party TVK in 2024, stepping into politics 34 years after making his debut as a leading actor with Naalaiya Theerpu in 1992. The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections marked his political debut.