An Indian superstar-turned-politician is at the centre of a massive row after 40 people died in a crush at his party's rally on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of people turned up at the campaign event held by Vijay in Karur district in Tamil Nadu state. The actor was in the middle of his speech when the crowd surged suddenly.
The tragedy has sparked a blame game, with the opposition accusing government officials of not deploying enough police personnel to control crowds.
Police officials have said that the rally's organisers, who are from Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, underestimated the anticipated crowd size and did not take enough precautions.
Who is Vijay?
With an acting career spanning decades, 51-year-old Vijay is one of the most popular actors in Tamil Nadu. Over the years, he has worked his way up to becoming one of the most bankable stars, with even films panned by critics becoming massive box-office hits.
Born Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar to a film director father and singer mother, he acted in several films as a child. Vijay first played the hero in 1992's Naalaiya Theerpu, directed by his father. The film, about a group of college students taking on a corrupt businessman, was a flop but as the news website Scroll put it, it sowed the 'seeds of Vijay's carefully crafted screen persona as the man with the solution to Tamil Nadu's problems'.
Over the past few years, even films which got bad critical reviews, such as Beast (2022) and The Greatest of All Time (2024), have become box-office hits.
Why did he join politics?
There had been speculation around Vijay's political entry for years - a fan club he launched gave a creditable performance in the 2021 local elections. He had also made several statements over the years that were interpreted as having political undertones. His decision to quit acting to enter full-time politics still took fans by surprise.
Not all political plunges by film stars have translated into electoral success. Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth are notable examples of stars who faced challenges in politics.
What will happen now?
Crushes at political rallies are common in India, often leading to blame games between the organisers and authorities. A one-member commission of enquiry has been set up to investigate the cause of the crush, with demands for accountability directed at both Vijay's party and the local government.
The future of Vijay's political career could be influenced significantly by the outcomes of this tragic event.
