Year 1983.....

Tamil cinema was buzzing with new stars and actors. One such actor who was capturing everyone's hearts in recent times was Vijay.. Vijay Kumar.. The recent buzz in the k-town was that this dark skinned guy would definitely rule the screens and people's hearts one day.

Vijay Kumar, 27, had acted only in 7 films in the three years, in which the initial 3 films were flop. However, the next four films made him an indisputable star. He had even won a state award for best actor for his last film.

Originally, he belonged to an upper middle class family. He didn't remember a moment in childhood where he had to worry for food. However, when he turned 18, he wasn't interested in his studies. He wanted to become the star he watched on screen. He enacted those dialogues and actions in his classes. He then ended up failing in his higher secondary education. His father, Kaliya moorthy, who owned a rice mill, wasn't satisfied with his performance.

"Padippu avlo dhaana??? Thalai muzhugitiya??? Un matha rendu annanga nalla padichu engineer ah doctor ah irukkanga le...??? Nee enna Panna pore??? Olunga en kaalathuku pinnadi rice mill eh gavanichuko" His father yelled at him.

The young Vijay wasn't scared, "unga pere kaappatha avanga padichirukanga le. Adhu podhum. Naan nadikka poren"

Kaliya moorthy was exasperated at this point, "kettiya de??? Nadikka poranam.... Padippum vittutu thozhilum vittutu.. koothada poranam" he yelled at his wife.

"Ammave edhuku thitringa??? Enaku en Mela nambikkai irukku. Naan uzhaichu Munna vandhuruven. Koothadi nu romba ilaguva solladhinga appa.. adhu oru kalai." His kalai thaagam induced him to speak.

His father let out a mocking smile "Amsaveni... Un pullai ku kannadi paakura pazhakkam illaiya????"

Vijay looked at his father angrily. Amsaveni for the first time tried to intervene. She noticed that her husband was going to hurt her younger son.

Before she could speak, Vijay reacted to his father's mock. "Enna solla varinga appa neenga?"

"Pinna enna da??? Un color eh kannadi le paathurukiya??? Andhi vaanamaatam irutta irukke... Unnai poi yaaru da thirai le paappa???"

"Ennanga pesuringa??? Avan namma pullai... Avan nerathuku enna koraichal??? Avan unga nerathile dhaane irukkan.." Amsaveni wasn't able to control herself.

His father didn't stop,"thirai le varanumna adhuku oru muga latchanamum colorum veanum. Adhu edhuvum unaku illa. Ozhunga ennoda Naalai le irundhu mill ku vara paaru"..

Vijay listened to his father's words without any emotions.

The only thing that could affect him was his color. He was a handsome guy in Dravidian color. However, colorism prevailed mindset of his father missed to see his handsomeness.

He wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at his father,"Naan ungaloda rice mill ku vara matten. Enaku en mela nambikkai irukku. Inniku indha veetule irundhu poren. Naan Madras ku poi oru nalla idathe sambaadhicha apram dhaan indha oorukulla kaal eduthu veppen. Endha mugam thirai le nalla irukkadhu nu soldringalo, andha mugathuku paal abhishekam pandradhe neenga paappinga. Naan varen"

"Viji... Viji... Nillu pa.... Yeanga Avan poran... Nikka sollunga..." Amsaveni cried behind her son.

Kaliya moorthy wasn't ready to give up. "Enga de poga poran??? Raathri inga dhaan vandhu seruvan..."

Vijay left the house in his school uniform. To prove himself to this world, he reached Madras by hitch-hiking in a lorry. The city of dreams didn't treat him well. He wasn't the first person to enter the city to chase his dreams. Alas!

After some struggles, he found himself an accommodation. It was a 10x10 room which was shared by four members. All four of them were here to work in cinema. They were visiting each and every studio to get a single chance to change their future. Raja was one of his roommates. He was the one who found unconscious Vijay on the road one day, bought him food and brought him to their room.

"Un udhavi eh naan ennaikum marakka matten, Raja"

"Ada viduppa. Naan thinnura bun le unaku oru paadhi koduthen. Adhuvum illana naan kudikura tea le unaku oru half kodukka poren" Raja then laughed. He was there trying to get a chance as a comedian.

Vijay then responded,"naan hero aana nee dhaan en padathule comedian".

The other two guys in the room laughed at his statement.

Raja intervened them "niruthunga pa. Viji ku enna koraichal. Color Konjam kammi. Aana andha muga vetta paarunga ya... Avan hero va varuvan.. Viji nee ivanga pesuradhe kaadhule vaangadhe..."

The friends became much closer and entered every studio and knocked their doors. Raja acted as junior artist in many films to keep their stomachs filled while Vijay did stunts. Vijay had a good built and stuntmen preferred to work with him. Hence he was getting many chances.

Years rolled and one day, he met a person from his home town.

"Nee Vijay dhaane pa??? Kaliya moorthy paiyan dhaane???"

"Naan Vijay dhaan sollunga..." He answered after a moment.

"Unga amma romba mudiyama irundhu pona vaaram thavaritangale. Nee yean vandhu paakale"

He was shocked. He was sending letters to his mother after reaching the city. Per her letters, his family was aware of his address and their exchanges. However, when she passed away, no one had informed him of her news. Raja touched his shoulders to calm his friend down.

"Inga velai Konjam irundhuchi. Adhanale dhaan vara mudiyale.." Vijay lied through his teeth.

"Enna pillaiyo... Petha ammave kooda paakkama appadi oru velai"... The old man moved away from him.

Vijay broke down and sat on the road side and cried.

"Viji... Viji..." Raja tried to hug his friend.

"Enakaga thudicha ore uyir" he then looked around, controlled his tears and walked back to their room.

He was lying in his room in the same position for three days. Raja was the one who brought him food. The other two complained about how Vijay was using Raja. However, Raja didn't take all these things into his mind. Raja knew that Vijay was easily angered, but he had a heart of gold.

Raja came running towards him on the fourth day.

"Viji... Viji... Endhiri"

"Enna da??"

"Unga amma unaku nalladhu pannirukkanga..."

"Olaradhe da. Enna soldre?"

"Ama da. Romba naala nee director Rangan kitte chance kette le??? Avar ippo unaku yetha maari oru kadhai irukku.. adhuku screen test panna kuptu irukkar"

"Mudhal 3 padangal maari idhuvum thokka dhaan povudhu" Vijay laid down without any interest. Yes he had done few movies in the past year which reached theatres but didn't touch the hearts of the audience.

"Puriyadha maari pesadhe Viji... Idhu Rangan... Avar nee dhaan screen test panna num nu nikkurar. Avar dhaane andha Mugilanukum first hit kuduthaaru. Adhanale endhiri. Mugathe kazhuvu. Unga amma samaadhi aachi nee paaka veanoma??? Adhuku andha oorukulla poganum le??? Unnai yaarum avanga kupdalena enna??? Nee jeichu po... Un ammave paaka"

The saddened Vijay got up in a second and went to wash himself. Raja knew his buttons. He smiled triumphantly.

The screen test turned out well. Vijay got his fourth film as hero. That film became his break through film. His acting was praised by everyone. He became the angry young man, the trend was then searching for. The film ran for 180 days.

After the success of the film, he went to his home town and visited his mother's cemetery. He didn't even look towards his house and they didn't invite him either. His father was adamant in nature. His brothers always listened to his father. He was the only black sheep in the family who would raise voice against his father.

His next three films also became silver jubilee hits. He was the hero in trend. His dates were booked until the next two years. As he promised, Raja was acting as a comedian in his films.

Vijay wasn't a star who demanded for much in the sets. That was also one of the reasons the makers preferred him. As his initial days were filled with struggles, he had huge respect towards his producers and directors along with all the technicians that were in the set. He always treated everyone with a warm heart.

Vijay Kumar's eighth film was started a few days ago. He was on the sets getting ready in his makeup room. He then noticed his manager whispering something with the assistant director.

"Kumar, anga enna aachi????" He asked his manager.

Kumar scratched his head and looked at his hero, "adhu vandhu sir..."

"Neeti muzhakkama vizhayathe sollu"

"Heroine edho prachanai pandrangalam, sir"

"Enna prachanaiyam??"