Pa. Vijay

Pa. Vijay, born on 20 October 1974, is that rare breed of talent who isn’t content to just stick to one creative lane. He’s carved out a space for himself as both a writer and an actor, and honestly, that’s no small feat in the ever-crowded world of Indian cinema. Folks probably know him best for his work in some seriously big-ticket films—try Enthiran (2010) for starters. That’s the Rajinikanth-Aishwarya Rai sci-fi spectacle that basically took Tamil cinema to a whole new level of bonkers (and awesome). Vijay’s lyric writing in that movie? Wildly catchy. Seriously, those songs were everywhere. Fast forward a couple years and he’s penning lyrics for Thuppakki (2012), another blockbuster, this time with Vijay (the actor, not to be confused with our man Pa. Vijay) front and center. The film’s all about an army officer on a mission, and Pa. Vijay’s words pack the right punch—sharp, energetic, just the right side of dramatic. His knack for tapping into the vibe of a film and boiling it down to a few unforgettable lines? It’s uncanny. And then there’s Master (2021), another monster hit. By this point, Vijay’s reputation is pretty much set in stone. He’s the go-to for lyrics that stick in your head for days, if not weeks. On top of that, the dude’s acted in a bunch of movies too, proving he’s not just about the words. Not everyone can pull that off, but Pa. Vijay makes it look easy.