Cinema VinesIn a surprising turn of events, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and film star C. Joseph Vijay is set to wave the ceremonial green flag at the Le Mans race in Silverstone, England, on Saturday. The ceremony will precede the race in which Tamil superstar Ajith Kumar will compete with his own team.
Ajith Kumar, who has been a prominent figure in the Tamil film industry for more than three decades, spoke to the press before the event, expressing gratitude toward the Chief Minister. He said, “I am extremely thankful to the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph Vijay, to have taken time off from his busy schedule to come and visit us at Silverstone. We’ve been colleagues in the film industry for the last 34 years, and I’m very happy for him that he’s now the Chief Minister‑elect.”
Beyond the ceremonial gesture, Ajith highlighted the potential for India to host major sporting events. He added, “They have been doing a lot to promote sports from every discipline, not just motorsport. They’re looking at motorsport as well. I’m glad he accepted the invitation to come and look at what are the logistic‑wise, infrastructure‑wise, it would take for India, Chennai to host events like the Le Mans series in India. And my wish is to see these events come to India and all of us race in India, you know?”
The two actors, who began their careers in the early 1990s with films such as “Amaravathy” (1993) for Ajith and “Naalaiya Theerpu” (1992) for Vijay, have long been perceived as rivals by their fan bases. Fans of Vijay are nicknamed “anils” (squirrels) while those of Ajith are called “aamais” (tortoises or turtles). The announcement that Vijay would wave the flag at Ajith’s race sparked surprise and excitement among supporters, who have travelled from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and other parts of the UK to witness the historic moment.
Social media buzzed with anticipation, with users on X (formerly Twitter) sharing plans to attend and expressing how the event would be “a moment the entire world is waiting for.” Photos and videos of the two stars together began circulating online, underscoring the significance of the occasion for fans of both actors.
