Vijay-Stalin handshake, meeting broke the Tamil internet: 'Senior vs. Junior', 'Dravidian Sun to Vettri Star' memes go viral
Vijay-Stalin meeting: The meeting between Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin wasn't just a courtesy call, it was a high-stakes visual masterclass in political denotation.
Vijay-Stalin handshake meme, meeting broke the Tamil internet: 'Senior vs. Junior', 'Dravidian Sun to Vettri Star' memes go viral (Pic: X)
Vijay-Stalin meeting: Vijay, who won 108 seats in the assembly elections, took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Along with Vijay, nine other leaders are also taking oath as ministers. Vijay, contesting elections for the first time, had formed the political party TVK just two years ago. The DMK, which won 133 seats in 2021, was reduced to 59 seats in recently 2026 Assembly elections.
Vijay as courtesy call met his predecessor MK Stalin. The meeting between Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin wasn't just a courtesy call, it was a high-stakes visual masterclass in political denotation. For the first time in nearly six decades, a leader from neither the DMK nor the AIADMK sat in the Chief Minister's chair.
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The handshake captured the transition from Stalin who is called as Dravidian Sun to the Vettri Star, Vijay.
How internet reacted?
Internet users juxtaposed this photo with historical images of Karunanidhi and MGR, framing Vijay as the modern-day successor to the actor-turned-leader legacy. While the handshake with Stalin was formal, the interaction with Udhayanidhi Stalin went viral for its 'frenemy' energy. Having been peers in the film industry, their warm embrace and handshake were analysed frame-by-frame.
'DMK 75' Gift
Udhayanidhi presenting Vijay with the book Kalathin Niram Karuppu Sivappu (The Color of Time is Black and Red) was seen as a subtle "don't forget our history" message to the man who just disrupted it. The handshake was remarkably civil, considering it happened less than 24 hours after Vijay's blistering swearing-in speech.
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Hidden jab in Vijay's courtesy visit
Vijay had publicly claimed he inherited a state with Rs 10 lakh crore in debt due to DMK's administration. Even when post meeting Stalin issued a statement that he 'extended advice' to the new CM, but it was interpreted by netizens as a seasoned veteran schooling a newcomer, fueling thousands of 'Senior vs. Junior' memes.
Buzz is also about the attire
While the state was used to the look of CM in white shirt and dhoti. Vijay's shift from his usual casual party wear to a more formal, statesman-like appearance signaled his readiness for the role.
The Takeaway
It is being said that the handshake symbolised the end of the Dravidian duopoly. It wasn't just a greeting. It was a subtle message that it is end of an political era and resurge of a 'new blood.'
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