Vijay thanks Sudarsan Pattnaik for stunning sand art tribute after swearing-in

Tamil Nadu Chief minister Vijay received a special tribute from renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, who unveiled a massive sand sculpture at Puri Beach following his swearing-in ceremony in Chennai.

In Short

• Pattnaik shared photos of the artwork with a message for Vijay
• Vijay responded on X, thanking the artist for the breathtaking tribute
• Vijay launched TVK in February 2024 after years of intense speculation

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay received a special congratulatory tribute from renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, who created a massive sand sculpture in his honour at Odisha’s Puri Beach following the party’s strong performance in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

The viral moment unfolded after Pattnaik unveiled an elaborate sand artwork dedicated to Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathy, featuring a detailed portrait of the actor-politician along with TVK’s signature colours and a large congratulatory message reading, “Congratulations VIJAY Anna!”

Vijay, whose full name is C. Joseph Vijay, is among Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, known for blockbuster films such as Ghilli, Thuppakki, Mersal, Master, Leo, and GOAT. After years of speculation around a political entry, he formally launched his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), in February 2024, positioning it as an alternative to Tamil Nadu’s long-standing Dravidian political establishment.

Sharing photographs of the creation online, Pattnaik wrote, “Heartiest congratulations to #ThalapathyVijay Anna! My sand art at Puri Beach, Odisha.”

The gesture soon caught Vijay’s attention, receiving a heartfelt response from the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief.

“A huge thanks to legendary sand artist Thiru. @sudarsansand for this breathtaking creation! Your talent never fails to amaze. Deeply touched by this beautiful gesture,” Vijay wrote on X.

Take a look at the post here:

The tribute came at a major moment in Vijay’s political journey.

The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections marked a watershed moment for Vijay and TVK.

Polling for the 234-member Assembly took place on April 23, while results were declared on May 4. In what several described as one of Tamil Nadu’s biggest political upsets in recent years, TVK emerged as the single-largest party by winning 108 seats in its very first electoral outing.

Vijay himself contested from two constituencies, Perambur in Chennai and Tiruchirappalli East, and secured victories in both. Although TVK narrowly missed the majority mark of 118 seats, the party later secured enough backing to form the government, paving the way for Vijay to assume office as Chief Minister.

Against the backdrop of the actor-politician’s historic political debut, Pattnaik’s sand sculpture went viral online, with several supporters calling it a fitting tribute to Vijay’s transition from cinema icon to one of Tamil Nadu’s most talked-about political figures.

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