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Sabarinathan, 30, is the son of Vijay’s long‑time driver and personal assistant Rajendran, who has been with the actor since his debut film Naalaya Theerpu.
The viral clip, shot when Vijay announced party candidates in late March, shows Sabarinathan breaking down on stage, with the actor wiping his tears and hugging him.
R Sabarinathan, the son of actor‑politician Vijay’s former driver, has emerged as one of the most talked‑about faces of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections after his name surfaced among Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidates and an emotional video of him sobbing on stage went viral. Now, trends show him not just contesting but leading the DMK rival in Virugambakkam, Chennai, turning a touching family moment into a potent political narrative.
Who Is R Sabarinathan And How Is He Faring Now?
Sabarinathan, 30, is the son of Vijay’s long‑time driver and personal assistant Rajendran, who has been with the actor since his debut film Naalaya Theerpu.
He is contesting from Virugambakkam on a TVK ticket and, as per trends, is ahead of the DMK candidate in that segment, giving TVK a symbolic win in a key urban seat.
Why Is That Old “Weeping” Video Back In The Spotlight?
The viral clip, shot when Vijay announced party candidates in late March, shows Sabarinathan breaking down on stage, with the actor wiping his tears and hugging him.
The footage has resurfaced across social media, with fans and political watchers again dissecting the emotional moment, which has become shorthand for Vijay’s “loyalty to his core team” and the “son of the driver” narrative.
What Is Sabarinathan’s Backstage Story?
In a personality‑driven piece, news agency PTI traced how Sabarinathan’s father initially wanted him to become an engineer instead of entering politics, reflecting a classic Indian middle‑class aspiration clash.
Sabarinathan told the agency he tried to obey his father but eventually went “behind his back” to speak directly to Vijay and convinced him to let him join the party, after which Vijay persuaded Rajendran to allow his son’s political debut.
How Did He Finally Join TVK And Why Virugambakkam?
After a gap, Sabarinathan reportedly returned to Chennai in 2024 to formally join TVK, positioning himself as a foot‑soldier who rose through the party’s grassroots structures.
TVK fielded him from Virugambakkam partly as a symbolic gesture honouring Rajendran’s decades of loyalty, but also as a calculated attempt to project the party as a “second‑generation” home for the families of Vijay’s long‑time associates.
What Does This Say About Vijay’s Image‑Building?
By giving an MLA ticket to the son of a driver, Vijay is reinforcing a narrative of “from rickshaw to Raj Bhavan”‑style social mobility, popular among his fan‑political base.
The tearful video, now replayed widely during election coverage, works as a visual metaphor for loyalty, emotion, and a narrow escape from obscurity — ingredients Vijay’s machinery is packaging as part of the larger TVK brand.
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