4 min readKochiMay 19, 2026 04:27 PM IST
Although he was once touted as the next big thing, Jai’s career has declined sharply over the years, primarily due to the many mediocre-to-subpar movies he has starred in. Even though he is still active in films, Jai’s name rarely comes up in discussions about Tamil cinema or in lists of promising talent in the industry.
After an impressive debut in director A Venkatesh’s Bagavathi (2002), where he played the younger brother to actor C Joseph Vijay, the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, he appeared in several notable movies such as Chennai 600028, Subramaniapuram, Vaamanan, Goa, Engaeyum Eppothum, and Raja Rani, delivering strong performances. However, he couldn’t capitalise on this success going forward.
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Jai on converting to Islam
Amid the ups and downs in his career, a rumour emerged early in the last decade that Jai had started following Islam. Although he initially refuted the speculation, he later admitted to converting to Islam. “I have been following Islam for seven years,” he told Vikatan in 2019. “I developed an indescribable faith in Islam. At home, they are happy, saying, ‘The child who wasn’t worshipping any god is worshipping at least some god now.’ Even though I converted, I haven’t changed my name yet. I am considering whether to change my name to Aziz Jai,” the actor added.
In a recent interview, he opened up further about the decision and what prompted him to convert. Mentioning that he faced quite a few “insults” at some temples, Jai pointed out that nowhere else had he received the same level of respect as a person that he got at mosques. Revealing that he began following Islam in 2011, the actor stated that the conversion had nothing to do with his career slump.
“I’ve worn mala for Sabarimala, and then for one year, I wore the Jesus rosary necklace and practised fasting. I followed all the gods, thinking everyone was okay. But at one point, I faced some insults in temples, unexpected situations that left me unsatisfied. Many such things kept happening,” he shared during a conversation with Galatta Plus.
Jai continued, “Then, when I went to a masjid once, I saw everyone standing in line and praying. It was my first time. Everyone knew I was an actor, but no one spoke to me inside (Masjid). It was only after coming out that they spoke to me, and that too, very politely. No one asked for a photo. So, what I felt was, ‘Is there some equality here? Do they see everyone as equal?’ That struck me strongly.”
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“Plus, once inside (the Masjid), they only consider God as supreme. No matter the celebrity, they aren’t seen as big. They give us space to ask for what we want. No one pushes us away or tells us to leave while we’re praying. We can pray for as long as we want. It felt like yoga. Once I started following Islam, my character also began to change.”
Jai was most recently seen in director Babu Vijay’s Sattendru Maarudhu Vaanilai. The movie also featured Yogi Babu, Meenakshi Govindarajan, and Garuda Ram in key roles.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only, featuring personal reflections and opinions that do not constitute professional advice.
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