4 min readHyderabadUpdated: Sep 7, 2026 06:01 PM IST
Actor Soori has shared a personal account of what it was like working with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on the sets of Jilla, recalling how the star’s uncontrollable laughter would break takes, and how he would put nervous co-stars at ease when directors got upset.
Speaking about Vijay’s presence on set, Soori painted a picture of a star who was nothing like the larger-than-life characters he plays on screen.
“He would laugh so much when he heard something funny. There was a scene where a boy would come and prick me, and I would react. He couldn’t act there, so he would run away and say sorry,” Soori said
Behind-the-scenes videos from the Jilla shoot, several of which have surfaced on YouTube over the years through Super Good Films’ official channel, confirm this dynamic. In one widely shared clip, Soori and actress Nivetha Thomas are seen leaving Vijay in splits during a take, with the star unable to compose himself long enough to complete the scene.
Despite the laughter, Soori said Vijay maintained complete control on set. “He would always be in full control and try to keep everything under control. He is an amazing person.”
What stood out most in Soori’s account was Vijay’s awareness of how junior actors and co-stars feel on a film set. Making a mistake during a take is stressful for any actor, but it is particularly nerve-wracking when the mistake happens in front of a superstar and a demanding director. Soori said Vijay understood that pressure and actively worked to dissolve it.
“If anybody made a mistake during a take, we would be scared about what the director would say. But he would make us feel comfortable. His laughter gives us so much energy,” Soori said.
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Soori appeared alongside Vijay and Mohanlal in RT Neason’s action drama Jilla, produced by R.B. Choudary under Super Good Films. He played one of the key comic supporting roles in the film, which collected approximately Rs 85 crore at the box office.
Soori also shared a personal moment that speaks to the respect he holds for Vijay. He revealed that when he bought his first car, a milestone for an actor who once earned Rs 20 a day as a daily wage labourer in Tiruppur before breaking into cinema, he did not drive it himself first. He gave the keys to Vijay.
“Even when I bought a car, I gave it to Vijay sir and asked him to drive it for a bit,” Soori said.
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In a 2017 interview with Behindwoods, he had elaborated on the same story in more detail. “When I bought my first ever car, I gave the car key to Vijay anna and asked him to drive the first ride. He drove a round and gave the car to me and wished me to buy a much bigger car soon. He is such a humble, caring and a down-to-earth person like all others say, and I have experienced it in person,” he had said.
Soori has since transformed from a comedian into one of Tamil cinema’s most respected leading men, with critically acclaimed performances in Vetrimaaran’s Viduthalai Part 1 and Part 2, Garudan, and Kottukkaali, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. His upcoming projects include Mandaadi and a film with Mythri Movie Makers.
Vijay, who entered full-time politics and won the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s seat, made his final on-screen appearance in H Vinoth’s Jana Nayagan earlier this year.
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