Vijay Antony
Vijay Antony during a photoshoot of Pichaikkaran
Born (1975-07-24) 24 July 1975 (age 48)
Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India[1]
NationalityIndian
Occupations
  • Music composer
  • playback singer
  • actor
  • film editor
  • lyricist
  • audio engineer
  • film producer
  • director
  • dubbing artist
RelativesSamuel Vedanayagam Pillai (great-grand father)

Frances Antony Cyril Raja (born 24 July 1975) known professionally as Vijay Antony,[1][2] is an Indian music composer, playback singer, actor, film editor, lyricist, audio engineer, and filmmaker working predominantly in Tamil cinema. He made his debut as music composer in 2005. He is the first Indian Music Director to win the 2009 Cannes Golden Lion for the song Naaka Mukka advertising film in the Best Music category.[3] The song was played at the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He made his acting debut film Naan in 2012. He is best known for his roles in action thriller films such as Naan (2012), Salim (2014) and Pichaikkaran (2016).

Early life

Vijay Antony was born in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District.[1] When he entered the media and film industry, he had picked Agni as his stage name, but this was changed to Vijay by S. A. Chandrasekhar who had commented that Agni was not lucky and christened him after his son Vijay (actor).[2]

Career

Vijay Antony's acting debut was in the crime thriller Naan where he played the lead role. The film's standalone sequel titled Salim, an action thriller, was his next project as an actor, for which he also composed music.[4] Both the films were sleeper hits.[5] In 2015, he starred in the romantic comedy India Pakistan for which he wasn't the music director.[5] In 2016, he chose to star in the action thriller Pichaikkaran (2016), collaborating with his Dishyum director Sasi.[6] It became a commercial success, with overall collections nearing 40 Crore.[7] The Telugu dub Bichagadu was a bigger success than the original.[8] His next was Saithan, an action thriller directed by debutant Pradeep Krishnamurthy.

He appeared in the 2017 political action thriller Yaman directed by Jeeva Shankar. Produced by A. Subaskaran under the banner Lyca Productions & Vijay Antony Film Corporation, it starred Miya and Thiagarajan. The film was released on 24 February 2017. His next film Annadurai in the same year was an action drama. It tells the story of two brothers of contrasting characters whose separate lives are affected when fate intervenes in their lives.[9] In 2018, he starred in Kaali, a period action film directed by Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi[10] and Thimiru Pudichavan, an action film directed by Ganeshaa.

In 2019, he starred in Kolaigaran, an action thriller directed by Andrew Louis[11] and featuring Arjun Sarja.[12]

Personal life

Antony was brought up by his mother after his father's death by suicide when he was 7. He is not a trained musician, but started his career as a sound engineer and later became a music composer. After completing his tertiary education, he established an audio studio called Audio Infotainment and worked there as a sound engineer. In his early days as a music composer, he composed jingles for advertisements, and notable background scores for television shows by conducting research on sound engineering.[13] His music composing venture in movies arrived when Oscar Ravichandran approached Antony to compose music for his film Dishyum, but his music composer debut in movies happened through Sukran, as it was released first.

Antony is married to Fatima Vijay Antony, and they had two daughters. The elder daughter died by suicide on 19 September 2023 at the age of 16 in their home in Chennai.[14][15] Antony has a well-known great-grandfather, Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai, who was a Tamil poet, novelist, and social worker and is remembered for his authorship of Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram, recognized as the "first modern Tamil novel." Vedanayagam's ideals of women's liberation and education are reflected in this novel.

Award

Antony is the first Indian to win a Cannes Golden Lion award. He won the award in 2009 for the "Nakka Mukka" commercial (for The Times of India) in the Best of Music category.[16]

Filmography

Actor

Year Film Role(s) Notes
2006 Kizhakku Kadalkarai Salai Lecturer Cameo Appearance
2009 TN 07 AL 4777 Himself Special Appearance in "Aathichudi" song
2012 Naan Karthik / Mohammed Salim
2014 Salim Dr. Mohammed Salim
2015 India Pakistan Adv. Karthik
2016 Pichaikkaran Arul Selva Kumar
Nambiar Himself Special Appearance in "Aara Amara" song
Saithan Dinesh & Sharma dual role
2017 Yaman Thamizharasan (Yaman) & Arivudainambi dual role
Mupparimanam Himself Special Appearance in "Let's Go Party" song
Annadurai Annadurai & Thambidurai dual role
2018 Kaali Kaali (Bharath), Young Periyasamy (Samy), Young Maari,& Young John Quadruple Roles
Traffic Ramasamy Himself Cameo Appearance
Thimiru Pudichavan Inspector Murugavel
2019 Kolaigaran Prabhakaran IPS
2021 Kodiyil Oruvan Vijaya Raghavan
2023 Tamilarasan Inspector Tamilarasan [17]
Pichaikkaran 2 Vijay Gurumoorthy & Sathya dual role Also Director[18]
Kolai Vinayak [19]
Raththam Ranjith Kumar [20]
TBA Agni Siragugal Seenu Delayed[21]
Hitler TBA Filming[22]
Khakhee TBA Filming[23]
Romeo TBA Pre-production[24]
Valli Mayil TBA Filming[25]

Editor

Year Film
2017 Annadurai
2018 Thimiru Pudichavan
2021 Kodiyil Oruvan
2023 Pichaikkaran 2

Director

Pichaikaran 2 (2023)

Discography

Music director

Year Tamil Other languages Notes
2005 Sukran
2006 Dishyum
Iruvar Mattum
2007 Naan Avanillai Buddhivantha (Kannada) Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil)
Background Score by D. Imman
Ninaithale
2008 Pasumpon Thevar Varalaru Documentary film
Pandhayam
Kadhalil Vizhunthen Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil)

Cannes Golden Lion Award for Best Commercial Music (Nakka Mukka)[26]

''Nakka Mukka'' Song was played at the 2011 Cricket World Cup

2009 A Aa E Ee
TN 07 AL 4777 Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Music Director

Nominated, Vijay Award for Favourite Song

Mariyadhai
Ninaithale Inikkum Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil)
Mahatma (Telugu) Reused songs from Dishyum, Kadhalil Vizhunthen and Naan Avanillai
Vettaikaaran Winner, Vijay Award for Favourite Song – Chinna Thamarai
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Music Director
2010 Rasikkum Seemane
Aval Peyar Thamizharasi
Angadi Theru 2 Songs
Kanagavel Kaaka
Uthama Puthiran
2011 Sattapadi Kutram
Yuvan Yuvathi
Vedi
Velayudham
2012 Naan Asthitva (Kannada) Nominated, 2nd South Indian International Movie Awards For Best Music Director
Daruvu (Telugu) Reused songs from TN 07 AL 4777, Ninaithale Inikkum, Vettaikaaran , and Uthamaputhiran
Sattam Oru Iruttarai
2013 Haridas
Madha Gaja Raja Unreleased
2014 Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam 1 song ("A for Azhagirukku")
Salim
2015 Aavi Kumar
2016 Pichaikkaran
Nambiyaar
Saithan
2017 Yaman
Annadurai
2018 Kaali
Thimiru Pudichavan
2021 Iruvar Ullam
2023 Pichaikkaran 2

Singer

Year Song Film Notes
2005 "Saathikadi" Sukran
2006 "Dailamo",
"Bhoomikku"		 Dishyum
2007 "Machakani",
"Kaakha Kaakha"		 Naan Avan Illai
2008 "Naaka Mukka",
"Thozhiya",
"Kadavul Padaitha",
"Unakkena Naan"		 Kadhalil Vizhunthen
2009 "Menaa Minukki",
"Kannivedi"		 A Aa E Ee
2009 "Mere Priya",
"Allah"		 Ninaithale Inikkum
2009 "Aathichudi" TN 07 AL 4777
2010 "Poove Poove",
"Naan Unnai Paarkum"		 Rasikkum Seemane
2010 "Palayankottai" Aval Peyar Thamizharasi
2010 "Usumalarase" Uthamaputhiran
2011 "Edhedho" Sattapadi Kutram
"O My Angel"
"Kola Kuthu"		 Yuvan Yuvathi
"Ichu Ichu" Vedi
"Sonna Puriyathu" Velayudham
2012 "Usumalarese"
"Rajulla"		 Daruvu Telugu
"Ulaginil"
"Thappellam"		 Naan
"Poochandi" Sattam Oru Iruttarai
2013 "Thumbakka" Madha Gaja Raja
2012 "Edhirthu nil" Biriyani Composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja
2014 "Onnuna Rendu" Aindhaam Thalaimurai Sidha Vaidhiya Sigamani Composed by Simon
"Mascara Pottu" Salim
2016 "Nooru Samigal" Pichaikkaran
"Lovukku logic ille" Nayyapudai Composed by Taj Noor
"Yededho", "Ladukio" Saithan
2017 "Thangama Vairama" Annadurai
2019 "Pasappukali" Devarattam Composed by Nivas K. Prasanna
2021 "Slum Anthem" Kodiyil Oruvan Composed by Nivas K. Prasanna

Television

References

  1. ^ a b c "VIJAY ANTONY". vijayantony.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b Vijay தான் என்னை நம்பி, அடுத்த Stageக்கு கொண்டுபோனார்! - Vijay Antony | A.R.Rahman | Pichaikkaran 2, archived from the original on 19 May 2023, retrieved 19 May 2023
  3. ^ "Vijay Antony's 'Naaka Mukka' fetches Best Use of Music Award at Cannes". 27 June 2009. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  4. ^ Srinivasan, Sudhir (9 August 2014). "Same character different movie". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  5. ^ a b Menon, Vishal (9 May 2015). "I'm not a good actor: Vijay Antony". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 January 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  6. ^ Balachandran, Logesh. "No one will want to play a beggar in a film, but I did". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Review : Pichaikkaran review: Entertaining! (2016)". Sify. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Bichagadu total box office collection: Vijay Antony's Telugu film turns bigger success than Pichaikkaran". International Business Times. 3 November 2016. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Annadurai review. Annadurai Tamil movie review, story, rating". IndiaGlitz.com. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Vijay Antony gets Superstar Rajinikanth's title for next". Top 10 Cinema. 1 April 2017. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.((cite news)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ "Kolaigaran to release on June 5th". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Kolaigaran movie review: Arjun Sarja delivers a sublime performance in this gripping whodunit". Firstpost. 7 June 2019. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  13. ^ Kalpagam Sarma. "'Naaka Mukka' Antony". goergo.in. Archived from the original on 2 January 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  14. ^ "Why Latest Picture of Vijay Antony's Daughter Meera is". News18. 14 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Actor Vijay Antony's daughter allegedly dies by suicide". Hindustan Times. 19 September 2023. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  16. ^ "TOI wins India its first Gold Film Lions at Cannes". The Times of India. 28 June 2009. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  17. ^ "Vijay Antony's THIS film to release on April 14 instead of 'Pichaikkaran 2". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  18. ^ "Vijay Antony's Pichaikkaran 2 gets release date". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Vijay Antony's next titled 'Kolai'!". Sify. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Vijay Antony-CS Amudhan film titled Ratham". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 7 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  21. ^ Aminath Ifasa (27 May 2022). "Agni Siragugal: Vijay Antony-Arun Vijay starrer's teaser is out". masala.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  22. ^ "Vijay Antony's new action thriller 'Hitler' will be against dictatorship". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Vijay Antony plays a cop,role of Sathyaraj's wife character". filmibeat.com. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  24. ^ "vijay-antonys-next-titled-romeo". The Times of India. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  25. ^ "First schedule of Vijay Antony's Valli Mayil wrapped up". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  26. ^ "Vijay Antony first Indian to win Cannes Golden Lion". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vijay Antony.
Authority control databases: Artists
Categories