From Run To Singam: Top 6 Blockbuster Films That Thalapathy Vijay Turned Down!

Thalapathy Vijay has recently returned after the success of his last film, ‘Leo’, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. He is unquestionably one of the best performers in the Tamil cinema business, having captivated audiences for more than three decades. He is also one of the most versatile performers, having appeared in a wide range of genres. However, as with any performer, Thalapathy Vijay has turned down countless projects that have gone on to become blockbuster successes.

The following are the top six films that Thalapathy Vijay declined:

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1. Mudhalvan (1999)

Director: S Shankar

Stars: Arjun Sarja, Manisha Koirala, Raghuvaran, Cochin Haneefa, Vadivelu, Manivannan

Runtime: 2 hours 49 minutes

S. Shankar wrote and directed the 1999 political action film ‘Mudhalvan’. The lead part was first offered to Thalapathy Vijay, who declined owing to the film's controversial subject, until it was given to Arjun Sarja. The picture was a box-office hit, and it was recreated in a number of other languages. In Hindi, the film was remade as ‘Nayak’, with Anil Kapoor playing the major role.

2. Autograph (2004)

Director: Cheran

Stars: Cheran, Gopika, Sneha, Kanika, Ilavarasu

Runtime: 2 hours 48 minutes

Cheran directed ‘Autograph’, a romantic drama film. According to reports, the lead part in the film was offered to Prabhu Deva, Aravind Swamy, and Vijay, but they all declined. Cheran eventually stepped into the post. The film garnered overwhelmingly good feedback.

3. Run (2002)

Director: N Lingusamy

Stars: R. Madhavan, Meera Jasmine, Raghuvaran, Atul Kulkarni, Vivek

Runtime: 3 hours

R. Madhavan plays the protagonist role in ‘Run’, a 2002 romantic action film. Prior to Madhavan being offered the part, it was offered to the ‘Bigil’ actor, who declined. When it was released, the picture gained both critical and financial praise.

4. Singam (2010)

Director: Hari

Stars: Suriya, Anushka Shetty, Prakash Raj, Vivek, Nizhalgal Ravi

Runtime: 2 hours 40 mins

‘Singam’ is a 2010 action film directed by Hari and featuring Suriya as the lead. The character performed by the Jai Bhim actor was originally given to Vijay, but declined owing to personal reasons. The picture went on to become one of the year's biggest commercial successes. ‘Singam’ also spawned not one, but two sequels, and the film was remade in a number of languages.

5. Anegan (2015)

Director: KV Anand

Stars: Dhanush, Amyra Dastur, Lena, Vinaya Prasad, Karthik

Runtime: 2 hours 34 minutes

Dhanush plays the lead in ‘Anegan’, a historical romance thriller film. In an interview with The Times of India, the director stated that he originally offered the job to Vijay, who declined owing to prior obligations. He further stated that Dhanush was suggested for the part by the ‘Thuppakki ‘actor himself. The film eventually went on to be a huge commercial and critical success.

6. Sandakozhi (2005)

Director: N Lingusamy

Stars: Vishal, Meera Jasmine, Rajkiran, Lal, Suman Shetty

Runtime: 2 hours 31 minutes

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N Lingusamy directs ‘Sandakozhi’, an action comedy. A few years after ‘Run’, the director contacted the ‘Mersal’ actor with the job again, which he turned down since he was not confident that the character would suit him. Vishal was eventually cast in the part, and he suited right in. ‘Sandakozhi’ is regarded as one of Vishal's greatest films. In 2015, a sequel to the film was released.