London, Sept 12:
Tamil cinema witnessed a special moment on Saturday as superstars Vijay and Ajith Kumar met and warmly embraced each other at the Silverstone circuit in Northampton, UK.
Vijay, now the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was at Silverstone to flag off the Michelin Le Mans Cup race in which Ajith Kumar was participating. The meeting brought together two of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars, who have been colleagues for 34 years.
The reunion instantly electrified the venue, with fans chanting “Thala” and “Thalapathy” as the two actors greeted each other. Vijay, wearing a brownish jacket, was seen playfully jogging towards Ajith, who was dressed in his racing suit, before the two shared a warm hug.
The moment became a major talking point on social media, particularly because Vijay and Ajith have long been considered the two leading stars of Tamil cinema. Their fan bases have traditionally competed with each other, making their rare appearance together a much-awaited event.
Ajith had earlier expressed happiness over Vijay’s visit to Silverstone and appreciated his efforts to promote and develop motorsports in India. He also appealed to his fans to remain disciplined and avoid creating any disturbance at the venue.
Ajith, who finished eighth in the qualification round, received loud cheers from fans who had travelled from across India. Several Vijay fans were also present at the circuit, turning the racing event into a memorable gathering for Tamil cinema followers.
The warm exchange between Vijay and Ajith offered a striking contrast to the rivalry often seen between their fan clubs and was widely celebrated as a rare moment of unity between two of Tamil cinema’s biggest stars.
Speaking about Vijay’s presence at Silverstone, Ajith Kumar yesterday thanked the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for taking time out of his busy UK schedule to attend the race. Ajith said he was happy to see Vijay supporting motorsports and expressed hope that Chennai would one day have a world-class racing facility similar to Silverstone.