Nadu. All he needs to do is flick his fingers and people queue up to watch him do the most amazing stunts, dance with pretty co-stars, and fight evil the way only he can, in superhuman fashion. He is Vijay.
 

With his Velayudham, directed by M Raja, up for release this Diwali, we take a look at some of Vijay's movies that made him the star he is.

Poove Unakkaga (1996)

In many ways, this Vikraman movie made sure that Vijay, post a spate of movies directed by his father, was made accessible to the general public. He was not just an evil-fighting machine, but a romantic young man, intensely attached to family. As Raja, he had a mission: to set right a feud between two families that had been warring for years. All this, for the love of his heart. Coupled with S A Rajkumar's chartbusters, the movie set Vijay firmly on the path to success.

Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997)

This romantic classic directed by Fazil was the remake of his own successful Malayalam venture, Aniathipravu. Vijay was the mild-mannered Jeeva, extremely fond of his parents and willing to carry out their every whim -- until he met Mini, the girl of his dreams.

Vijay was perfect as the young man who is caught between his beloved and his family. His mental conflict and vulnerability came through, making the film a blockbuster. It also earned him the Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Actor.