Aishwarya Lekshmi on Vijay's politics: 'I'm sad I couldn't vote for him'

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election is two days from a result, and the line of public endorsements for Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from inside the film industry has not let up. The latest is from across the state border. Aishwarya Lekshmi, in remarks at a recent public appearance, said she had wanted to cast a vote for the actor and TVK chief, and was unhappy that her residence in Kerala had taken that option off the table.

“I live in Kerala and do not have a vote here. This is why I found it difficult. Many of my friends are Vijay sir fans. We all had that sadness about not being able to vote for him,” she said.

Aishwarya, who has worked across Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu cinema, has been public about her admiration for Vijay before. When Leo opened in October 2023, she posted in support of the film and used the phrase “Badass Thalapathy” to describe Vijay’s performance. The latest comments arrive in a week where the political crossover has continued to draw remarks from co-stars and crew, with TVK supporter actor Soundararaja already on the record about the party’s pull on Tamil-issue voters.

She also pushed back on a familiar criticism levelled at Vijay’s run, that he was an actor with no political experience. She framed the move as a choice he did not need to make.

“Everyone tells actors not to talk about politics. However, when we listen to his words, there was no requirement for him to enter politics. He is quite comfortable in his own space, with plenty of respect and love from the public. However, he came to politics because of his love for people and his strong feeling about giving back to society. So, I want to encourage that. I feel very good seeing that,” she said.

Counting closes in two days. Aishwarya is in Kerala. Her vote, by her own admission, was not part of the math.