As TVK chief Vijay made his way through the crowd towards the exit, he tripped just before entering his car when people surged forward.

Actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay – popularly referred to as 'Thalapathy Vijay' – briefly tripped and fell at the Chennai airport on Sunday as he tried to get into his car while a large number of fans gathered to welcome him. He was immediately lifted by his security personnel, who also helped him get into the car.Visuals of him tripping and falling went gone viral on social media. It is reported that Vijay had returned from Malaysia after taking part in the ‘Jana Nayagan’ audio release event.

Vijay trips, falls down in Chennai

Visuals shared by news agency PTI showed a massive crowd at the Chennai airport to welcome Vijay on his return from Malaysia.

As he made his way through the crowd towards the exit, he tripped just before entering his car when people surged forward. His security team immediately lifted him and escorted him safely inside the vehicle.

Notably, Vijay was in Malaysia for the audio launch of his film ‘Jana Nayagan’. The event reportedly drew close to 1 lakh fans and entered the Malaysian Book of Records for recording the largest audience at such a programme. Malaysia has the world’s biggest Tamil population after Sri Lanka.

‘I gave up cinema to stand up for fans’: Vijay

Speaking at the audio launch, Vijay said he chose to "give up cinema" to "stand up" for his fans, who, according to him, had given him everything, including a ‘kottai’. In Tamil Nadu, the term ‘Kottai’ means a stronghold and also refers to Fort St. George, a British-era fort that houses the state assembly, secretariat, and the chief minister’s office since Independence.

"When I entered the cinema, I thought I was building a small sand house here. But you all have built me a palace. Fans helped me build a fort… That’s why I’ve decided to stand for them. For the fans who gave up everything for me, I’m giving up cinema itself," he said.

A few months ago, Vijay announced that he would contest the Tamil Nadu assembly elections next year from Madurai East, saying the fight would be between the ruling DMK and his party.

He has been positioning TVK as a third option in Tamil Nadu politics, presenting it as an alternative to both the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the AIADMK.