As Vijay prepares to form the government in Tamil Nadu, here is a look at the man behind the politics. His wife Sangeetha Sornalingam is a Sri Lankan Tamil raised in London who became his fan in 1996 after watching Poove Unakkaga. She travelled to Chennai to meet him on set, the two dated for three years, and married on 25 August 1999. They have two children — son Jason Sanjay, born in 2000 and daughter Divya Saasha, born in 2005. In February 2026, amid his election campaign, Sangeetha filed for divorce in a Chennai court alleging infidelity. Neither has commented publicly on the matter.
In 1996, a young woman named Sangeetha Sornalingam was living in London with her family — Sri Lankan Tamils who had settled in the UK. She watched Vijay’s film Poove Unakkaga and became an instant fan. She didn’t stop at watching the film twice. She wrote him letters from London, researched his shoot schedule, and boarded a flight to Chennai just to meet him on set.
When they finally met, Vijay’s parents approved. Two families from completely different worlds: she was Christian, he was from a Tamil Christian family, the wedding ultimately blended both Hindu and Christian traditions.
On 25 August 1999, Vijay and Sangeetha were married in a grand ceremony in Chennai that combined Hindu and Christian traditions. She was 25. He was 24. Sangeetha had gone from writing fan letters in London to becoming the wife of one of Tamil cinema’s fastest-rising stars.
Their son Jason Sanjay was born in 2000. Their daughter Divya Saasha followed in 2005. Both made brief appearances in their father’s films — Jason in Vettaikaaran in 2009, Divya in Theri in 2016 — but neither pursued acting. Jason has chosen filmmaking over acting and is set to debut as a director with the film Sigma. Divya has largely stayed away from public life and is currently pursuing higher education abroad.
Through two decades of Vijay’s rise to superstardom, Sangeetha remained away from spotlight. She skipped film premieres, trailer launches and industry events. When she missed the trailer launch of Varisu and Atlee’s wife’s baby shower in 2023, divorce rumours began circulating on Tamil social media.
In April 2021, according to her divorce petition, Sangeetha alleged that Vijay was involved in an adulterous relationship with an actress. The plea alleged that despite assurances from Vijay that the relationship would be ended, it allegedly continued without remorse.
On 24 February 2026, Sangeetha Sornalingam filed a divorce petition in the Chengalpattu Family Court in Chennai. The case was transferred to the Family Welfare Committee. Neither Vijay nor Sangeetha has made a public statement.
In 2026, Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), contesting its first-ever Tamil Nadu Assembly election, emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats. The actor-politician is set to stake a claim to form the government in Tamil Nadu.
