Frances Antony Cyril Raja (born 24 July 1975), known professionally as Vijay Antony, is an Indian music composer, playback singer, actor, film editor, lyricist, audio engineer, and filmmaker working predominantly in Tamil cinema.
He made his debut as music composer in 2005 with Sukran. He made his acting debut in 2012 with Naan and is known for his roles in action thriller films such as Salim (2014) and Pichaikkaran (2016).
Early life
Vijay Antony was born in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District. When he entered the media and film industry, he had picked Agni as his stage name, but this was changed to Vijay by director S. A. Chandrasekhar who had commented that Agni was not lucky.
Antony was brought up by his mother after his father committed suicide when Antony was 7. He is not a trained musician, but started his career as a sound engineer and later became a music composer. After completing his tertiary education, he established an audio studio called Audio Infotainment and worked there as a sound engineer. In his early days as a music composer, he composed jingles for advertisements, and notable background scores for television shows by conducting research on sound engineering. His music composing venture in movies arrived when Oscar Ravichandran approached Antony to compose music for his film Dishyum, but his music composer debut in movies happened through Sukran, as it was released first.
Career
Composing Vijay Antony started his composing career with the 2005 film Sukran. He was nominated for his score in the film Naan Avan Illai (2007).
Antony's songs for the 2008 film Kadhalil Vizhunthen became hits, especially the dappankuthu number Nakka Mukka. He became the first Indian music director to win a Cannes Golden Lion award, for "Nakka Mukka" (for The Times of India) in the Best of Music category. The song was later played at the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Antony composed the music to a few Tamil soundtracks in 2009, including A Aa E Ee, TN 07 AL 4777, Mariyadhai, Ninaithale Inikkum, and Vettaikaaran.
Antony had composed music for many Tamil films of the early 2010s, including Aval Peyar Thamizharasi, Uthama Puthiran, Vedi, and Velayudham.
Antony made his Telugu composing debut with Mahatma (2009) and his Kannada composing debut with Buddhivantha (2007).
Antony has composed music for most of his own acting films, including Naan (2012), Salim (2014), Pichaikkaran (2016), Saithan (2016), Yaman (2017), Annadurai (2017), Kaali (2018), Thimiru Pudichavan (2019), Pichaikkaran 2 (2023), Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan (2024), Maargan (2025) and Shakthi Thirumagan (2025).
Acting
Vijay Antony's acting debut was in the crime thriller Naan where he played the lead role. The film's standalone sequel titled Salim, an action thriller, was his next project as an actor, for which he also composed music.
In 2015, he starred in the romantic comedy India Pakistan, his first acting film for which he was not the music director. In 2016, he chose to star in the action thriller Pichaikkaran (2016), collaborating with his Dishyum director Sasi. It became a commercial success, with overall collections nearing 40 Crore. The Telugu dub Bichagadu was a bigger success than the original. His next was Saithan, an action thriller directed by debutant Pradeep Krishnamoorthy.
He appeared in the 2017 political action thriller Yaman directed by Jeeva Shankar, whom he collaborated with for the second time after Naan. The film released to positive reviews. His next film Annadurai in the same year was an action drama which received mixed reviews. In 2018, he starred in Kaali, a period action film directed by Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi and Thimiru Pudichavan, an action film directed by Ganeshaa. In 2019, he starred in Kolaigaran, an action thriller directed by Andrew Louis and co-starring Arjun. The film opened to highly positive reviews.
Antony made his directorial debut with Pichaikkaran 2 in 2023. Vijay Antony plays the lead role of a romantic hero in Romeo (2024). His 25th film, the political thriller Shakthi Thirumagan, was released earning strong box office collections and audience acclaim.
Personal life Antony is married to Fatima Vijay Antony, and they had two daughters, Meera and Lara. Meera, the elder daughter, committed suicide on 19 September 2023 at the age of 16 at their home in Chennai. For his films produced by Vijay Antony Film Corporation, Fatima and Meera are credited as either the producer or presenter since 2024; prior to that, it was solely Fatima. His nephew Ajay Dhishan starred alongside him in a few films.
Antony has a well-known great-grandfather, Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai, who was a Tamil poet, novelist, and social worker and is remembered for his authorship of Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram, recognized as the "first modern Tamil novel." Vedanayagam's ideals of women's liberation and education are reflected in this novel.
Filmography
Actor + Year Film Role(s) Notes 2006 Kizhakku Kadarkarai Salai Naren Gupta Cameo appearance 2009 TN 07 AL 4777 Himself Special appearance in "Aathichudi" song 2012 Naan Karthik / Mohammed Salim 2014 Salim Dr. Mohammed Salim 2015 India Pakistan Adv. Karthik 2016 Pichaikkaran Arul Selva Kumar Nambiar Himself Special Appearance in "Aara Amara" song Saithan Dinesh, Sharma Dual role2017 Yaman Thamizharasan (Yaman), Arivudainambi Mupparimanam Himself Special appearance in "Let's Go Party" song Annadurai Annadurai & Thambidurai Dual role2018 Kaali Kaali (Bharath), Young Periyasamy (Samy), Young Maari, Young John Quadruple rolesTraffic Ramasamy Himself Cameo Appearance Thimiru Pudichavan Inspector Murugavel 2019 Kolaigaran Prabhakaran IPS2021 Kodiyil Oruvan Vijaya Raghavan 2022 Agni Siragugal Seenu Unreleased Film 2023 Tamilarasan Inspector Tamilarasan Pichaikkaran 2Vijay Gurumoorthy, Sathya Dual role Kolai Vinayak Raththam Ranjith Kumar 2024 Romeo Arivazhagan / Vikram Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan Salim / 2223 / Antony Hitler Selva 2025 Maargan ADGP Dhruv Guvarak Shakthi Thirumagan Kittu 25th Film 2026 Pookie Bar dancer / temple singer Cameo appearance in the songs "Manasu Valikithu" and "Love Advice" Nooru Saami Ezhumalai Filming
As editor +YearFilmNotes2017Annadurai2018Thimiru Pudichavan2021Kodiyil Oruvan2023Pichaikkaran 22024Romeo2026Pookie
As director +YearFilmNotes2023Pichaikkaran 2
Discography Music director Year Film Language Notes 2005 Sukran Tamil 2006 Dishyum Iruvar Mattum 2007 Naan Avanillai Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil)Background Score by D. Imman Ninaithaley 2008 Pasumpon Thevar Varalaru Documentary film Pandhayam Buddhivantha Kannada Remake of Naan Avan Illai Kadhalil Vizhunthen Tamil Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil)Cannes Golden Lion Award for Best Commercial Music (Nakka Mukka)"Nakka Mukka" was played at the 2011 Cricket World Cup2009 A Aa E Ee TN 07 AL 4777 Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Music Director Nominated, Vijay Award for Favourite Song Mariyadhai Ninaithale Inikkum Nominated, Filmfare Best Music Director Award (Tamil) Mahatma Telugu Reused songs from Dishyum, Kadhalil Vizhunthen and Naan Avanillai Vettaikaaran Tamil Winner, Vijay Award for Favourite Song – Chinna ThamaraiNominated, Vijay Award for Best Music Director2010 Rasikkum Seemane Aval Peyar Thamizharasi Angadi Theru 2 Songs and Score Kanagavel Kaaka Uthama Puthiran 2011 Sattapadi Kutram Yuvan Yuvathi Vedi Velayudham 2012 Naan Nominated, 2nd South Indian International Movie Awards For Best Music Director Daruvu Telugu Reused songs from TN 07 AL 4777, Ninaithale Inikkum, Vettaikaaran , and Uthamaputhiran Sattam Oru Iruttarai Tamil 2013 Haridas 2014 Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam 1 song ("A for Azhagirukku") Salim 2015 Aavi Kumar 2016 Pichaikkaran Asthitva Kannada Remake of Naan Nambiyaar Tamil Saithan2017 Yaman Annadurai 2018 Kaali Thimiru Pudichavan 2021 Iruvar Ullam Delayed release; shot in 2012–132023 Pichaikkaran 2 2024 Mazhai Pidikkatha Manithan 1 song ("Ivan Yaaro")2025 Madha Gaja Raja Delayed release; shot in 2012MaarganShakthi Thirumagan2026Pookie
Playback Singer Touring Talkies (2015) ("Touring Talkies" song, co-sung with Vivek; Mukesh Mohamed, Sathyan Mahalingam) Madha Gaja Raja (2025) ("My Dear Loveru" song, co-sung with Vishal; "Nee Dhana Nee Dhana"; "Thumbakki Thumbai")
Lyricist Sukran (2005) ("Sukran" Theme Music and "Suppose Unnai" song) Dishyum (2006) ("Dailamo Dailamo" song) A Aa E Ee (2009) ("Mena Minuki" song) TN 07 AL 4777 (2009) ("Aathichudi" song) Kanagavel Kaaka (2010) ("Minsarame" song) Sattapadi Kutram (2011) ("Rathiri Nerathu Remix" and "Yedhedho" song) Pichaikkaran (2016) ("Pichaikkaran Theme Music" song) Pichaikkaran 2 (2023) ("Bikili" and "Anti Bikili Theme" song) Romeo (2024) Shakthi Thirumagan (2025) ("Kaaladheera" song) Pookie (2026) ("Manasu Valikithu","JilleyJuice","Kothanga Jilley Juice", "Mosquito Man", "Uthamanakura"and "Love Advice", "Jillahi" song)
Television 2002 Chinna Papa Periya Papa (Season 1) (Credited as Agni) (Sun TV) 2005 Malargal (Sun TV) 2005 Kettimelam (Jaya TV) 2006 Kana Kaanum Kaalangal (Vijay TV) 2007 Kadhalikka Neramillai (Vijay TV) 2007 Megala (Sun TV) 2015 Chinna Papa Periya Papa (Season 2) (Sun TV)
Judge Year Title Role Language Network(s) Ref 2024–present Mahanadigai Judge Tamil Zee Tamil
References
External links
[ Vijay Antony] at Allmusic