Vijay’s Dior sunglasses gift leaves elderly woman thrilled

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister S. Joseph Vijay's enduring connect with the public was on display in Salem when he made an unscheduled stop during his official visit on Tuesday, leaving an older woman delighted with a simple yet memorable gesture.

Vijay was in Salem on Tuesday to inspect the Mettur hydroelectric power station and open the sluice gates of the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur to support agricultural activities.

On his way to the airport, however, he made a brief detour to a roadside farmhouse, where a group of older women were working in a field.

Vijay stepped out of his convoy and walked towards the women, greeting them and speaking to them. One of them, identified as Chellam, approached him after recognising the actor-turned-politician.

Vijay held her hand and walked around the garden with her, asking her name and enquiring about her well-being.

The interaction took an unexpected turn when Vijay removed his Christian Dior sunglasses and placed them on Chellam’s face.

The elderly woman later described the moment as feeling like she had won “a crore of rupees”, according to reports.

Chellam also recalled that Vijay asked whether she had eaten. She told him she had been waiting to see him before eating. Vijay replied that he had already eaten and urged her to eat.

“I used to hate when someone would beat him in movies,” she said, recalling her affection for the star.

During his roughly 15-minute visit, Vijay also met local farmer Palanisamy and others at a cattle shed. He distributed dhotis and sarees to the host family and discussed agricultural matters with them.

Chellam said she was so happy to meet Vijay that she even told him she would defend him if anyone tried to harm him.

The emotional encounter also meant she forgot to tell him about her own difficulties, including losing her ration card and being unable to continue physical labour because of her age.

For Chellam, however, the unexpected meeting and Vijay’s sunglasses had already turned an ordinary day into a cherished memory.