Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay attracted widespread attention during his visit to Mettur in Salem district after he unexpectedly stepped out of his convoy to meet an elderly woman and gifted her the Christian Dior sunglasses he was wearing.
The brief roadside interaction, captured on video, quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of his visit. The incident stood out because it unfolded away from the formal stage of the chief minister's official programme and showed Vijay interacting directly with local residents.
Vijay Stops Convoy and Meets Elderly Woman in Mettur
Vijay was in Mettur on Tuesday to open the gates of the Mettur Dam and release water for Samba cultivation in the Cauvery Delta. During his journey towards Salem airport, he made an unscheduled stop near a roadside farm.
According to the Times of India report, Vijay noticed elderly women working in the area and got out of his vehicle to meet them. One of the women, identified as Chellam, approached him and held his hand.
Chellam later recalled that Vijay asked whether she had eaten. She told him that she had not eaten because she had been waiting to see him.
The chief minister then spoke with her, asked her name and enquired about her well-being before walking with her around the garden and a nearby cattle shed belonging to local farmer Palanisamy.
CM Vijay Removes His Dior Sunglasses and Gifts Them
The most memorable part of the interaction came when Vijay offered Chellam the sunglasses he was carrying.
He removed his Christian Dior sunglasses and gave them to her. Video footage later showed the elderly woman wearing the oversized glasses while walking beside the chief minister and holding his arm.
She also waved to people gathered along the route as Vijay accompanied her through the crowd.
The moment was particularly striking because the expensive-looking accessory was transformed from a personal item belonging to the chief minister into an unexpected keepsake for the woman.
Chellam said she was surprised when Vijay came and stood beside her and described herself as extremely happy about meeting him.
Elderly Woman Says Vijay Reminded Her of His Films
The interaction also reflected Vijay's continuing popularity among people who knew him primarily as a film star before his entry into politics.
Chellam said the chief minister's appearance reminded her of his movie days. She expressed her happiness after receiving the sunglasses and spoke warmly about the encounter.
Her reaction added another dimension to the viral moment: Vijay was not simply being seen as a government leader, but also as the actor whose films had made him a familiar figure among Tamil audiences.
Videos of the encounter were subsequently circulated widely on social media, turning a short roadside meeting into a major talking point from the chief minister's Mettur visit.
Vijay Spends Time at Farm During Surprise Visit
The chief minister did not immediately return to his convoy after the interaction. He reportedly spent around 15 minutes at the farm.
During the visit, Vijay distributed dhotis and sarees to the host family and discussed agricultural issues affecting local residents. The conversation reportedly included the government's decision to increase the milk procurement price to Rs 44.
Chellam also recalled that Vijay encouraged her to have food. According to her account, he said that he had already eaten and insisted that she should eat as well.
Such details helped make the encounter appear more personal than a conventional political roadshow or scheduled public interaction.
Mettur Visit Was Mainly About Cauvery Delta Water
The viral sunglasses episode happened during an important official programme concerning water and agriculture.
Vijay had travelled to Mettur to release water from the Stanley Reservoir for Samba paddy cultivation and drinking-water requirements in the Cauvery Delta.
The Mettur Dam is particularly important for farmers in the delta region because water released from the reservoir supports agricultural activity across the state's major rice-growing areas.
The government has emphasised careful use and distribution of the released water, particularly during the Samba cultivation season.
Reports said the dam's water level stood at 91.56 feet, with storage of about 54.452 thousand million cubic feet and an inflow of 10,857 cusecs at the time of the programme. Officials were expected to continue monitoring the reservoir's levels and inflow.
Viral Moment Adds a Personal Touch to Vijay’s Visit
The sunglasses episode has drawn attention because of its spontaneity.
Political leaders regularly meet citizens during public programmes, but an unscheduled stop, a personal conversation and the decision to give away something the leader was wearing can create a particularly memorable interaction.
For Vijay, the moment also comes at a time when his political persona is continuing to develop following his transition from cinema to electoral politics and government.
His background as a major Tamil film star means that ordinary encounters with him can carry a different emotional significance for supporters and members of the public who have followed his career for years.
The images of Chellam walking beside him wearing his sunglasses therefore quickly became more than a simple photograph from an official visit.
Vijay’s Mettur Gesture Draws Attention Beyond Politics
The Mettur visit was officially centred on water release and agricultural needs, but the roadside encounter became one of its most visible moments.
The elderly woman's emotional reaction, Vijay's decision to stop his convoy and his gesture of giving away his Dior sunglasses combined to create a scene that resonated strongly on social media.
While the chief minister's primary responsibility during the visit was to oversee the release of water and address issues affecting farmers, the unexpected interaction provided a glimpse of a more informal side of his public engagement.
For supporters, the episode is likely to be remembered as a warm gesture. For observers of Tamil Nadu politics, it also illustrates how Vijay's celebrity background continues to shape his interactions with the public even after taking on the responsibilities of chief minister.
Ultimately, a short stop on the roadside turned into the defining visual from Vijay's Mettur visit, with an elderly woman leaving the encounter wearing the chief minister's own sunglasses and smiling alongside him.
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