Actor-turned-politician and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa in Chennai on Monday. He honored him for his historic victory in the Norwegian Chess Championship.
The young chess prodigy became the first Indian to win the prestigious title.During their meeting, Vijaya also offered him a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government.
Vijay plays chess with Pragnananda
Photos and videos of their meeting appear on the Internet. Interestingly, Vijay also played a chess match with Pragnananda. While Pragnananda won the match, the young grandmaster later revealed that he was impressed by the Prime Minister’s understanding of the sport.
Bragg praises Vijay’s chess skills
According to an India Today report, Praggnanandhaa shared his thoughts on the unexpected matchup with Vijay. “I didn’t expect that. I had never heard from anyone that he played chess. He asked me to bring the board. We assembled the pieces on the board and started playing impromptu. He played well,” Bragg said.He added: “I asked him when he plays chess, and he said that he plays with his friends. I won, but I did not expect that he would play this well.”
Pragnananda’s mother, Nagalakshmi, was also present during the meeting. Public Works and Sports Development Department Minister Aadhav Arjuna was also present at the event.
Fans are waiting for ‘Jana Nayagan’
Politics apart, Vijay’s latest film remains the much-awaited political action drama, ‘Jana Nayagan’ which is yet to make its way on the big screens.The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters on January 9, 2026. However, the release was postponed due to protracted certification disputes with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and a new official release date has not been announced yet.
