'When debt collectors came over ...': Vijay Sethupathi recalls childhood struggles

Long before he emerged as one of Indian cinema's most respected stars, Vijay Sethupathi was focused on one thing — helping his family make ends meet. In a candid conversation on the Truly Ram podcast, the actor looked back on his early years, saying that acting and stardom were never part of his aspirations.

Instead, Sethupathi said he was committed to working from a young age and took up several jobs to earn a living, including daily wage work during his school days and later a stint at a telephone booth.

"Films were never something I wanted to pursue. What I always enjoyed was working. Even during my school days, I took up daily wage jobs, and later I worked at a telephone booth," Vijay Sethupathi said.

The actor also reflected on the financial difficulties his family endured, recalling how debt collectors would often visit their home. Rather than distancing himself from those situations, he chose to stay beside his father and face them together.

"People often say youth is marked by poverty and struggles. That was my reality from a very young age," Vijay Sethupathi said.

"Whenever debt collectors came home or someone arrived to demand money, I would sit beside my father. I was the one who faced those situations with him."

Also read: ‘Someone who willingly shares, be it knowledge or kindness’: Vijay Sethupathi on Mysskin 

Among his strongest childhood memories is his father's nightly routine of arriving home on his Bullet motorcycle with a packet of fried rice for the family to share — a simple gesture that left a lasting impression on him.

Born in Rajapalayam, Tamil Nadu, in 1978, Sethupathi later moved to Chennai and grew up in Ennore. He has often described himself as an average student who showed little interest in sports but understood the realities of financial hardship from an early age.

Before making his mark in films, Sethupathi held several jobs, including working as a retail salesman, fast-food cashier, telephone booth operator and accountant. Following a period in Dubai as an accountant, he returned to India and gradually built his acting career through theatre, short films and supporting roles, eventually becoming a superstar.