got the sobriquet "Captain" after the 100th film, Captain Prabhakaran (1991). 1979 to 1989: Early career Vijayakanth was cast in Inikkum Ilamai (1979), his first film where he played an antagonist, which was directed by M. A. Kaja. His subsequent films Agal Vilakku (1979), Neerottam (1980) and Saamanthippoo (1980) were box-office flops. His film Doorathu Idi Muzhakkam (1980), was screened at the Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India. However the film that strongly launched him as a commercial hero was Sattam Oru Iruttarai (1981), directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar. It was remade in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages. In his formative years, Vijayakanth acted in films carrying revolutionary and radical thoughts such as Sivappu Malli (1981) and Jadhikkoru Needhi (1981). In these films, he brilliantly portrayed the angry young revolutionist characters. He then played a villain role in Om Shakti (1982) but after which he has never portrayed antagonist characters in his career. Slowly he started acting in commercial films on action, romance and sentiment themes and gradually rose to the top and with many super hits films like Nooravathu Naal (1984) and Vaidhegi Kaathirunthaal (1984). This year, he had 18 releases. He became the Tamil cinema actor to release the most films in a year in the lead role. He acted in Annai Bhoomi 3D (1985), the first 3D film made in the Tamil film industry where he acted alongside Radha Ravi and Kannada actor Tiger Prabhakar. He co-starred with Kannada superstar actor Vishnuvardhan in Eetti (1985). The romantic comedy film Naane Raja Naane Mandhiri (1985), in which he is a self-centered egoistic village Zamindar, who makes fun of people was a commercial success. He acted in Amman Kovil Kizhakale (1986), which earnt him a Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil. He also acted in Manakanakku (1986), the only film where Kamal Haasan and Vijayakanth worked together, followed by Oomai Vizhigal (1986) which became a cult classic. It portrayed him in an unusual role of an aged cop. He became an indisputable competitor of stalwarts Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. In 1987, he co-starred with Sivaji Ganesan in Veerapandiyan, followed by successful movies as Cooliekkaran, Veeran Veluthambi, Ninaive Oru Sangeetham, Sattam Oru Vilayaattu and Uzhavan Magan. In 1988, he worked in films such as Therkathi Kallan, Nallavan and Poonthotta Kaavalkaaran. In Senthoora Poove, Vijayakanth won a Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor. In