When stars align: MS Dhoni meets Tamil superstar Vijay on sets of Beast

Former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni recently dropped in for a surprise visit to the set of Beast, Tamil superstar Vijay’s upcoming film, in Chennai. Pictures from the two superstars’ meeting have already gone viral on social media.

Dhoni has a special bond with Chennai, having captained its Indian Premier League (IPL) team Chennai Super Kings since the league’s inception. Fans from the city have lovingly given him the nickname ‘Thala’, a term of endearment also used for actor Ajith.

Filming for Beast has been going on in full swing. Written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, the film is being financed by Sun Pictures. The film also stars Pooja Hegde, who made her Bollywood debut opposite Hritik Roshan in Mohenjo Daro in 2016, in the female lead.

Vijay’s last film was Master, which released in January and marked another hit for the star actor. The Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed venture also had Malavika Mohanan and Vijay Sethupathi as the other stars. Despite the outbreak of Covid-19, the film drew fans in hordes into theatres, not just in Tamil Nadu but in neighbouring states such as Kerala and Karnataka as well.

Dhoni, meanwhile, arrived in Chennai on Tuesday. The IPL, which was forced to be abandoned amid the second wave of Covid-19 earlier this year, will resume in the United Arab Emirates. Dhoni will be part of a group of Chennai Super Kings players who are likely to depart for the UAE on August 13.

The UAE had earlier hosted the 2020 edition of the IPL as well.

The Chennai Super Kings will restart their IPL campaign against perennial rivals Mumbai Indians on September 19. At the time of the stoppage, Dhoni’s side was in contention for a playoff spot with 10 points from seven matches. Dhoni has led the Chennai Super Kings to be the second-most successful IPL team with three titles.