As Vijay's career progressed, he began to take on more challenging roles. His breakthrough film, "Baasha" (1995), catapulted him to stardom. Directed by Velu Prabhakaran, the movie showcased Vijay's versatility as an actor and his ability to portray complex characters.

Under director Vikraman and later K. S. Ravikumar, Vijay shed his aggressive image for a softer, lover-boy persona.

Influenced by the death of his political idol, M.G. Ramachandran, Vijay began directly scripting political ideology into his films.