In 1977, he appeared in the Kollywood film Dheepam in which he played the role of a man named Kannan. Vijayakumar played the role of a man named Ravi Shankar in Mogam Muppadhu Varusham, a 1976 Tamil film.

Later, he made a cameo appearance as Sasi in the Kollywood film Oru Oodhappu Kan Simittugiradhu. In the 1976 Tamil film Panayam, he played the role of an Indian Army officer named Captain Murali. In the same year, he played the role of a character named Tilak in Aval Oru Thodar Kathai, a Tamil film. In 1974, he played the role of a drunkard doctor in the Tamil film Samarpanam. Vijayakumar played the role of a collector named Shankar in the 1973 Kollywood film Ponnukku Thanga Manasu. He played the role of Lord Murugan in the movie.Vijayakumar as Bala Murugan in the film Sri Valliįor the remainder of the 1960s, Vijayakumar appeared in several Tamil films like Mahaveera Bheeman (1962), Thaaye Unakkaga (1965), and Kandhan Karunai (1967). Vijayakumar made his journey through the film Sri Valli(1961) at the age of 18. Kailasam Balachander's movie Aval Oru Thodar Kathai(1974) was the first movie to break him into the mainstream. On 23 July 2013, Vijayakumar's wife, Manjula, died at Chennai. Vijaykumar was nominated for the National Film Award for the movie Anthimanthaarai, he lost the Award by just one vote. Vijayakumar & his son Arun Vijay have acted together in movies like- Pandavar Bhoomi, Malai Malai, Maanja Velu. His wives Muthukannu & Manjula are said to have been very close and lived like sisters Vijaykumar plays the roles of Father, Uncle and Grandfather later in his career. Vijayakumar has taken to serials and has been quite popular as well. His first major role was in Kailasam Balachander's Aval Oru Thodar Kathai in 1974. Vijayakumar has acted in over 400 films, primarily in Tamil, but also brief stints in Telugu cinema.

Some of the serials Vijaykumar has acted in are- Thangam, Vamsam, Talambralu, Nandini. Other than playing supporting roles to lead actors like Kamal Haasan and Sivaji Ganesan, Vijaykumar has also acted in lead roles in the movies like Aval Oru Thodarkathai, Mathura Geetham, Azhage Unnai Arathikkiren He is a politician, he worked with the AIADMK party till 2016, In 2016 Vijaykumar joined B.J.P Vijayakumar acted as the vice-president of South Indian Nadigar Sangam, Chennai till 2015.

Manjula vijayakumar actress caste