Can Vijay break the jinx for actors in Tamil Nadu politics?

After the demise of J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, two actors flirted with the idea of stepping into the political arena to address a perceived void in Tamil Nadu. While Rajinikanth's political entry had long been anticipated, and extensively speculated upon, it ultimately failed to materialise. In a surprising turn of events, Kamal Haasan made a sudden announcement, catching most people off-guard.

Then came actor Vijay, who appears to have navigated a middle ground. His foray into politics was both anticipated and subject to speculation, reminiscent of Rajinikanth's situation. But his announcement carried a sense of immediacy like Kamal Haasan's political debut.

On February 2, Vijay revealed the name of his political party – Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) – and expressed a firm commitment to seriously engaging with politics. He said he’d finish his film commitments and his party would fight the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

The marriage between politics and cinema is a familiar occurrence in a state like Tamil Nadu but the phenomenon stayed relatively low-key until 2017 when Karunanidhi passed away. Actor Vijayakanth, who launched his DMDK with considerable fanfare in 2005, saw his political momentum dwindle quickly. Before him though, several actors, likely inspired by the remarkable successes of leaders like CN Annadurai, Karunanidhi, MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa ventured into politics only to face disappointment.

Sivaji’s failure

The legendary Sivaji Ganesan's venture into politics was marked by setbacks and disappointments. His association with the DMK ended in the 1950s after criticisms over his “deviation against values of rationalism”. He joined the Tamil National Party, founded by former DMK members, which later merged with the Congress. He fell out with Congress after the party decided to align with the Jayalalithaa faction of the AIADMK after MGR’s death.

In 1988, Sivaji Ganesan formed the Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani and merged it with the Janata Dal after losing all the seats in the 1989 elections in alliance with the VN Janaki faction of the AIADMK.

The year 1989 also saw the birth of another political party from an actor. K Bhagyaraj launched his MGR Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam which again didn’t do well. The actor-director joined the AIADMK and in 2006 and then the DMK. Soon he quit the DMK too.

In 1991, T Rajender, a multi-faceted film personality, launched Thayaga Marumalarchi Kazhagam after he was expelled from the DMK. In 1996, he joined the DMK again only to leave it again and form the Anaithinthiya Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 2004. “At one point, the DMK was ready to offer him 11 Assembly seats. Today we don’t see him anywhere” says R Kannan, a political commentator and biographer of Annadurai and MGR.

Manorama, Vadivelu

Actor Sarath Kumar’s Samathuva Makkal Katchi exists on paper devoid of any actual impact on Tamil Nadu’s polity. And then there are actors like Manorama and Vadivelu who were forced to pay a heavy price in careers after they took political stands.

In 1996, Manorama came out in support of Jayalalithaa, expressing her views against Rajinikanth, who had urged people to vote against Jayalalithaa to save Tamil Nadu. Following the election, in which the AIADMK suffered a defeat, Manorama found herself marginalized in the film industry.

Political quagmire

Interestingly, it was Rajinikanth who brought her back into the limelight by casting her in his film Arunachalam (1997), providing her with a renewed opportunity in her acting career.

In 2011, actor Vadivelu, who had campaigned for the DMK, spoke negatively about actor Vijayakanth, whose party was in an alliance with the AIADMK. After the DMK's electoral loss, Vadivelu faced diminishing prospects in the Tamil film industry, forcing him to take a break.

Throughout the years, politics has often been a game of chance by actors – a quick avenue to gain access to power.

Vijay’s vision

Similar to the wave of actors who’d entered the political arena after MGR's demise, which caused turmoil within the AIADMK, a comparable trend has emerged after the passing of Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi.

Kannan points out a fundamental distinction though. "If you go by his (Vijay) statement, it is evident that Vijay is serious, unlike Kamal Haasan, who is continuing with his other commitments after launching a political party,” Kannan said.

Can he survive?

“Vijay says he will complete his film commitments, and that to him, politics is a serious thing. He’s also said that he has learnt a lot from people who have done this before. His energy levels are good, and I am not sure if any other actor in Tamil political landscape can claim to have had such a strong fan base among the youth."

Vijayan, Editor of Idhayakani, a magazine dedicated to MGR, has a word of caution.

"One has to see whether Vijay can reach the masses beyond his fan following. MGR had it, among the public. Also, one has to see whether he will be able to survive in politics without making compromises. Otherwise, he will end up as another run-of-the-mill politician, and we already have them in large numbers."

Shun shyness

Like MGR, who successfully translated his extensive film fanbase into political currency, Vijay has leveraged his fan associations for various social initiatives over the last few years including education and assistance to people affected by natural calamities.

Says Kannan: "Vijay seems to start with a promise, one has to wait and see whether he would have the staying power. It is public knowledge that Jayalalithaa wanted to quit politics. She was forced to come back because she had no other option.

“MGR had the staying power. We know that Vijay as an actor is a shy person. But the demands of politics are entirely different. Everything about him will be put to interrogation in public – from his religion to his personal life. Whether he is capable of handling those issues and can stay in politics – remains to be seen. If he wants to capitalize on the goodwill that he is currently enjoying, Vijay should get rid of his shyness and stand with people. He should remain disciplined and follow what he has said in his statement."

Till then, whether Vijay will break the jinx for the actors in this era in the Tamil political landscape or whether he will end up as another politician will remain a million-dollar question.