Dr. Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao
The entry of Tamil cine hero Vijay, popularly called ‘Peoples’ Leader, venturing into politics has once again brought the debate on the intertwined cinema, politics and the impact of the cine stars on the Tamil politics. Despite the cinema being the main medium through the Dravidian political ideology reaching to the ordinary Tamil voter in the pre-independent India, that brought DMK into power in 1967 elections, there was opposition, surprisingly from the politicians on cinema personalities floating new parties. The principle Dravidian parties and their off shoots expects the cine stars to campaign for them but not to take independent route. Despite all those objections cine hero Vijay made his political entry through the establishment of TVK and is now causing ripples, if not waves before the scheduled assembly elections in April.
Tamil cinema story, dialogue writers, lyricists made propaganda films with Dravidian ideological slant and finally succeeded in bringing DMK to power in 1967. The story writer Anna Durai became the Chief Minister following his death dialogue writer Karunanidhi took over the reins leaving MGR, the cine hero associated with them. It was not only MGR but also then popular hero Sivaji Ganeshan who swayed the audience with his powerful dialogue delivery and mannerisms and convinced the Tamil voter to take pride in Tamil language, culture and history and made them chauvinists.
Peeved at not being offered rightful position in the power structure MGR revolted and floated his own party, AIADMK, and decimated Karunanidhi led DMK. Till he was alive Karunanidhi compelled to sit in opposition. The other cine hero Shivaji Ganeshan was not that successful in his political pursuit. His joining Congress has not helped that party and even floating his own party, TMM, in 1988 also ended in fiasco.
Two other cine personalities who could sit in CM chair are not heroes but heroines. Janaki, wife of MGR, on his death could be in the chair for less than a month. The true inheritor of political legacy of MGR was cine heroine turned politician Jayalalithaa. She could successfully challenge Karunanidhi and DMK and rule Tamil Nadu despite corrupt image and rejection by voters in elections more than once. She has huge fan following and the AIADMK, the current challenger for DMK, was nursed by Jayalalithaa.
Many other cine personalities of Tamil film industry tried their luck in the politics but surprisingly no second generation heroes could succeed, barring hero Vijayakanth, popularly known as Captain. T. Rajender and Bhagyaraja are hugely talented in ore than one cine craft but failed to convert their cine popularity into political success. T.Rajender, once in DMK as its publicity secretary, learned the art of politics but when founded his own TMK party he turned out to be a flop in both the attempts and finally he faded out from politics.
Bhagyaraj, once declared by MGR as his successor in AIADMK was buoyed by his cinema success started his own political party MMMK only to get a snub from his film fans. The only successful cine hero who launched a party and got a significant position in politics was Vijayakanth. His party MDMK, now led by his wife is an allay of DMK, was launched in 2005. Like many other cine stars turned politicians of that state Vijayakanth failed in his first attempt. But in 2011 after joining hands with Jayalaitha he could win 29 seats, pushing DMK to the third place and he himself getting the recognition as the leader of the opposition in the assembly. That success was short lived as by 2016, he differed with Jayalalitha and drew a blank in that election. With that cine hero Vijayakanth faded into political oblivion and finally passed away as a dejected leader. His wife taking over the party is a symbolic and it may not influence the electoral fortunes of any party in Tamil Nadu.
Heroine Radhika, her husband Sarat Kumar, also an actor, hero Murali were three others in the list of actors who started their own parties and failed. There were many Tamil actors and others associated with film making who were members of either DMK or AIADMK but were never established themselves in the minds of Tamil voters.
The two biggest Tamil stars who were big failures in the political arena were Kamala Hasan and super star Rajani Kanth. Both were hugely popular across the country and were adored by Tamils for their acting talent. Surprisingly, Rajani Kanth always remained as non-starrer despite his initial leaning to Congress and post-Modi siding with BJP and in between anti-Jayalalithaa ranting he couldn’t venture into direct politics. Kamal Hasan on the other hand took a stand to be anti-BJP, pro-Tamil but never joined any Dravidian party. His decision to start a party MNM was never taken by his fans seriously ending in personal defeat at the hands of BJP first time contesting lady candidate. Kamal Hasan after that defeat slowly retreated into DMK camp with the personal assurance of CM Stalin to send him to Rajy Sabha. Kamala Hasan realized his dream of people’s representative, though there was no support from the people directly.
Can Vijay achieve what his seniors like Kamal Hasan and Rajanikanth etc., couldn’t achieve in Tamil Nadu politics is the question. As on the date of election notification Vijay is not sure of his role in politics. His dream of grabbing CM chair in his first attempt as was done by MGR and NTR in Andhra has receeded. Both on the political front as well as personal life he is facing troubles. His new cinema Jana Nayagan facing censor board hurdle, CBI case against the stampede at Salem, his wife filing for divorce on allegation of extra marital affair with his cine colleague are taking away much of his time. BJP is trying to subjugate him to support their NDA. Things may slightly improve for him but certainly not to the level of expectations. Many observers put him on par with Telugu hero Chiranjivi, who started his own party and created much hype but ended with 16 seats and less than 18% vote share. Thus he may play a spoilt the chances of one of the coalition and may join the long list of politically failed Tamil stars.
(Author is retired professor. Views expressed are personal.)
