Will another film star be able to sway the election in India’s Tamil Nadu?

Tamil Nadu, India – Standing connected apical of a customised van connected a blistery and humid day successful Tirunelveli, astir 600km (373 miles) southbound of Tamil Nadu’s superior Chennai successful confederate India, C Joseph Vijay tells his supporters his opponents person joined hands to halt him from becoming the authorities main minister.

“My rivals mightiness look antithetic from outside, but they person lone 1 aim: that Vijay should not go the main minister,” says the 51-year-old actor-turned-politician to a mammoth assemblage that begins to chant his name, which means “victory” successful Tamil, successful unison.

Tamil Nadu, 1 of India’s astir developed states with awesome quality improvement indices, besides has a agelong past of electing movie stars arsenic leaders, immoderate of whom are inactive revered by radical arsenic demigods years aft their deaths.

As Tamil Nadu votes connected Thursday to elite its 234-member authorities legislative assembly, Vijay’s bid for powerfulness is the latest summation to the state’s inclination of movie star-politicians, turning a traditionally bipolar conflict into a triangular contest.

Riding connected idiosyncratic charisma, Vijay has attracted millions of supporters to his rallies [File: Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times via Getty Images]

‘A blessing and a curse’

Vijay entered authorities with overmuch fanfare erstwhile helium launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) enactment successful 2024, promising to extremity the decades-old dominance of the governing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the main absorption All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

Incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin leads the DMK and its 14-party Secular Progressive Alliance, successful which the Indian National Congress is simply a inferior partner. On the different hand, absorption person Edappadi K Palaniswami of the AIADMK heads the 10-party National Democratic Alliance, which besides includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The DMK and the AIADMK place themselves arsenic Dravidian parties, which deduce their names from a almighty governmental and societal justness question successful Tamil Nadu that opposed caste inequalities, championed societal reforms, and rejected perceived attempts by India’s much ascendant northbound Indian parties to enforce Hindi – and upper-caste Hindu values – connected the non-Hindi speaking confederate states.

Dravidian parties person held powerfulness successful Tamil Nadu continuously since 1967, with nationalist parties similar the Congress and the BJP playing secondary roles. While the BJP is contesting 27 seats successful confederation with the AIADMK, the Congress is warring for 28 seats arsenic portion of the DMK-led coalition.

More than 87 percent of Tamil Nadu’s 72 cardinal radical are Hindu, followed by Christians astatine 6.1 percent and Muslims astatine 5.8 percent, according to the past census conducted successful 2011.

Among Hindus, the alleged “backward” oregon less-privileged castes represent 45.5 percent, “extremely backward” castes 23.6 percent, portion Dalits are astatine 20.6 percent. Dalits, formerly referred to arsenic “untouchables”, autumn astatine the bottommost of India’s analyzable caste hierarchy and person faced marginalisation and unit for centuries.

Vijay, lad of a Christian filmmaker begetter and a Hindu parent who is simply a inheritance vocalist successful films, belongs to the Vellalar community, an affluent agrarian radical successful Tamil Nadu with some Hindu and Christian members.

Vijay started his movie vocation arsenic a kid histrion successful movies directed by his father. His 1992 debut arsenic a hero, however, successful Naalaiya Theerpu (Tomorrow’s Verdict), flopped. Following the setback, his begetter formed him alongside fashionable prima Vijayakanth — who aboriginal founded his ain governmental outfit, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) — successful Senthoorapandi (1993), which gave his vocation a caller lease of life.

It was the 2004 movie Ghilli (Gutsy), which carried a subtle governmental undertone, that catapulted Vijay to superstar status. He dropped hints astir his governmental ambitions successful the 2013 deed Thalaivaa (Leader), which was launched with the tagline “Time to Lead”.

Soon, governmental messaging became cardinal to galore of Vijay’s consequent films. Even the rubric of his yet-to-be-released Jana Nayagan (People’s Leader) — which helium claims volition beryllium his last movie — alludes to his governmental aspirations.

Riding connected idiosyncratic charisma, Vijay has attracted millions of supporters to his rallies, contempt allegations of mediocre assemblage management, which caused a stampede astatine 1 specified gathering successful September past year, sidesplitting 42 people.

He is expected to gully a stock of Dalit and number Christian votes that would person different flowed to the DMK-led coalition. He is besides banking connected anti-incumbency votes that could person benefitted the AIADMK alliance.

Yet analysts accidental Vijay’s ambition of becoming the adjacent main curate volition not beryllium arsenic casual arsenic the scripted blockbusters helium has built his vocation on, since helium faces 2 opponents with decades of acquisition successful existent politics.

That leads governmental commentator R Kannan to picture Vijay arsenic “both a blessing and a curse” for the 2 Dravidian coalitions.

“When the AIADMK joined the BJP-led NDA, galore predicted the Dravidian enactment would suffer heavily, with minorities and Dalits flocking to the DMK. Vijay’s entry, however, has offered the AIADMK a ray of anticipation — helium is expected to gully a decent stock of votes that would different person gone to the DMK,” helium said.

“At the aforesaid time, helium works successful the DMK’s favour by siphoning disconnected anti-incumbency votes that mightiness not wholly person gone to the AIADMK. For some Dravidian parties, helium is astatine erstwhile a blessing and a curse.”

Tamil Nadu’s tryst with stars

Vijay is aiming to travel the way of illustrious predecessors: Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran, popularly known arsenic MGR, and his protege, Jayaram Jayalalithaa – Tamil Nadu’s astir beloved on-screen pair.

Born into poverty, MGR’s emergence to stardom was thing abbreviated of phenomenal. He captured the imaginativeness of Tamil Nadu’s moving class, who idolised him successful return. From his archetypal superhit, Rajakumari (Princess) successful 1947, his films formed him arsenic a champion of the masses, battling oppression and corrupt authority.

MGR launched the AIADMK successful 1972 aft breaking distant from the DMK and served arsenic Tamil Nadu’s main curate from 1977 to 1987. He introduced respective payment programmes, the astir important being the Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious Meal Scheme, which provided escaped meals to schoolchildren to destruct malnutrition and boost schoolhouse enrolment.

His governmental heir, Jayalalithaa, was a six-time main curate betwixt 1991 and 2016, erstwhile she became India’s archetypal pistillate authorities person to die successful office. She is remembered for launching respective women-centric programmes, including all-women constabulary stations and subsidised two-wheelers for moving women, isolated from her enactment successful curbing pistillate infanticide.

Jayalalithaa offering flowers to a representation of AIADMK laminitis MG Ramachandran successful Chennai, May 20, 2016 [Arun Sankar/AFP]

The DMK besides has a past of movie personalities, including the party’s founder, CN Annadurai, who roseate to fame arsenic a pathbreaking scriptwriter with films similar Velaikkari (1949), and MGR arsenic the party’s prima campaigner and person earlier helium founded the AIADMK.

Soon, Muthuvel Karunanidhi emerged arsenic different salient writer, writer and screenwriter with films similar Parasakthi (1952), meaning Supreme Power, often cited arsenic a turning constituent successful Tamil cinema. Directed by Krishnan-Panju and written by Karunanidhi, past 28 years old, the movie fiercely attacked casteism and societal inequality, portion propelling the dispersed of the Dravidian ideology.

Karunanidhi, popularly known arsenic Kalaignar (artist), wrote scripts for much than 75 films that resonated with the struggles of the moving class, championing rationalism and societal equality.

He won the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly predetermination for a grounds 13 presumption and served arsenic the state’s main curate for 5 presumption betwixt 1969 and 2011. He died astatine the property of 94 successful 2018, erstwhile his son, Stalin, took implicit arsenic main curate and DMK chief.

Film star-politicians who embraced Tamil individuality authorities flourished, portion those who did not fell by the wayside.

“Successful leaders specified arsenic MGR, popularly known arsenic Puratchi Thaalaivar [Revolutionary Leader], Jayalalithaa, who earned the monikers Puratchi Thalaivi [Revolutionary Female Leader] and Amma [Mother], embraced individuality politics. Another fashionable movie actor, Sivaji Ganesan, by contrast, could not marque the aforesaid people successful authorities adjacent aft helium tried,” said Kannan, who has written biographies of MGR and Annadurai.

Indian PM Narendra Modi, left, and MK Stalin, main curate of Tamil Nadu, motion during the instauration chromatic laying ceremonial of assorted infrastructure projects, successful Chennai, May 26, 2022 [Arun Sankar/AFP]

In 2005, fashionable histrion Vijayakanth added to the starry premix by launching his DMDK party, different Dravidian governmental outfit. He made each effort to presumption his enactment arsenic an alternate to the DMK and the AIADMK, but failed. The enactment won conscionable 1 spot successful 2006 — Vijayakanth’s ain — and drew a blank successful 2009. Though helium went connected to go the person of the absorption successful the assembly successful 2011, the predetermination reverses forced him to question alliances. The DMDK, present led by his woman Premalatha, is contesting 10 seats successful confederation with the DMK.

Which is where, accidental analysts, Vijay’s transportation for powerfulness is improbable to marque an interaction successful this election. They accidental his TVK enactment does not autumn successful the agelong enactment of Dravidian parties that person a chiseled governmental ideology and programme that appeals to their voters.

“Tamil Nadu is an ideologically and politically evolved state. Issues specified arsenic societal justice, centre-state relations, and linguistic and taste individuality are paramount here. People volition not backmost a person without a wide ideology,” Ramu Manivannan, erstwhile prof of governmental subject astatine the University of Madras, told Al Jazeera.

Manivannan said ample crowds astatine Vijay’s rallies should not beryllium mistaken for imaginable votes. “Film stars ever pull crowds. To presume each of them volition construe into votes is unfair.”

Vijay’s TVK is rooted successful his instrumentality clubs, which thrive connected masculine aggression, said S Anandhi, retired prof astatine the Madras Institute of Development Studies.

“Vijay’s populist rhetoric — defying each authorization — appeals powerfully to the youth. But helium ne'er clarifies what helium volition really bash successful power. He frames it arsenic each established forces being arrayed against young men, and youngsters spot this arsenic an accidental for a caller benignant of collectivisation. I would telephone it a unsafe class,” she told Al Jazeera.

Appeal to young, pistillate voters

Vijay appears to beryllium banking heavy connected 2 elector blocs: younger voters betwixt 18 and 39 years, who fig 23 cardinal of the state’s 57 cardinal voters, and women, who relationship for much than fractional of them.

At his rallies packed with young radical and women, Vijay has alleged that Stalin’s existent allies are “bribery and corruption”, framing the contention arsenic a idiosyncratic conflict betwixt himself and the main minister.

Stalin, for his part, has mostly brushed disconnected Vijay’s attacks. “Newly-formed parties person a incorrect conception that they tin past by criticising DMK,” helium said successful a caller interview.

Instead, Stalin has focused his attacks connected the Modi government, accusing it of depriving Tamil Nadu of its stock of national funds, and framing the predetermination arsenic a contention betwixt Tamil Nadu and New Delhi – a ploy that simultaneously targets the AIADMK for allying with an “adversary”, the BJP.

The AIADMK’s Palaniswami has countered by saying Stalin raises the centre-state contented lone due to the fact that helium has “no achievements of his ain to show”.

Despite their ideological differences, each parties are competing heavy connected payment promises successful a authorities known for freebies during elections.

The DMK has pledged to treble the monthly women’s allowance to 2,000 rupees ($21), connection 8,000 rupees ($85) successful location appliance coupons, and physique 1 cardinal homes for the mediocre implicit 5 years. The AIADMK, besides promising a monthly allowance of 2,000 rupees for women, has additionally offered escaped refrigerators to the mediocre and a one-time household assistance of 10,000 rupees ($106).

Vijay’s TVK, hoping to currency successful connected the ongoing planetary substance crisis, has promised six escaped LPG cylinders annually, 2,500 rupees ($26.5) monthly enactment for the pistillate heads of a household, 8gm golden and a silk saree for mediocre women getting married, 4,000 rupees ($42.5) stipend for unemployed assemblage graduates, and interest-free acquisition loans of up to 2 cardinal rupees ($21,257).

Still, Kannan feels Vijay tin astatine champion beryllium a disruptor successful the three-cornered contest.

“Vijay’s run gained momentum successful the last lap. He turned what was a bipolar contention into a three-cornered one. But isolated from his idiosyncratic charisma, helium lacks due organisational machinery. Many of his party’s candidates are chartless faces,” helium said.