Editorial: Unleashing the ‘beast’ mode

The phenomenon of cinematic stalwarts dipping their toes into the murky waters of statecraft is nothing new for Tamil Nadu. The State bears the legacy of appointing as Chief Ministers, some highly illustrious names from tinsel town. Whether it’s MG Ramachandran, who transitioned from a swashbuckling onscreen swordsman to an adept politician; or his protege J Jayalalithaa, a darling of the masses, who ensured that the millions who frequented her films by the droves later made a beeline to cast the ballot for Amma. Then, there is M Karunanidhi, the DMK patriarch, an archrival of MGR. While Kalaignar’s searing dialogues burnt through celluloid, his eloquent, scalpel-sharp political rhetoric held his followers in thrall.

Now, another star has set his sights on this haloed battlefield – Ilayathalapathy Vijay, whose political entry was a long time in the making. The mass hero hasn’t officially announced his political entry, but the excitement surrounding his foray has hit fever pitch. Two weeks ago, at a function to felicitate toppers from Class 10 and Class 12, the actor appealed to the youth – to steer clear of votes for cash. Driving home the point, Vijay said that being able to employ the cash for votes strategy was an indicator of ill gotten wealth of a candidate, instances of which pop up in Tamil Nadu during every election season.

The actor’s comments came in for praise from many quarters including Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who said anyone can enter politics. The comments might have been made tongue-in-cheek, considering the ‘investments’ that need to be made in a field as competitive and cut-throat as politics. One might recall how Superstar Rajinikanth had kept his admirers on tenterhooks for years together regarding his political entry. In 2020, when he finally decided to take the plunge with his fan club turned party outfit Rajini Makkal Mandram, the anticipation was sky high. However, a few health-related setbacks put the hero on the backfoot, and he was compelled to shelve his plans faster than one could say Adi Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu.

Rajini’s example is not the only caveat emptor Vijay should be looking at. Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan is also a case in point, when it comes to failure to launch, at least on the political front. For a while, it seemed like Makkal Needhi Maiam was on its A-game, working tirelessly on the ground during the pandemic and the cyclone, providing rescue and relief material to the needy. The party made its presence felt on social media as well, where it provided a robust counter as a potential opposition party. Of course, the machinations of politics is not something that can be mastered in a year or two. It’s a lesson learnt the hard way for the MNM party which is now struggling to breach the 8% mark in total vote share.

One could say that a massive fan-base does not necessarily translate into a rock solid political cadre. The fact of the matter is that there are too many variables that determine political success – ideology and popularity happen to be just two of them. As far as Vijay is concerned, he has time on his hands – time that can be employed learning the ropes, building his loyalist base, and more than anything conceiving a mission statement that would pitch him as harbinger of true change.