The recent announcements of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan that they will enter politics are only seen as an eventuality in a State that has had a long line of leaders and politicians who came from the cradle of Tamil cinema. A look at some of those who made that seamless switch, with varying levels of success
C. N. Annadurai
T he Dravidian movement, led by E.V. Ramasamy, positioning itself in the vanguard of a new lobby in Tamil Nadu, identified literature, stage plays and, later on, movies as vehicles to propagate its ideology of anti-Brahminism and rationalism.
With Periyar consistently criticising the then existing trend of mythological plays, C.N. Annadurai, considered by many as his successor, wrote several plays, including Chandrodhayam , Sivaji Kanda Hindu Samrajyam , Velaikkari , Needhi Devan Mayakkam , Nalla Thambi , Or Iravu , Sorgavasal , Kadhal Jothi , Paavaiyin Payanam and Inba Oli .
Annadurai rightfully has a position as one of the important playwrights, who not only achieved much in taking the Dravidian ideology to the people, but also heralded a change in the form and content of plays that were performed in Tamil Nadu. These plays were based mostly on religious mythology and were performed as ‘koothu’.
Many of his plays were later made into successful films as well, such as Velaikkari , which is perhaps the first movie wherein politics and movies were welded together.
M . Karunanidhi
CHENNAI : 07/09/2008 : Former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai and Present Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. Photo : DIPR
M . Karunanidhi, who was C.N. Annadurai’s trusted lieutenant in the DMK, emerged as the most influential leader to take the DMK and its ideology to the people through films. The most important film in M. Karunanidhi’s career as a scriptwriter and in the history of DMK itself, according to many scholars, was Parasakthi , which also launched actor Sivaji Ganesan, also a DMK activist at the time.
The film was also important for a couple of reasons — the way it reshaped the DMK’s stance on religious belief and re-imagined chastity and valour.
Renowned Dravidian scholars such as M.S.S. Pandian have termed the film “a signboard in the historical course of the Dravidian Movement, pointing to the consensual politics the DMK was destined to play in Tamil Nadu”.
Mr. Karunanidhi’s films would often incorporate contemporary ideas of the Dravidian ideology — anti-brahminism, Tamil nationalism, celebration of Tamil culture, literature and rationalist ideas – into films in an enjoyable, easy manner.
He also wrote several important movies for his political rival, M.G. Ramachandran such as Malaikallan, Kanchi Thalaivan and Manthiri Kumari , among others.
Despite a chequered political career, Mr. Karunanidhi continued to exhibit his love for screenwriting well into 21st century, focusing on caste-class issues. Even recently, Mr. Karunanidhi’s foray into television as a scriptwriter for a televised serial on Vaishnavite Saint Ramanuja raised eyebrows. He told The Hindu , “I have no agreement or compromise with Ramanuja’s theism. But I do have the culture to appreciate his secular ways. This is why we do not consider his spiritual, Brahminical background as his foremost trait and worry about it.”
M .G. Ramachandran
M.G. Ramachandran addresses a massive gathering on Anna Salai after a 14-member AIADMK Ministry, headed by him, was sworn in on June 30, 1977.
I n the history of Tamil cinema, M.G. Ramachandran, who commanded the respect and loyalty of millions of fans, will go down as one of most successful actors and politicians of Tamil Nadu.
Popularly known as Puratchi Thalaivar, the actor’s smash hit, Nadodi Mannan cemented his place as an undisputed star and constructed his image as the ‘helper of the poor’.
Whether in historical or period dramas such as ‘ Alibabavum Narpadhu Thirudargalum’, ‘Nadodi Mannan’ and ‘Madurai Veeran’ or in socially conscious films such as ‘ Thirudathe ’ or ‘ Kudiyirundha Kovil’ , he posited a cleverly-crafted image of being one among the working classes and poorer sections, raising a fist against injustice.
By 1962, the actor became a Member of Legislative Council in Madras State and a prominent face of the DMK.
After falling out with M. Karunanidhi and the much publicised split from the DMK in 1972, MGR started his own party named Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the same year.
Acting in a film called Netru Indru Naalai in 1974, he would openly show his party flag in a song titled Naan Padithen Kaanchiyilae Netru . Incidentally, Annadurai was also popularly known as ‘Kanchi Thalaivan’.
Asked how MGR took alluding to political messages in films to the next level, R. Kannan, author, MGR: A life , said, “It was MGR dressing up in the DMK’s black and red colours, referring to the DMK, its ideals in songs, and dialogues and showing Anna’s portraits that metamorphosed his fans into DMK workers. MGR and the DMK were so intertwined that the DMK flag was called by many of the rural folk as ‘MGR flag’. Anna took it graciously.”
J ayalalithaa
AIADMK general secretary Jayalalitha being sworn in as Chief Minister for the first time in 1991.
F ormer AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is the female actor who acted in most movies starring MGR — 28.
Unlike M. Karunanidhi or M.G. Ramachandran, Jayalalithaa did not have the advantage of being seen as a prominent member of the Dravidian movement nor was she explicitly identified by MGR as his political heir.
However, after joining the AIADMK in 1982, she quickly rose in the party ladder, even becoming a Rajya Sabha member in 1984 and the Propaganda Secretary of the party.
Despite severe opposition to her rise from some of the senior members of the party, Jayalalithaa's onscreen image of being MGR's co-star and her charisma cemented her place among party supporters as the face of the AIADMK after the demise of MGR. She also surpassed MGR by winning 37 out of the 39 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, and 135 out of the 234 seats in the State Assembly elections in 2016 without any alliance partners.
Often criticised for her ‘anti-democratic, authoritarian’ ways of functioning, Jayalalithaa’s career highlight was the manner in which she broke through the ranks and became a formidable leader of a Dravidian party, a movement that was essentially anti-religious and anti-Brahmin in its roots, despite her own origins.
The lowest points in her political career were losing the 1996 elections after being accused of accumulating disproportionate assets and being sent to jail in 2014 along with her aides V.K. Sasikala, J. Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran.
S ivaji Ganesan
Actor Sivaji Ganesan welcomes Congress president Kamaraj.
A ctor Sivaji Ganesan’s debut film Parasakthi , which was written by M. Karunanidhi, was both a controversial and a highly successful film. While Sivaji Ganesan’s father Chinnaiah Manrayar was a labour leader and a Congressman, the actor was attracted to the political ideology propounded by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, who later gave him the nickname ‘Sivaji’ after watching him play the role of the Maratha king in a play.
When Annadurai split from the Dravidar Kazhagam, Sivaji Ganesan became a DMK sympathiser. However, a visit to Tirupathi in the 1950s became a sour point as Sivaji Ganesan was pilloried for going “against the stated ideals of rationalism”. Hurt, he joined the Tamil National Party formed by former members of the DMK. The party later merged with the Indian National Congress. He accepted the leadership of Congress stalwart K. Kamaraj.
He was also a phenomenal actor, who did a variety of historical and mythological roles such as Karnan, Thiruvilaiyadal, Kattabomman among others, while also playing modern characters such as Thillana Mohanambal and Puthiya Paravai.
Unlike MGR, he didn’t use cinema for his political career. When his opponent, G. K. Moopanar was made the TNCC (I) president, following MGR’s death, he quit the Congress and founded the Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani in 1988, which aligned with the AIADMK (Janaki) faction. After losing the election, Sivaji Ganesan’s political career effectively came to an end. He later merged the party with the Janata Dal.
V ijayakant
DMDK leader Vijayakant at a party conference in Ulundurpet. File photo.
I n 2005, actor Vijayakant, who boasted a considerable fan following, started his own political party — the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam — and positioned himself as an alternative to both the DMK and the AIADMK.
It could be said that Vijayakant, who was well-known for his action movies and roles as a cop and an army officer, took the MGR route by positioning himself as a nationalist, often solving national security issues and sending political messages directly to his fans via his movies.
While he did several films such as Sattam Oru Irutarai, Honest Raj and Sethupathi IPS, his stock grew considerably in the early 2000s when films such as Ramana, Vallarasu and Vanathai Pola went on to become smash hits. Films such as Chinna Gounder , which released in the early part of the 1990s, made him a household name in rural Tamil Nadu.
When he finally floated a party, he polled over 8% of the total votes in the 2006 State assembly elections and followed it up with another impressive performance in 2009 Lok Sabha elections, polling more than 10.3%.
After dillydallying before the 2011 State assembly elections, he finally aligned himself with the AIADMK and won 29 seats, six more than the DMK, to become the Leader of the Opposition. His rise as the Opposition leader was short-lived. In 2016, he led the People Welfare Front, comprising MDMK, VCK, CPI and CPM, which did not win any seat.
V adivelu
Actor Vadivelu campaigns for DMK candidate S.N.M. Ubayathullah in Thanjavur during the 2011 Assembly elections.
P opular film comedian Vadivelu extensively campaigned for the DMK alliance in the 2011 State elections, drawing huge crowds.
In particular, he was extremely critical of DMDK president Vijayakant, who had aligned with the AIADMK led by J. Jayalalithaa, constantly berating him, suggesting that he was unfit for politics.
With the AIADMK alliance winning 203 out of 234 seats in the State assembly, actor Vadivelu was swiftly sidelined in the movie industry for several years even though he was careful not to criticise Jayalalithaa in his campaign speeches. He seemed to have paid a huge price for his brief dalliance with politics.
K arunaas
Karunaas, Thiruvadanai MLA, speaks with police at Panankadi near Sivaganga. File photo.
K arunaas' victory in Thiruvadanai constituency in the 2016 State assembly election after contesting on the AIADMK ticket was a surprise to many.
The multi-talented comedian floated an outfit known as Mukkulathor Puli Padai, a party that claimed the support of the Thevar community, one of the most influential communities in Tamil Nadu politics.
R ajinikanth
A fter M.G. Ramachandran, Rajinikanth emerged as the darling of Tamil cinema, setting box office records in film after film through the 90s and even in his last release, Kabali .
While MGR was closely associated with the leading figures of the Dravidian movement and responsible for popularising Dravidian ideology to the public through his movies, Rajinikanth's political messaging was mostly restricted to whether he would enter politics.
Rajinikanth's fan base, however, can be compared to MGR's.
Apart from the entertainment that his films provided, millions of his fans went to movies to see what he had to say about politics and his political entry. Several dialogues in Rajinikanth's hit films such as Muthu and Padayappa appeared to be directed at Jayalalithaa.
The actor acknowledges that he came close to becoming the Chief Minister in the 1996 State assembly election. His decision to oppose then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa likely catalysed her defeat in the 1996 Assembly election. In that election, the AIADMK won only four seats and Jayalalithaa lost.
Between 1996 and 2004, Rajinikanth expressed several political opinions.
In 2002, he said that he wanted to start a people's movement for interlinking of rivers.
In 2004, he pledged his support for the AIADMK-BJP alliance for the same reason. Since then, the actor has chosen to keep away from making any major political statements.
In his 2002 release Baba , actor Rajinikanth played a man who receives seven boons from god. As he uses his last wish to make an honest man the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and prepares to leave for the Himalayas, he is forced to turn back as the Chief Minister is killed. The film ends with a card saying “To be continued”, suggesting that he could get into politics some time in future.
With two of his movies, 2.0 and Kaala, set to release in 2018, Rajinikanth fans are likely to throng the theatres to see what he has to say, now that he has become a politician.
K amal Haasan
Kamal Haasan at the inauguration of an app in 2017.
U nlike his onscreen competitor, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan had never expressed his wish to enter electoral politics or support a particular leader/party either in his interactions with the media or in his movies, until recently.
It all changed in the last year after the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s death.
The actor became increasingly vocal about how the wheels were coming off the ruling AIADMK and he began criticising the ruling party on various issues, such as NEET, on social media, in his interviews to newspapers and television channels, and in platforms such as the Bigg Boss show, where he formally announced that he would enter politics.
The actor is no stranger to the machinations of political parties as several of his movies have been embroiled in controversies, notably Hey Ram and Vishwaroopam .
Kamal Haasan has been consistently vocal about his opposition to religious-right wing forces in the country and support for the non-violent ideals of Gandhi and rationalism.
Much like MGR, the actor has slipped in overt messaging in his past movies in favour of political ideologies such as Marxism ( Anbe Sivam ) or political figures such as Dravidian leader Periyar.
In November 2017, he announced that he would start meeting the people of Tamil Nadu in January and will also launch a mobile application Maiam Whistle in January, which could be used by people to flag and discuss important issues.
With the actor already stating that he would enter politics after finishing all his acting commitments, one can be sure that Kamal Haasan will also be in the ring in the elections next time around.
R . Sarath Kumar
All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi leader R. Sarath Kumar during an election campaign.
A ctor Sarathkumar, founder of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi, has the distinction of being active both in politics and in films for the last 26 years.
After falling out with Jayalalithaa during her first term as Chief Minister, he campaigned for the DMK-TMC alliance and was given a ticket to contest in the Lok Sabha elections from Tirunelveli in 1998, which he lost by a slim margin.
While he was in active politics, Sarathkumar also made highly successful movies such as Nattamai, Suryavamsam and Samudhiram , where he typically played a young, wealthy and moral man living in villages. After rejoining the AIADMK in 2006, he quit within a few months before floating the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi in 2007.
Kh ushbu
AICC spokesperson Khushboo at a public meeting. File photo.
Kh ushbu was a hugely popular actor for whom her fans even built a temple in Tamil Nadu. Having acted as the lead in several successful films, she went on to have a fairly successful stint in television as a host of game show in Jaya TV.
In 2005, Khushbu faced severe opposition from political parties, especially the PMK, for her comments on pre-marital sex. In 2010, she joined the DMK while it was in power. Four years later, she resigned from her post in the DMK and joined the Congress.
C ho Ramaswamy
Actor Rajinikanth called on the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) leader, G.K. Moopanar at the latter's residence ahead of the 1996 Assembly elections. Also seen is Thuglaq editor 'Cho' Ramasamy.
A ctor, writer and director, founder-editor of Thuglak magazine, Cho Ramaswamy, was known for his biting political satire and unflinching criticism of powerful political figures.
His most notable play that gained widespread acclaim was Muhammed Bin Thuglak , a satire on the true state of democracy. Considered to possess fine political acumen, Cho was close to several political leaders, including Jayaprakash Narayan, L. K. Advani, RSS leader Balasaheb Deoras, Chandra Shekhar and G.K. Moopanar. Among contemporaries, he was considered to be close to Jayalalithaa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP government and served as a Member of Parliament between 1999 and 2005.
