Vijay is one of the biggest names in Tamil cinema, who was at the peak of his film career when he announced his plunge into politics. The 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be Vijay’s first direct foray into electoral politics. (PTI File)
Son of film director SA Chandrashekar and playback singer Shobha Chandrashekhar, Vijay, also known as Thalapathy (commander), is among the highest-paid actors in the Tamil industry. But in 2024, he did something probably only a few saw coming. He launched Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), a political party and made a bid to become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, India’s southernmost state.
Tamil Nadu is scheduled to vote on April 23 to elect the state assembly members and the next person to head the state. And the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be Vijay’s first direct foray into electoral politics. He may even emerge as a dark horse and go on to create a space for himself in the field, which has largely been dominated by two parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), for decades.
Though he is not the first hero to venture into the state's political arena, the equation of voters with actor-turned-politicians has changed significantly.
Here’s a look at some of those from the Tamil film industry who have jumped onto the political bandwagon and how they have fared over the years.
Tamil Nadu’s changing equation with actor-turned-politicians MG Ramachandran (MGR): MGR was and is one of the most popular stars in the Tamil film industry. His movies had storylines that batted for the poor, and he was seen as the people’s saviour. He was part of the DMK, but after his tiff with Kalaignar Karunanidhi, he launched his own party, AIADMK, in 1972. He was the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for three consecutive terms.
J Jayalalithaa: She was a delight on screen, and one of her most successful pairings was with MGR. J Jayalalithaa followed in MGR’s footsteps and joined his party, the AIADMK. She was never considered MGR’s political heir, but the Iron Lady, as she became known, became a tall leader of the party and the state after MGR’s demise. For a party that had anti-Brahmin principles, Jayalalithaa was the CM of Tamil Nadu a record five times.
Vijayakant: Captain Vijayakant, as he was known, was a popular Tamil star who had a massive fan following. Vijayakant appeared in many patriotic films in which he played an army captain and a police officer, which gave him a certain image among the public. Like MGR, he wanted to be seen as someone who worked for the poor, for his state and country, and in 2005, he founded the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK). While Vijayakant never became CM of Tamil Nadu, his party was a factor in deciding whether the DMK or the AIADMK would finally form the government.
Sarathkumar: For the longest time, actor Sarathkumar didn’t seem to be someone who was going to launch his own party. He joined the DMK and contested on their behalf in Tirunelveli in 1998 but lost the election. From 2001 to 2006, he was a DMK MP in parliament, but in 2007he launched his own party, the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK). Sarathkumar’s party didn’t gain any significant traction in the state, and in 2024, he merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party
Kamal Haasan: Kamal Haasan has always been vociferous about his political views, but he has never joined the DMK or AIADMK, criticising both for their flawed principles and actions. Following Jayalalithaa's death in 2016, the ruling AIADMK was imploding, and politics in the state were in turmoil. Kamal Haasan decided to launch his own party, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), in 2018 as an alternative to the BJP (which was becoming more popular in Tamil Nadu) and the Dravidian forces. He wanted a rational party that would uphold Mahatma Gandhi's ideals, but unfortunately, the MNM has not been successful in the state.
Khushbu Sundar: She came into the world of cinema as a child artiste and is now a popular actor and politician in Tamil Nadu. Khusbu Sundar’s entry into politics didn’t seem to be a planned one, but more a situation where she was forced to stand up against misogyny and patriarchy. In 2005, her comments on pre-marital sex didn’t go down well with numerous political parties in the state and in 2010, she joined the DMK. She is currently in the BJP and, until recently, was a member of the National Commission for Women.
Sivaji Ganesan: Sivaji Ganesan was a popular Tamil star, but he never attained the status MGR did. The ideology of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy attracted him, and in fact, it was Periyar who gave him the moniker Sivaji after watching one of his performances. The Tamil star joined the DMK when it was launched by Annadurai, but in 1962he began supporting the Congress and was made an MP by Indira Gandhi. In 1988, he decided to start his own party, Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani, when the Congress formed an alliance with the AIADMK. A year later, when his party was routed in the elections, he merged it with the Janata Dal.
Napoleon: From playing the villain in Tamil films, Napoleon became a political figure thanks to his uncle, senior DMK leader, KN Nehru. The actor contested the 2001 state elections in Villivakkam and became a DMK MLA. He lost the subsequent election but won in 2009 and was made minister in the DMK government. When he was sidelined by the DMK for being an Ahazagiri sympathiser, Napoleon joined the BJP in 2014.
Seeman: Seeman entered the Tamil film industry as a director in 1996, but his films didn’t succeed at the box office. He then decided to turn actor, but it was his political ideology that brought him into politics full-time. In 2006, he campaigned for the DMK alliance, which included the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). His political career took a turn in 2008 when he met the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. His speeches favoured the LTTE and were against the killing of Tamils, and he was arrested under the NSE Act. In 2009, he and other activists formed the Naam Kamilar Katchi (NTK). The NTK is active in the political arena, but Seeman has been plagued by controversies.
Karunaas: When he appeared on screen and did his antics, the Tamil audience laughed. However, Karunaas, like others from Tamil cinema, entered active politics when he contested for the AIADMK in the Thiruvadanai constituency in the 2016 State assembly election. He won the seat but later formed his own party, Mukkulathor Pulipadai, which enjoys Thevar support.