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New Delhi: Formed just two years ago, actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam – TVK party seems to have accomplished an incredible feat. Leading in over 100 seats in Tamil Nadu, according to the latest trends, Vijay’s party might even cross the halfway mark by the evening to form a government on its own and without the help of traditional Dravidian parties DMK and AIADMK.

Following a trend

Tamil Nadu has a long history of film stars entering politics well before Vijay. It has been a state where cinema and politics have been interlinked for decades, with actors using their popularity to build political careers and mass support. 

One of the earliest and most successful examples was M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), who went on to become Chief Minister in 1977, setting a model for actor-politicians in the state.  He was later followed by his protege J. Jayalalithaa, who also became Chief Minister and dominated Tamil Nadu politics for years. 

Over time, many other actors entered politics with varying levels of success. Sivaji Ganesan, one of Tamil cinema’s biggest legends, launched his own party but could not achieve major political success.  Similarly, Vijayakanth made a strong impact by founding the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and even served as Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. 

In more recent decades, several actors have joined politics or started their own parties. Kamal Haasan launched the Makkal Needhi Maiam. Meanwhile others such as R. Sarathkumar and Seeman also built political platforms. Actors like Napoleon and Karunaas have also been active in electoral politics and legislative roles. 

There are also actors who joined established parties rather than forming their own. Khushbu Sundar, for instance, has been associated with major national parties, while others like Gauthami have taken on political roles as well.