Perhaps sensing ‘kolaveri’ (anger) or restlessness among voters, actor Dhanush appears keen to follow in the political footsteps of fellow star Joseph Vijay, who became the Tamil Nadu chief minister after his TVK won the Assembly elections this year.
Before launching his political party, Vijay transformed his fan club into a welfare movement, using it to mobilise supporters for social work, including providing free food, opening libraries and offering legal assistance. That network gave his fans an organised role beyond celebrating his films, creating a platform that could be mobilised for a larger public purpose. An ISRO scientist also delivered a motivational speech. Tamil Nadu has a long history of movie personalities making a mark in politics. CN Annadurai was a screenwriter who was also associated with theatre; five-time chief minister M Karunanidhi was an acclaimed scriptwriter; and MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa rose from film stardom to become chief ministers.
Subramaniam Siva, a film director closely associated with Dhanush, told NDTV that former journalist and AIADMK MP Rabi Bernard addressed the gathering for about an hour, speaking about discipline, the lasting impact of welfare activities and the importance of giving back from one’s earnings.
