Will Tamil public bless this hero with‘ Vijayi Bhava’ in 2026?

Tamil Nadu politics refuses to severe its umbilical cord with the film industry. 25 years into the new millennium, it looks like once again attempts are made to rewind the time zone to 1977. That was when a top cine star – M G Ramachandran - upstaged an established, cadre-based regional party- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)with his break-away faction – Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) – in record time after its birth and captured power to rule the Dravidian state unchallenged for 13 years.

At the time of writing, Joseph Vijay, known as ‘Thalapathy’ among his fans has just held his second mega political meeting in Madurai, the city which has seen epoch-making changes happening in state politics. After his seniors, Rajinikanth, who quit the heat and dust of ‘rajniti’ quoting ill health and Kamal Haasan ending up seeking support of DMK (for a Rajya Sabha seat) whom he set out to vanquish, all eyes are now on Vijay, a massive, successful matinee idol who has carved his niche in Tamil cinema in a span of three decades and more.

An appraisal of Vijay’s role in taking up a political career seriously will have to take into account his first announcement made in February 2024. The same year, in Vikravandi, he held his maiden political meeting in October. Though it was widely reported upon and speculations gained ground about what his ideological path would be, none gave it much thought as elections were far away then.

Now, it is no more the case. Summer 2026 is just eight months away and the political scenario is hazy, given the complex alliance sewed together between BJP and AIADMK on the one end and the posturing by smaller parties before DMK on the other.

By announcing that the forthcoming polls would be a direct clash between his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and the ruling DMK, Vijay seems to have made his fans clear about what they should be doing to promote their party aggressively. Interestingly, the decorations at the venue played up MGR and the actor himself seems to have reserved special attention to shower encomiums on him and his rule in Tamil Nadu.

This can only mean for the enduring cinema appeal among the Tamil population, a new star is attempting to woo the fans or supporters of AIADMK, at least those of whom who are not happy with their outfit joining hands with the saffron party.

From the manner in which his ‘Maanadu’ was received with tremendous public support, Vijay can take heart that he can carry on his political battle with zeal and commitment. Observers of the state political arena would not have missed the strong response to another popular cine hero, Vijaykanth, who started 20 years ago from the same city, with an equally thunderous welcome, as he set about announcing his party to be an alternative to the existing political duopoly.

After a few political flip-flops and opportunistic alliances with rival parties, his party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam – DMDK- is virtually extinct after the hero himself passed away, nearly two years ago. Like Vijay, Vijaykanth too was in his early ‘50s then, ready to sacrifice his cine career for a long innings in politics. The outcome is too well known to be repeated. Tamil Nadu will await for concrete steps from the new party to make them convinced that TVK may after all try and alleviate their miseries, an enduring legacy for decades.