Popular Kannada star Kiccha Sudeep on Wednesday announced his decision to support the ruling BJP. Is it a harbinger of things to come? South Indian stars are known to join politics after a successful career as cinematic heroes and heroines.
While there is a precedent for successful political careers of film stars, not everyone goes the distance.
Evergreen star of Indian Tamil films, Rajinikanth, plunged into electoral politics in 2017 and announced that he wanted to form a new party, to bring in political change.
The 67-year-old informed his cheering crowds back then that he planned to change the system and usher in good governance to Tamil Nadu, with its population of 72 million.
Rajnikanth had said, “I am joining politics because it is the need of the hour. He stated this at a six-day event to meet thousands of fans, who were crazily anticipating an announcement.
“I am not doing this for any post. I do not come for money or fame, as I have them enough. But the politics have become so bad that rest of the world is laughing at us,” he said in Tamil.
“I am not a coward, so I have to step in.”
One of India’s most popular stars, Rajnikanth has over 175 films that since 1975 are box-office hits, largely in Tamil and Telugu. He has huge cut-outs dedicated to him in Tamil Nadu’s towns and villages. Fans even pour milk over them to worship him as they do to worship Hindu gods.
Is it a glorious moment?
Rajnikanth was born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, Rajinikanth worked as a bus conductor for three years before getting into an acting school. He was honoured with top national awards for his contributions to the arts.
He joined politics when Tamil Nadu was in political flux after the death of its iconic former chief minister Jayalalitha in December 2016. The then current political vacuum in the state meant that Rajinikanth’s political prospects were bright, said observers. But after four years of trying to make an impression, the superstar backed out. In July 2021, Rajinikanth withdrew from politics and dissolved his fledgling party – Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM).
Film personalities in Indian politics
However, many Indian film actors have journeyed easily from cinema to politics and Tamil Nadu has seen several onscreen heroes and other film personalities being transformed into successful politicians like Karunanidhi.
The drive arose from the pre-existence of a mass base due to the springing up of actor fan clubs – also between 1967 and 1990 when actors and script writers joined Dravidian politics, explained cultural journalist Sadanand Menon.
These cult figures with superstar status have succeeded because they did mythical roles that have conformed to a culture.
In Andhra Pradesh the popular actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao – or NTR migrated from the stage to the big screen and played mythical Hindu gods when the mythological era of Telugu cinema was popular.
NTR’s popularity helped start the “Telugu Desam” party on fostering pride in the local language Telugu. He was chief minister three times between 1983 to 1994.
A film historian said that Tamil movies and Telugu movies were propagandists that pushed such stars into politics.
Would Sudeep have similar attributes that capitalised on what his predecessors achieved? Due to his massive fan base, he may win.
However, says Congressman Manishankar Aiyar, Kamal Haasan who too was a flop politician like Rajnikanth was a superstar in films, and both were at best marginal political players.
In the 70’s and 80’s, it was different when people like M G Ramachandran (MGR), Sivaji Ganesan and even Jayalalithaa starred in films that carried a revolutionary social message, he said.
“They could enjoy successful political careers because they could feel the pulse of the people and bijli paani issues were known to them better than today’s heroes.”
Moreover, Former Secretary General, Lok Sabha, PDT Achary told FinancialExpress.com, “People these days have lost interest and star power has lost its appeal. Several formed their own parties as MGR formed AIADMK and NTR formed the Telegu Desam party.”
“In Sudeep’s instance, it remains to be seen if he will be successful in getting support,” he added.
However, political analyst Subhash Kashyap is of the view that actors are supposed to be neutral, non partisan and objective. While another analyst told FE that it depends from person to person but there is a long tradition of people coming from cinema to politics even in the central level like Sunil Dutt who played a very active role while others failed.