In Tamil Nadu, the transition from silver screen to politics is a well-worn path. This phenomenon traces back to the 1950s, when the Dravidian movement first harnessed the power of cinema as a strategic platform for political advocacy. The debut of ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay in Tamil Nadu politics has given the election an interesting turn.

His party is fighting all 234 seats, making this one of the most closely watched campaigns.

Will Thalapathy Vijay turn out to be the disruptor, kingmaker or king? According to the early trends, Vijay’s TVK is coming up as the single largest party in Tamil Nadu.

It is “politically blasphemous” to compare Vijay to the likes of CN Annadurai and M.G. Ramachandran, also popularly called MGR, Chennai-based political commentator Prof John Sundar told Financial Express Online.

“MGR cultivated his party right from the day it was started. Between 1949 and 1961, MGR transitioned from a supporting actor to a dominant leading man and box-office icon in Tamil cinema, while simultaneously solidifying his political base within the Dravidian movement,” Prof Sundar said, insisting that Vijay needs to build a strong organisational strength before making a huge impact in the elections.

He, however, added that Vijay will be able to give a tough fight to DMK and AIADMK.

Making a bold prediction, Prof Sundar added that many candidates fielded by Vijay will lose their deposits.

According to senior journalist N Ram, Vijay’s party may win over 20 per cent of the votes, but that vote share may not translate to many seats for his party.

“If Vijay scores, let’s say, over 20% of the vote. That may not translate to many seats. But if he scores that, then I think it will be a much bigger win than normal. You’re talking about 180 sort of thing for the alliance. But in a normal situation, you would expect 155, 160 for the DMK-led alliance and a single-party majority for the DMK. They also have their organisation strengthened on the ground. I have seen the way the chief minister worked,” he told PTI news agency.

Vijay is making a high-stakes entry, contesting from Tiruchirapalli East and Perambur. Both the seats are ruling DMK’s strongholds.

Political experts see a conscious calculation behind the selection of these seats.

Perambur has over 2.2 Lakh voters, of which a majority is the Dalit population. The seat also has a notable Anglo-Indian population. Per experts, Vijay feels he can consolidate these seats.

Similarly, Trichy East, with over 2.17 lakh voters, is a key legislative assembly seat. It has a sizeable Christian voter base. The seat also has a strong Vellalar community base and a significant urban electorate, which, according to experts, may side with TVK.

The fact that he has emerged as a disruptor for the first time in six decades in a two-faced political battle between the DMK and the AIADMK has made many to call him the disruptor of the 2026 assembly polls.

Opinion polls project 15-20% vote share for Vijay’s party. Political experts also believe that the actor-turned-politician may secure over 10% of the vote share in the elections.

So, let us see how the history of film stars – characterised into three different eras of performance – have been:

The Era of Dominance (1960s – 2016)

These leaders were not just part of the political system; they defined it. The era witnessed the entry of legends like CN Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, MGR and J Jayalalithaa, who went on to have loyal cult-like following in the state. Their success was built on a foundation of years of grassroots activism within established political frameworks.

C.N. Annadurai

Affectionately known as Arignar Anna (“Anna the Scholar”), C.N. Annadurai was the foundational architect of modern Tamil Nadu politics. In 1949, he transitioned the Dravidian movement from a social reform group to give it political identity under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), believing that social change required legislative power.

In the 1967 assembly elections, Annadurai led DMK to a landslide, helping it form the first non-Congress party in independent India. The 1967 landslide ended Congress rule in Tamil Nadu forever.

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With his symbolic victory for Tamil self-respect by renaming the state from “Madras State” to Tamil Nadu, and rejecting the Centre’s move for Hindi imposition through the three-language formula, Annadurai made a huge impact in Tamil Nadu politics to the extent that no party has been able to rule Tamil Nadu without claiming his legacy. Both major state parties—the DMK (which he founded) and the AIADMK (named the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in his honour)—derive their legitimacy from his principles of social justice, regional pride, and state rights.

M Karunanidhi

A master strategist, Karunanidhi took the ideological framework of Annadurai and converted it into a high-octane engine for governance and social engineering. This strategy helped him become Chief Minister for a record five terms across five different decades (1969–2011). He also maintained a 50-year grip on the DMK, using razor-sharp dialogue to champion Tamil identity.

While in power, Karunanidhi dismantled traditional caste hierarchies in ways that were revolutionary for the time:

Expansion of Reservations: Karunanidhi strategically increased the quota for Backward Classes (BC) from 25% to 31% and for Scheduled Castes (SC) from 15% to 18%. His most significant move, however, was carving out a dedicated 20% reservation for the “Most Backward Classes” (MBC), ensuring that the most vulnerable within the BC category received their fair share of opportunities.

Priests of All Castes: He challenged the centuries-old Brahminical monopoly in sanctums by passing a historic law allowing people of any caste to become temple priests (Archakas). This was one of the most important aims of the Dravidian movement. However, in 1972, the Supreme Court struck down this move.

In 2006, Karunanidhi issued a similar order again. This one, too, was challenged in the top court. This time, the court did not strike it down. While passing the order in December 2015, the court said that the appointments have to be made as per the Agamas – doctrines that govern temple worship – ensuring the fundamental right to equality is not breached.

Karunanidhi is often credited for introducing gender-focused legislation like Equal Property Rights, which was introduced in 1989, long before the central government took similar steps. Karunanidhi enacted a law giving women equal rights in ancestral property.

MGR: The “Man of the People”

MG Ramachandran, or MGR, is the only politician who transformed Tamil Nadu’s political landscape into a personality-driven “welfare state.” While Annadurai provided the ideology and Karunanidhi provided the strategy, MGR provided the mythology.

He transformed his “messiah” screen image into a 10-year uninterrupted reign until his death in 1987, winning three consecutive elections even while undergoing treatment in the US for some of them.

While MGR meticulously crafted his on-screen persona – playing characters who were rickshaw pullers, labourers, or peasants fighting a corrupt system- his most enduring impact on India (not just Tamil Nadu) was the Nutritious Meal Scheme. The Rs 150-crore project did receive resistance, with economists and the Central Government initially criticising it as a “drain on the treasury.” MGR famously responded by saying he knew what it was like to be hungry as a child and would not let the children of his state suffer the same.

The Legacy: This scheme was so successful at improving health and education metrics that the Supreme Court later mandated it for all of India in 2001.

MGR parlayed his “messiah” screen image into a 10-year uninterrupted reign as CM (1977–1987). He is the only star to achieve absolute political hegemony.

J. Jayalalithaa

Jayalalithaa didn’t just inherit MGR’s legacy, but transformed it through a mix of shrewd populism and a cult of personality. She served 6 terms as Chief Minister. Despite multiple legal battles, she transformed from MGR’s protégé into a formidable “Amma” (mother) figure with a loyal cult-like following that saw senior ministers bow to her as a sign of fealty. This eliminated internal dissent.

By rebranding herself from a glamorous actress to “Amma”, she mastered the art of the “Welfare State”, establishing a maternal bond with the electorate.

Cradle Baby Scheme: A landmark initiative to curb female infanticide.

Amma Canteens: Providing highly subsidised, quality meals to the urban poor.

Direct Benefits: Free laptops, mixers, grinders, and gold for marriage (Thalliku Thangam) for women.