By V.Mariappan
Chennai, Mar 28 (UNI) Politics and cinema, being no strange bedfellows in Tamil Nadu, it’s no surprise that film stars
hitch their wagons to stars on the political firmament.
Whenever political parties are pitched against one another
on the electoral battle lines, Kodambakkam (Kollywood), a
metonym for entry card to Fort St.George (seat of power),
bristles with artistes making a beeline for a different
‘lights-camera- action’ setting.
The birth of this unique tradition was started by the DMK
way back in 1950s when C.N.Annadurai, M Karunanidhi, and
M G Ramachandran (the first two as writers and the latter
as hero, later deified) so skillfully used cinema to ascend
the throne in their heydays.
The tradition was later upheld by V N Janaki (though her
stint was short-lived) and then by J Jayalalithaa who had
inherited the mantle of MGR.
That tradition is still alive and kicking, over seven decades
on in the 2021 Assembly elections scheduled for April six,
the looming new wave of Covid-19 pandemic notwithstanding.
While there are pan shots of parties and candidates slogging
on in the fray, media camera zooms in on star candidates and
star campaigners ranting at the top of their lungs now.
Ace actor Kamal Haasan sweating it out in Coimbatore (South)
is angling for a cozy slot for his three-year-old party Makkal
NeedhiMaiam in the Assembly.
From sparkling screen to scorching street, it is an incredible
descent he had probably hardly dreamt of when he was duetting
with Sridevi in the film ‘Vaazhve Maayam’ (Life is illusion).
Perhaps the idea he had up his sleeve is to fill the void in
politics left behind by AIADMK matriarch Jayalalithaa and DMK
patriarch M Karunanidhi.
The Dravidian parties, which have ruled the State alternately,
have just talked the talk whereas he will walk the talk, he says.
That might probably be the message that drove his symbolic
morning walk–a-walk which had several eyeballs widening in
disbelief on that cool morning.
Khushboo, who made her debut in Tamil film (‘Dharmaththin
Thalaaivan--Leader of Dharma) in 1988, is contesting from
Thousand Lights constituency in the heart of Chennai city
with an eye on her maiden entry into Assembly.
Ironically, having faced a backlash from the Hindutva groups
in December, 2012 for wearing a saree decorated with images
of Hindu Gods and cases from the same saffron outfits for
sitting at a function cross-legged with slippers on in front
of idols of Hindu gods, the actor-turned-politician is now
in the fray on the BJP ticket.
In an additional ironic situation, she finds herself pitted
against the candidate (Dr.Ezhilan) of the DMK of which she
had been a member from 2010 to 2014.
Public memory being short, perhaps the voters in the
constituency may turn a Nelson’s eye to the fact that
in a decade she had a brush with three major parties
including the Congress.
Maybe, they may dismiss it simply saying, “All this is
quite common in politics.” (A famous line uttered by
comedian Goundamani in a Tamil film, etched as an iconic
remark in public memory).
Another notable film artist is Sripriya on her campaign
trail in Mylapore where she is contesting on behalf of
her former hero Kamal’s party.
Debuting in the film ‘Vishali’ in 1973, she became a
rage in the 1970s and 1980s, co-acting with major
heroes such as Sivaji Ganesan, Jaishankar, Kamal
(now her leader), Rajinikanth, Sivakumar etc.
Born into a big political family and making a foray
into cinema as producer, actor and DMK President
M K Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin, now making his
maiden attempt into electoral politics, contesting
from Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni constituency, has, in
fact, inherited the mantle from his father and his
grandfather Karunanidhi.
Following his debut in the film ‘Oru Kal Oru Kannadi’
in 2012 and playing hero in a few subsequent films,
though hardly acclaimed as a good actor, he has become
a well-known figure, his illustrious family background
propping up him.
Another MNM candidate Snehan in the fray in Virugambakkam
is a film lyricist whose lyric (Film: Samy, 2003) had what
the custodians of culture branded as outraginglines:
“Kalyanamthaan kattikittu odi polaama; illa odi poyi
kalyanamthaan kattikilaama; thaliyathaan kattikittu
pethukalama; illa pullakutti pethukitu kattikalama.”
(Shall we elope after wedding; or elope and wed? Shall
we beget kids after wedding; or wed and beget kids?).
Apart from these stars, Mansoor Ali Khan, who made his
debut as a weird villain in Vijayakanth-starrer ‘Captain
Prabhakaran’ is now contesting from Thondamuthur as an
Independent, having parted ways with Seeman’s Naam Tamilar
Katchi.
Exhibiting no dearth of tricks to grab attention, one
day he sat near a garbage dump beside a dog. He filed
his nomination papers, then announced backing out and
again unsaid what he said.
The Tamil Nadu election campaign scene is, by and large,
pepped up by amusing spectacles of film stars being used
drawing cards for crowds.
The ruling AIADMK has fielded Vindhya, a small-time actor,
to rail and rant against the DMK.
If the BJP has fielded actors--Gowthami and Nameetha--as
star campaigners, the Congress has not lagged behind,
fielding Shakeela from Kerala, who has been a well-known
face in the Tamil tinsel town too.
By the way, it is worth recalling here that Vadivelu, a
famous comedian a decade ago, campaigned for the DMK in
2011 Assembly elections and subsequently nosedived to
the non-entity status.
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