Tamil Nadu election 2026: Each are actors who took the political route, however MGR-Vijay is a facile comparability

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‘All comparisons cease on the single authentic proven fact that… each (former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran and TVK chief Vijay) have been actors who took the political route, leaping into elections when the possibility got here up.’ File
| Photograph Credit score: The Hindu

Odious as comparisons are, it’s unattainable to keep away from them throughout election season. Events and leaders, their manifestos, agendas, welfare schemes, ideologies, sartorial class or lack of it too, are sometimes analysed at nice size in makes an attempt to know the political lay of the land within the current, by way of the lens of the previous. This election, in Tamil Nadu in 2026, one comparability that would scarcely been ignored is the well-worn likening between Vijay the actor-turned politician, and M.G. Ramachandran, nonetheless beloved to Tamils as MGR, the actor-turned politician, and former Chief Minister of the State.

Nonetheless, it is a facile comparability. All comparisons cease on the single authentic proven fact that they each have been actors who took the political route, leaping into elections when the possibility got here up. Okay. Hariharan, creator, film-maker and tutorial, explains why that is so: “Elections are usually not a primary day-first present phenomenon. It will be significant that individuals planning to leap into the electoral fray check the waters first. Like MGR did — he spent a very long time in politics earlier than he launched the AIADMK, and that referred to as to his stupendous success.”

Revealed – April 20, 2026 10:09 pm IST