SHRINKING LANDING SPACE FOR FILM STARS IN POLITICS

AS mega stars who dazzled their audiences, they have had a mesmerising hold on fans.

- SUMANTH C RAMAN

It's a hold that some of them successfully converted into political vote banks. We are, of course, talking of film stars of southern India, with the notable exception of Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and to a lesser extent in Karnataka, until even a few decades ago, being a star from tinseltown was seen almost as a ticket to political office.

M G Ramachandran was perhaps the trend-setter. But he was not just a star. MGR was an active member of the DMK for over a decade and rose to become the party treasurer. During the period he was in the party, he carefully cultivated his screen image. He would always portray the do-gooder, the underdog taking on the powerful. His directors would back him with powerful punchlines and memorable lyrics loaded with political significance.

Thus, when he chose to break away and form the AIADMK he was, in many ways, bigger than his former party. Electoral success followed almost immediately. Once he came to power, as long as he was alive he was never defeated.