Crowd cheers for Dhanush's speech, but can he build next TVK?
Tamil actor Dhanush's speech at a recent fan event has renewed a familiar question in Tamil Nadu: Is another film star preparing for a political
Tamil actor Dhanush's speech at a recent fan event has renewed a familiar question in Tamil Nadu: Is another film star preparing for a political innings? Addressing hundreds of supporters in Tiruvallur, the Award-winning actor delivered a passionate speech on Sunday. It drew cheers from the crowd as he urged his fans to move beyond celebrations and channel their collective strength into public service. "Beyond just audio launches and meetups, we need to engage in even more welfare activities. Understand the needs of the people in your area... I need to feel even prouder of you," he said. Read Full Story In most states, such remarks might be dismissed as a celebrity call for philanthropy. But in Tamil Nadu, where cinema has historically served as a launchpad for politics, every carefully crafted public message is scrutinised for political intent. And for the same reason, the internet was quickly flooded with, "Welcome to politics, Dhanush" messages. There is a striking background for this speech that fuelled the buzz, marked by a series of developments. Earlier this month, his fan organisation launched an official flag featuring the actor's image in red and white, carrying the slogan "Ennampol Than Vaazhkai". The slogan translates to "Life is as your thoughts". Shortly after, Dhanush's filmmaker father, Kasthuri Raja, was asked whether his son was preparing to enter politics. He did not deny it outright, simply saying anyone has the right to join politics. Neither Dhanush nor his team has confirmed any political plans. Yet this sequence has invited comparisons with actor-turned-politician Vijay, whose Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) delivered a stunning victory to emerge as the southern state's largest party in the recent Assembly election, after years of meticulous preparation. FAN CLUB VS POLITICAL ORGANISATION Perhaps the biggest misconception about Vijay's political rise is that it began with the launch of TVK in 2024. No. The groundwork had been laid over more than a decade through the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (VMI). What started as a fan association gradually evolved into a disciplined grassroots organisation. The Iyakkam members contested and won local body elections in 2021, while the organisation regularly conducted constituency-level welfare initiatives, honoured top-performing students, organised relief operations and maintained an active district-level presence. By the time TVK was formally announced, Vijay already possessed a statewide organisational network capable of contesting elections.
Dhanush's position today is markedly different. Though his fan clubs have existed for nearly 15 years, they remain active in welfare initiatives such as blood donation drives, educational assistance and charitable activities. His films win massive applause and the actor commands an enormous popularity that extends across Tamil Nadu, the Tamil diaspora and audiences beyond the state through his multilingual film career. Yet, popularity is not organisation. His fan groups remain decentralised volunteer collectives rather than structured units. Unlike Vijay Makkal, they have never functioned as electoral machinery. If Dhanush wishes to transition into politics, his first task would be transforming fan clubs into disciplined cadres capable of booth management, voter mobilisation, constituency outreach and sustained grassroots engagement. Welfare activities would need to evolve from occasional charity programmes into continuous community interventions. STAR POWER ALONE IS NOT AN IDEOLOGY Tamil Nadu has repeatedly demonstrated that electoral politics cannot be won on celebrity frenzy alone. The state's political trajectory remains deeply rooted in the ideological traditions of the Dravidian movement. People expect leaders to articulate positions on social justice, education, welfare, caste equity, language rights and federalism. Vijay successfully took up this challenge. This presents perhaps the biggest uphill for Dhanush. Unlike Vijay, who carefully positioned TVK around social justice, good governance and Tamil identity while presenting himself as an alternative to the traditional Dravidian parties, Dhanush has largely remained apolitical throughout his public life. Ironically, his strongest political identity may already exist, not in his speeches, but in his films. Through critically acclaimed movies such as Asuran and Karnan, Dhanush has consistently portrayed characters confronting caste oppression, rural inequality, institutional injustice and social discrimination. These films have cultivated an image of Dhanush as a voice associated with marginalised communities and social justice. If Vijay's political brand centred on mass welfare and anti-establishment politics, Dhanush could potentially build a platform rooted in social equity, dignity and inclusive development, the issues that resonate deeply within Tamil Nadu's political landscape. But doing so would require moving beyond symbolic welfare appeals to clearly defining what he stands for politically. A FAR MORE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE The spectrum has fundamentally changed since Vijay entered politics. When TVK was launched, Tamil Nadu's political environment presented an unusual opportunity, a vacuum. The AIADMK was grappling with internal divisions, while anti-incumbency sentiment against the DMK created space for a new political force.
The BriefWire