Vijay’s Election as Chief Minister Confirms Power in Tamil Nadu Flows from a Cinema Screen

(Photo: Joseph Vijay, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Courtesy TVK party.)By Anand Kurian, Shirish Kavadi and M GuruprasadSeptember 12, 2026Extracts from the podcast:In Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state of roughly 80 million people, Tamil cinema did not simply produce the occasional politician. It is the crucial launching pad for politicians, including Chief Ministers. They include C. N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi, both popular writers and screenwriters, and film stars M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and J. Jayalalithaa. In May 2026, actor C. Joseph Vijay, founder of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (Tamil Victory Party), TVK, took over as Chief Minister after the state assembly election.However, the rule of film stars was not entirely benign. They faced widespread allegations of corruption and nepotism. Leader worship and dynastic succession weakened internal party democracy and civil liberties. The death of Jayalalithaa exposed how she had assumed total power in the AIADMK, leaving no clear heir. Similar concentration of power was evident during Karunanidhi’s long dominance of the DMK and, since 2021, after his son M.K. Stalin became Chief Minister.Alby Anand Kurian is senior faculty and Director of Post Graduate Programmes in International Business & Strategy, as well as Business & Management, at the University of Exeter, UK. His book, ‘The Peddler of Soaps’, was on the India Today best-seller list.Shirish N. Kavadi is a historian, academic and independent researcher based in Pune. His work focuses on the history and politics of health, medicine and philanthropy in India. He has taught and published widely on healthcare, social policy and development.M. Guruprasad is Associate Professor and Director of Student Research at Universal AI University, specializing in economics, marketing and research methodology. A prolific scholar, he has authored seven books and more than 200 articles. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.globalindiantimes.com