4 min readHyderabadAug 10, 2026 03:57 PM IST
Actors entering politics is not new in Tamil Nadu. From MG Ramachandran to Jayalalithaa and now Vijay, the state has a long history of actors crossing over into governance. But for every MGR or Jayalalithaa who made it work, there have been several who tried and failed. So what made Vijay different? Actor Vishal, who has known the actor-politician since his earliest days in cinema, believes the answer has less to do with stardom and more to do with timing, trust and a public that was desperate for something new.
When asked why Tamil people trust actors to govern, Vishal, who has publicly supported several of Vijay’s government’s decisions since he took office as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister earlier this year, offered a detailed take on why Vijay’s political entry succeeded where many other actors’ attempts have failed.
“It’s not just actors. Actors with mass appeal have tried this before. There are so many other examples we have left out who have been failures. Sivaji Ganesan started a party. Legendary filmmaker Bhagyaraj started a party. We have examples all over the industry. Amitabh Bachchan could have started a party. Mithun Chakraborty is so famous, he could have been the face of West Bengal,” Vishal said in an interaction with Honest Townhall, before explaining what made Vijay’s case different.
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“It’s a calling. If someone has entrusted their faith in Vijay, it’s not just because he is an actor turned politician. It’s because they wanted a change, badly, literally very badly. And it is also a connectivity factor. He was different in the way he was talking. That is what maybe the first-time voters and everyone decided to go for the change, because there is nothing else they see,” he said.
Vishal also pointed to one specific moment from the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election campaign that he believes tipped things in Vijay’s favour. “His last-day speech before the closing of the campaign nailed it. He said, go tell your parents and your grandparents and every elder in your house, please tell them to vote for me once. That really created a massive impact. I’ve seen a judge come on record saying that he voted because his granddaughter told him to vote for TVK. There have been instances like that,” he recalled.
Vijay launched his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), on February 2, 2024, and announced himself as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. TVK went on to win 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, falling short of the majority mark of 118 but formed the government with the support of allied parties. Vijay took oath as Chief Minister in a ceremony held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.
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“Let’s see how he (Vijay) performs. That’s what we are looking forward to. That’s the most important thing. The responsibility is on his shoulders. We are looking forward to how he’s going to deliver on the promises that he’s made to us,” Vishal said.
He then described what it was like meeting Vijay after he became Chief Minister. “Vijay is the same when I met him recently. I didn’t take a bouquet. I usually never buy bouquets. He’s the same, only the posting has changed,” he said.
Looking back at Vijay’s career before politics, Vishal called him a personal source of motivation. “Vijay’s first film, I’ve known him since then. He’s seen everything in life. He’s my inspiration when it comes to how you cope with success, failure, criticism, the worst criticism, hitting below the belt, everything. Body shaming, face shaming, everything. That is what I would love to tell you,” he said.
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Vishal’s upcoming film Magudam, which marks his debut as a director, is set for a worldwide release on August 14. At a recent trailer launch event, Vishal mentioned that he was looking forward to watching the film at Rohini Theatre in Chennai, the same theatre where he once cheered for Vijay as a fan.
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