With just about dozen films to his credit, Udhayanidhi Stalin has risen as a soft, self-effacing hero in Tamil cinema with a blend of the humorous and caring type.
Talking to DC a couple of months ago, he had said he would continue doing films but would concentrate more on politics. However, his movie fans are elated that their hero has been elevated to a prestigious post in the party. They burst crackers to share their joy.
Born in Chennai on November 27, 1977, The 42-year-old Udhayanidhi, son of the DMK president M. K. Stalin, had at a young age taken administrative charge of the party organ, Murasoli since May 2006. He first came into Kollywood prominence when he produced his first Tamil movie, Kuruvi in 2008. In 2009, he did a brief cameo role in the Tamil film Aadhavan. There was no turning back for Udaynidhi since then, as he flowered into a hero in the successive ten films or so, starring against famous actors like Nayanthara. Udhayanidhi’s Oru Kal, Oru Kannadai did very well at the box-office.
Known for his presence in comic sequences also, with comedians like Santhanam,Udhayanidhi’s easy-go, happy-go-lucky, do-gooder filmy image also helped in campaigning for the DMK. He first campaigned for the party in the 2016 Assembly elections in a limited way, but graduated into a regular second-level campaigner during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign. His entry into politics was being anticipated since October 2018.
The formal ascension within the party for Udayanithi Stalin, to the post his father M K Stalin had once occupied, was initially expected to be around the DMK founder leader C N Annadurai’s birthday on September 15.
But the process was hastened, apparently under intra-familial pressure, said a party source. Within the DMK first family, there were other contenders too for the post of Youth Wing secretary, other than
Udhayanidhi. They included Arulnidhi, son of Stalin’s younger brother Mu Ka Tamizharasu. Arulnidhi has also been a film actor, having acted in about eight Tamil movies so far. Similarly, Stalin’s Madurai-based elder brother M K Aazhagiri’s son Durai Dayanidhi, a film producer-cum-distributor, was also believed to be a contender for the Youth Wing post. However, with M. K. Stalin in full control of the party, naturally his son’s claims stood first. After assuming office formally, Udhayanidhi Stalin has lined up a state-wide tour to meet the youth and party cadres alike.
