Chennai: The DMK, which pioneered the art of illuminating the poll campaign in Tamil Nadu with stars from tinsel town, is facing a dearth of Kollywood players on the eve of 2016 Assembly elections.
With the AIADMK gearing up to put on stage over a dozen popular artistes to upstage its rival, the DMK is yet to fill the celluloid void caused by yesteryear dream girl Khushbu’s defection to Congress.
Besides, comedian Vadivelu and film director K. Bagyaraj are not available to campaign this time. It was the DMK which effectively used leading players from Kollywood in political propaganda in the ‘60s and fielded matinee idol MGR who went on to ascend the Chief Minister’s throne later. The party’s ‘Latchiya Nadigar’ S.S.Rajendran was the first actor to enter the state Assembly when he won from Theni in 1962.
In the eighties, actors Radha Ravi, director T. Rajendhar and comedian S.S. Chandran used to entertain the audience in election meetings and later actor Radhika joined show. Rajendhar is ploughing a lone furrow now and Radha Ravi has crossed over to the AIADMK, while S.S. Chandran has passed away.
Compared with the DMK, the AIADMK has a band of celluloid performers to attract the crowd for party’s election meetings with popular rural hero Ramarajan, actor Vindhya, Anandraj and C.R. Saraswathi getting ready to steal the show.
Besides, comedians Senthil, Thiyagu, Gundu Kalyanam, Vaiyapuri and Mano Bala are gearing up to entertain the crowd with their humour and wit and catch votes for ‘two leaves’. All these artistes have been in party propaganda for more than a decade and well trained in mixing key political points with jests and jokes.
The DMK now has a few stars like Vaagai Chandrasekar and Kumarimuthu to campaign and is said to be looking for film personalities to lure the film-loving crowd. Although, the DMK has a tie-up with Congress which has actors Khushbu and Nagma, it could not depend on them as their focus will be to canvass for their own party candidates.
Actor R. Sarathkumar, leader of All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi, recently snapped ties with AIADMK. If he joins the DMK front, the party could expect him and his wife and actor Radhika to add star power to its campaign. Besides, actor Karthick, running the ‘Naadalum Makkal Katchi’ could campaign for DMK, if his party is roped in to DMK alliance.
However, political analyst and film critic V.M.S. Subaguna Rajan confined the role of film artistes to gathering crowds for meetings.
He said, “Film stars cannot decide election results. Tinsel performers have become a part of the poll campaign in the state for more than five decades and they help the parties to draw crowds to road shows and street meetings. Once a crowd gathers, party’s orators and local leaders can take over and start delivering the political messages, dwell on burning issues and highlight the election promises”.
