‘Ver Pattru’, a novel by Indira Parthasaratha. Photo: Special arrangement
In Tamil Nadu, under impressive development indicators and a long history of social reforms, cinema continues to strongly influence public life. For many actors, politics remains an alluring second act, a phenomenon that dates back to MG Ramachandran, who remained unseated for 13 years until his death. Not everyone succeeded. Yet actors like Vijay are emerging in a big way, threatening the entrenched political status quo in the state.
Their entry inevitably revived debates about the absence of political activity in educational institutions. The Dravidian movement, which once benefited immensely from the influx of student support, appears – at least in retrospect – to have turned a blind eye to this decline. Today, with few exceptions, most colleges and universities have closed their doors to politics. The boom in technical colleges, where students are primarily driven to secure placements through campus interviews, has left little time for extracurricular engagements, let alone political engagement.
Published – 19 Apr 2026 17:35 IST
