Across interviews with first-time voters, the appeal of fandom regardless of political knowledge or youth ideology is undeniable. | Photo credit: RAGU R
Feeling that C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has penetrated the Gen Z demographic across socio-political backgrounds, some first-time voters and Gen Z youth from the state who voted for TVK say this election could well be remembered as a “Gen Z moment” and their collective push for a “change” coming through.
First-time voter Nithisha.SR, a 19-year-old fashion design student from Chennai, calls the election her “major memory” because of how people overwhelmingly and decisively voted for the new party. “We simply wanted a change. If TVK was not in the fray, I would have voted for NTK,” says she, who grew up watching Mr. Vijay’s films. “You see, that could be our generation’s anxiety for change,” he adds. A 19-year-old colleague, Vishwajith. V., an engineering student from Theni, believes that Mr. Vijay has connected with Gen Zers more directly than other parties through his speeches, which have largely gone viral on social media. “The other parties only focused on their traditional voters, but TVK focused more on the youth vote bank. Even though I’m a fan, I read the party’s manifestos before voting. This moment certainly feels surreal,” he adds.
Published – 04 May 2026 21:56 IST
