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A TAMIL FLAVOUR THIS IFFI…

Uncategorized November 21, 2025 , by

And link between films and politics

The festival’s schedule and involvement of Tamilian Union minister L Murugan, suggest a strong Tamil influence at this year’s international film festival of India in Goa. The numerous crossovers from films to politics, especially in south India, reveals how closely linked the two are

IF YOU have a Tamil minister of state for information and broadcasting, and parliamentary affairs L Murugan – who is also a member on the steering committee of the 56th Film Festival of India (IFFI), 2025 – it is not surprising the festival has a flavour “gunpowder” or “molhapodi” – the chutney powder which accompanies popular breakfast of idli.
The opening film in the Indian panorama section is Tamil movie “Amaran” by Rajkumar Periasamy. At the closing ceremony Tamil superstar Rajanikant will be felicitated to mark the golden jubilee of his film career.
Historically, IFFI has always struck a north-south balance. With south Indian films like “Pusp” and its sequel crashing the box office and shooting far ahead of Hindi or Bollywood films, they can no longer be ignored.
In any case, it is common to see a large Madrasi contingent of film folk, with their white “mundu” worn as if at half mast, have become a common sight at IFFI. The south has scripted not only films but politics, particularly, in Tamil Nadu. It started with C N Annadurai – founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
His political script led DMK to power on the plank of backward class revolt against the dominant Brahmin caste. He was inspired by Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy – the iconoclastic agnostic popularly known as Periyar – who swept the gods aside and enshrined a Tamil identity in the Tamil Nadu.

FILMS POWERFUL MEDIUM
HIS prodigy – M Karunanidhi – converted films into a medium of powerful political and social protest. He was South Indian politics’ Salim-Javed (a team of scriptwriters who created Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachachan) who created actor-turned-politician M G Ramachandran (MGR).
It was another matter that MGR broke away from DMK and his mentor after the death of Annadurai and became the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, ruled for 11 years and groomed his female co-star J Jayalalitha for the chief minister’s post later on. After a skirmish with MGR’s wife Janaki, and a spell of Karunanidhi’s regime, Jayalalitha captured Fort St George – the building housing the Tamil Nadu state legislative assembly.
She acquired a new image — “Amma” — after her entry into politics. As the CM, she became the sop queen by setting up a series of Amma Canteens and cafeterias that offered idli-sambar at Rs1, and showering pressure cookers, sarees, sewing machines, et al, on her adoring voters.
Wildly popular despite being convicted for corruption and spending time in jail, Jayalalitha did not groom a successor, and Karunanidhi returned to power followed by current Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Andhra Pradesh actor-turned-politician NT Rama Rao did an MGR and took on Congress. He cashed in on his mythological roles, where he played roles of the gods of Hindu mythology. NTR, as he was widely known, formed the Telegu Desam Party (TDP) by accentuating Telegu pride in 1983.
He swept to power, and ruled from 1983 to1995, and then was overthrown by son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu after he married a woman 49 years younger than him at the age of 79 and projecting her as his successor.

ENTER AMITABH BACHCHAN
AMONG the first of the Bollywood stars to enter politics was the hugely successful Amitabh Bachchan in 1984. He was persuaded to contest by then close friend and prime minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. Turned out politics was not his cup of tea, resulting in him eventually giving up politics.
The Sahara India Group, a business conglomerate founded by Subrato Roy, came to his rescue when he became bankrupt. The legendary star’s wife Jaya Bachchan is a member of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and has served multiple terms in the Rajya Sabha. Not widely known is the fact that successful Bollywood stars Rajesh Khanna and Govinda were also members of parliament (MPs) on Congress tickets.
Tamilian actor of Bollywood Hema Malini is a BJP mascot but not from a southern constituency. Shatrugan Sinha was also elected on BJP ticket. Anupam Kher – a BJP loyalist – pushed his wife Kiron Kher into the political coliseum.
Queen of TV soaps – of Kyuki-Saas-Bhi-Kabhi-Bahu-Thi-fame – Smriti Irani, even managed to defeat Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Amethi on BJP ticket. The famous Khans – Shah Rukh, Salman and Amir – have kept away from politics.

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