Flipkart has pared its senior leadership ranks over the past two years, reducing the number of senior vice presidents (SVPs) to fewer than a dozen from about 18 earlier, ahead of a planned initial public offering. Budget 2026 Critics' choice rather than crowd-pleaser
The defining moment of Oman's cricketing journey came during their spirited showing against India at the Asia Cup 2025 in Abu Dhabi. Though the Jatinder Singh-led side went down by 21 runs, the performance of the world No. 20 side against the Men in Blue turned heads across the cricketing world
Apple Tax Exemption: Under the new rule, foreign companies can provide machinery to Indian contract manufacturers operating in bonded customs zones without triggering taxes in India. Apple Tax Exemption: In Budget 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a major policy relief for
Elon Musk's social media platform X was back up after a brief outage affected more than 19,000 U.S. users on Sunday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. The outage lasted about 45 minutes and was largely resolved by 12:04 p.m. ET
Nipah scare recently sounded an alarm across the world with several airports reinstating COVID-like health checks. Following the Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal, World Health Organisation (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned against the “serious disease
MIC Electronics Share Price: MIC Electronics, a smallcap company which primarily serves to Indian Railways, has announced its results for the third quarter of current financial year (Q3 FY26). The company said that its consolidated net profit stood at Rs 1.88 crore in the quarter
Yamaha EC-06: Yamaha's first electric scooter, the EC-06, has finally been launched in India at Rs 1,67,600 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Yamaha EC-06 Launched: Yamaha's first electric scooter, the EC-06, has finally been launched in India at Rs 1,67,600 (ex-showroom, Delhi)
Explained: ICC's 2024–27 distribution model and Pakistan's financial risk in T20 World Cup 2026. The Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to boycott the India vs Pakistan league-stage match at the T20 World Cup 2026 has triggered a rare public debate about the International Cricket Council's
The Indian superstar taking a shot at political greatness
The Indian superstar taking a shot at political greatness
India's southern state of Tamil Nadu has a long, peculiar political tradition: here, cinema doesn't merely entertain, it also governs.
From extremely successful political stints of MG Ramachandran - popularly known as MGR - and Jayalalithaa to the more ambivalent experiments of Rajnikanth, Kamal Haasan, Khushbu and Vijayakanth, the state has repeatedly seen cinema icons turn into full-time politicians. MGR and Jayalalithaa even became chief ministers.
Now Tamil superstar C Joseph Vijay, known as "Thalapathy" Vijay (General Vijay), is the latest to join the list.
He launched his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), in 2024 and soon after announced that he would retire from films to pursue politics full-time. His upcoming film this month, Jana Nayagan (The People's Hero), would be his farewell release, he said.
Vijay's reasoning was explicit: politics, he argued, is not something one can dabble in. Tamil Nadu's voters, he said, deserved nothing less than full commitment. And the state's political history supports that calculation.
MGR and Jayalalithaa withdrew from active stardom before consolidating power. But Kamal Haasan's hybrid approach, which involves being active in cinema and politics both, has yielded limited electoral results. Vijayakanth's party rose quickly but faltered organisationally. Tamil politics has little patience for half-measures.
It is against this unforgiving backdrop that Jana Nayagan arrives.
Steeped in political imagery and rhetoric, Vijay's new film will open in nearly 5,000 cinemas across India and overseas this month. At 51, the star is stepping away from a career most actors would be reluctant to leave. He remains among Indian cinema's most bankable stars, driving festival releases and revenues across the global Tamil diaspora - from satellite rights and music to merchandise.
Chennai-based film critic Aditya Shrikrishna noted that Vijay's appeal has not rested on acting prowess alone. "He's not a Kamal Haasan or Rajinikanth in terms of filmography," he said. "But his box office pull and fandom are huge and undeniably influential. Dancing, comedy and a keen understanding of populist cinema are his strengths."
Vijay's stardom, however, has never been accidental, said Pritham K Chakravarthy, film academic and critic. "The seed was planted by his father who had Communist leanings and was keen on joining politics."
Vijay began as a child actor in the 1980s and was launched as a lead actor in 1992 by his parents - filmmaker SA Chandrasekhar and singer-writer Shoba Chandrasekhar - with Naalaiya Theerpu. The film flopped, but his career did not.
Over the next three decades, he appeared in nearly 70 films, charting a carefully calibrated rise - from playing the romantic hero in his films in the late 1990s to acting as an angry young man in the 2000s to a carefully-honed image as saviour and vigilante in films after 2012.
Though Vijay's early roles often leaned into hyper-masculine tropes, he later "consciously course-corrected his image", points out Shrikrishna. He later started projecting a saviour figure rooted in social justice in his movies. He spoke of farmers' distress in Kaththi, healthcare corruption in Mersal, supporting women's sports in Bigil and electoral manipulation in Sarkar.
"Now it's a different Vijay. His on-screen persona as incorruptible, restrained, morally upright, mirrored the ethical imagination of Dravidian politics, a cinematic grammar Tamil audiences recognise instinctively," says Chakravarthy.
Long before Vijay launched his party, his cinema had thus already done the ideological groundwork. Audio launches doubled as soft political addresses. Fan clubs quietly transformed into grassroots networks.
The fandom is intense and ritualistic, with celebratory first-day screenings, midnight and 04:00 shows, milk offerings on towering cut-outs, garlands, drums, and whistles.
"Vijay remains capable of turning a movie release into a mass civic event. He is perhaps the last of the mega stars of this scale," Shrikrishna said.
Not surprisingly, Jana Nayagan leans unapologetically into that mythology.
With CGI-enhanced action, thunderous fight sequences and dialogue like, "I enter politics not to plunder, but to serve", the film blurs fiction and intent.
It echoes Vijay's rally speeches where he has attacked the ruling DMK, mocking Chief Minister MK Stalin as "uncle", while also positioning himself firmly against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"Many of the youth, who are vocally tired of over 50 years of Dravidian parties ruling the state, pin their hopes on Vijay as he poses as an alternative," said Chakravarthy.
Tamil Nadu goes to the polls in April and May, with Gen Z voters expected to make up nearly one-fifth of the electorate.
Political analyst Sumanth C Raman said Vijay has a considerable following among Gen Z, many of whom are disillusioned with Tamil Nadu's long-ruling Dravidian parties, rooted in regional identity and social justice politics. "His rallies draw massive crowds, but whether that movie glamour translates into loyal votes remains to be seen."
A deadly crowd crush at a TVK rally in Karur in September 2025 killed 40 people, raising sharp criticism of his party's organisational readiness and Vijay's leadership.
The crowd surge forced him to halt his speech, and he faced backlash for not visiting victims immediately - though he later called the tragedy "shattering" and announced financial aid. "Fleeing the scene in a crisis is a red flag," cautioned Chakravarthy. A month later, Vijay met victims' families and promised support.
So far, Vijay's platform rests on broad themes - anti-corruption, social justice, Tamil pride and resistance to what he calls authoritarianism by the federal government.
Raman described it as broad but shallow. "Beyond sweeping statements and positioning himself as a future chief minister of the state, he has not shared a credible programme or sharp manifesto."
The ruling DMK in the state has so far dismissed his political ambitions.
DMK spokesperson Manuraj Shunmugasundaram said that as far as movie stars aspiring to led the state are concerned: "Tamil Nadu has seen many Vijays."
He added that "Vijay's party is untested electorally" and it lacked clear policies on state or national socio-economic issues.
Some analysts also noted that the party lacked a credible second-tier leadership and unresolved alliance questions.
TVK says the BJP is its ideological opposite, and calls the DMK its political enemy. It has hinted at closeness to the Congress party - though whether this consolidates votes or splits the opposition is unclear.
"Vijay could upset some electoral carts if he chooses to align with the state's main opposition AIADMK party to take on the ruling DMK. Whether he will play his cards well is to be seen," says Raman.
The actor casts himself as a moral corrective on screen and in politics, drawing an emotional, almost devotional loyalty rather than debate. When Jana Nayagan reaches theatres, audiences will cheer and whistle - and mark the end of an era.
But it's not clear if his box-office dominance can survive Tamil Nadu's unforgiving electoral terrain.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Pakistan in full panic after India increases its defence budget by 15 percent VinFast unveils global e-scooter expansion with India in focus India said to travel to Sri Lanka for Pakistan clash amid boycott call Pakistan captain Salman Agha breaks silence on India match boycott India vs USA today Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s first reaction after India match boycott Where India’s AI Roadmap Takes Shape Budget 2026 clears path for faster iPhone manufacturing in India-details Exclusive | How India game reshaped Oman’s T20 World Cup mindset Union budget 2026 supercharges India’s sporting ambitions through Khelo India Mission
Phone charging tips: It may seem like a technical issue, but before blaming the charger or rushing to a service centre, check for dust and dirt trapped inside the charging port of your smartphone. Phone charging tips: You must have been troubled by repeated plugging in and unplugging while charging
2 hours ago
Elon Musk on Monday (February 2, 2026) denied any links to Jeffery Epstein, saying he never attended his parties or been on his “Lolita Express” plane or set foot on his creepy island or done anything wrong at all. In a post on X, on Monday (February 2, 2026), Mr. Musk said
2 hours ago
Billie Eilish's Wildflower won Song of the Year at the 2026 Grammy Awards, making it one of the biggest moments of the night. The award was announced during the main ceremony held on Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Billie walked up to the stage with her brother and longtime
2 hours ago
Union Budget of India 2026: India is set for a major sports transformation over the next decade. The government plans to enhance talent development, upgrade infrastructure, and integrate new technology. This initiative aims to make India a global leader in sports goods manufacturing
2 hours ago
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday (February 2, 2026) carried out searches at multiple locations in Srinagar, Bandipora and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir in connection with a terror case, officials said. The searches were being carried out in Rafiabad, Sopore
2 hours ago
KERALA LOTTERY RESULT MONDAY 2-2-2026 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery result for the "Bhagyathara BT" draw on Monday, February 2, 2026, is scheduled to be announced live at 3 PM. This lottery draw is part of the seven weekly draws held in Kerala. The alphanumeric code assigned to this specific lottery is
2 hours ago
The Magh Mela is observed every year from Paush Purnima to Mahashivratri, spanning a period of 44 days. During this sacred time, devotees take part in six major bathing festivals. These holy bathing dates include Paush Purnima, Makar Sankranti, Mauni Amavasya, Basant Panchami, Magh Purnima
2 hours ago
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi has again requested the Kerala government to grant Scheduled Tribe status to the Kunduvadiyan community. She wrote to Minister O R Kelu highlighting the community's historical discrimination and marginalization. Granting this status would address long-standing social and
2 hours ago
Trinamool Congress MPs staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha. They protested the Centre's alleged withholding of Rs 2 lakh crore in dues. Party leaders stated West Bengal was ignored in the Union Budget. They accused the Centre of discrimination following the BJP's defeat in the state
2 hours ago
A Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro hit a bus carrying mineworkers and killed at least a dozen people, Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday (February 1, 2026), hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the next round of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian
2 hours ago
The Pakistan government announced its decision on Friday to not field the national cricket team during the league stage match against India on 15 February. Soon afterwards, former Pakistan head coach and captain Mohammad Yousaf came out in support of the decision and went on to call out
2 hours ago
Gold and silver prices have continued to fall after a dramatic reversal of a rally that had pushed precious metals to record highs. In Asia trade on Monday, spot gold prices fell more than 9% to $4,403 (£3,222) an ounce, while silver slumped by 15% to less than $72 an ounce
2 hours ago
The Congress on Monday claimed that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was a transformative law, but the new rural job scheme introduced by the Union government to replace it is “a flaw”. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh contended in a social media post
2 hours ago
The 68th Grammy Awards have taken place in Los Angeles, with Kendrick Lamar the night's biggest winner for the second year in a row. The rapper took home five awards, including record of the year for Luther, a duet with SZA, and best rap album for GNX
2 hours ago
Veer Pahariya-Tara Sutaria: Neither Tara nor Veer have made any official confirmation. It is also not clear what made the two take such a step. Mumbai: Actor Veer Pahariya celebrated his birthday on Sunday in the presence of his friends. Orry took to his official Instagram handle and posted a video
2 hours ago
A little after 7.30 p.m. on Saturday in Thiruvananthapuram, chants of ‘Ishaaaan, Ishan' rang around the Greenfield International Stadium as everyone packing the stands roared as one in approbation. After an uncharacteristically tepid start, Ishan Kishan had started to find his bearings
2 hours ago
Iran has released a list naming nearly 3,000 people killed in recent anti-Khamenei protests, as unrest over economic hardship turned violent amid rising tensions with the US. Seoul: The office of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has released a list naming 2
2 hours ago
Indian athletics: At the Sports Ministry's National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR) in Delhi, India's first Athlete Management and Sports Science platform has been developed and put into operation. New Delhi: From dietary recommendations to injury predictions and from age
2 hours ago
As India's AI ambitions move from vision to execution, the ET AI Impact Forum emerges as a decisive platform where the country's AI roadmap takes shape. Bringing together global leaders across silicon, infrastructure, enterprise software, strategy, and talent, the forum offers a rare
2 hours ago
The rupee gained 37 paise to 91.56 against the U.S. dollar in early trade on Monday (February 2, 2026), a day after the Union Budget 2026-27 was presented, largely as crude oil prices retreated from their elevated levels. Forex traders said for the rupee, the budget offered reassurance, not relief
2 hours ago
YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani has landed in controversy after a video from his recent Italy trip sparked outrage online. The clip, which has since been deleted, showed Ashish making derogatory remarks about an Italian man during a speedboat ride
2 hours ago
The Union Budget 2026-27 has introduced significant cuts to important urban development programs. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is experiencing a major decrease in overall funding. One of the most affected schemes is the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U)
2 hours ago
Pakistan captain Salman Agha says players had no role in India match boycott at T20 World Cup 2026. ICC seeks resolution. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has made it clear that the decision to forfeit the India clash at the T20 World Cup 2026 was not taken by the players or the team management
2 hours ago
The fiscal consolidation for FY27 is the slowest in six years. And the budgeted disinvestment, which is a below-the-line funding item, is likely to see the highest rise in six years, the report from HSBC Global Investment Research said. Mumbai: Lower revenue as a share of GDP has been more than
2 hours ago
New Delhi: Set to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA), the Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 has been allocated a whopping Rs 95,692 crore under the Union Budget
2 hours ago
Taipei, TAIWAN — China executed four people found guilty of causing the deaths of six Chinese citizens and running scam and gambling operations out of Myanmar worth more than $4 billion, authorities said on Monday. The Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court in south China announced the
2 hours ago
A 15-member delegation of the Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, will meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar today. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who is set to meet Chief Election Commissioner
2 hours ago
