The recent TN Assembly election results, in which Joseph Vijay’s TVK emerged with the highest number of seats, mark the latest chapter in the long relationship between performing arts and politics in Tamil Nadu. For more than a century, theatre and cinema have shaped political culture in the region. Importantly, this connection first took shape in Chennai, then known as Madras.
Theatre’s Early Influence in Chennai Politics
Before cinema arrived, theatre dominated popular entertainment. Although Madurai served as the headquarters of Tamil drama, theatre companies also needed success in Madras. That success was essential during the early 20th century.
Most productions focused on mythology or historical romance. Occasionally, however, social dramas appeared. One early example was Dambachari Natakam in 1873. Elite society in Madras often looked down on theatre and its performers. Even so, theatre strongly influenced the public.
This was precisely what S. Satyamurti recognised during the freedom struggle. Interestingly, although he belonged to the elite theatre circle of Suguna Vilasa Sabha, he understood the power of popular stage performances.
Satyamurti and Performing Artistes in Chennai
In 1919, following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, stage superstar S. G. Kittappa became interested in politics. Soon, he began staging performances to support the Congress movement. His companion and fellow performer, K. B. Sundarambal, played an equally active role.
Recognising their popularity, Satyamurti brought the pair into Congress public meetings. Organisers announced their presence in advance. Before the speeches began, they performed songs for the crowd. At times, they even mingled with audiences and sold khadi. During one beach meeting, Kittappa’s fountain pen was auctioned publicly.
Nationalist Theatre and Cinema in Chennai
By 1931, public meetings routinely featured performing artistes. At the same time, theatre artists began adding nationalist and social reform songs to their plays. Naturally, this attracted police attention. When sound entered Indian cinema in 1931, these political ideas gradually moved onto the screen as well. Initially, devotional themes dominated films. However, political and social messages soon followed.
For the record, the first nationalist Tamil play, Kadarin Vetri, was written by T. P. Krishnaswami Pavalar in Chintadripet in 1931. By then, a complete cultural ecosystem already existed. Gramophone records carried songs and dialogues into homes. Chapbooks and later film songbooks helped audiences memorise them. In many ways, today’s social media reels perform a similar function.
Cinema and Elections in Tamil Nadu
The 1937 elections to the first Madras Legislative Assembly marked a turning point. By then, artistes had become central to Congress campaigning. Although Kittappa had already passed away, Sundarambal and the TKS Brothers actively campaigned for the party. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine the Congress victory without support from performing artistes. During the 1940s, however, theatre and cinema increasingly promoted Dravidian ideology. Satyamurti’s death in 1943 accelerated this shift.
Unlike him, C. Rajagopalachari did not fully appreciate the political importance of performing arts. As a result, many stage and film artistes moved toward the Dravidar Kazhagam and later the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. C. N. Annadurai strongly encouraged this relationship, although Periyar E. V. Ramasamy remained more cautious. Nevertheless, even Periyar recognised the power of theatre and cinema. Therefore, he supported benefit performances for social causes.
MGR and the Rise of the Political Hero
Initially, artistes participated mainly as campaigners. Over time, however, they began seeking political power themselves. Films such as Velaikkari (1949) and Parasakti (1952) elevated scriptwriters like Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi to heroic status. Later, M. G. Ramachandran transformed the political role of cinema even further.Cinema now projected the actor himself as the saviour of the poor and the loyal follower of Annadurai. As a result, a powerful cult emerged. The strategy paid enormous political dividends.
Although J. Jayalalithaa became a major political force in her own right, she still invoked MGR in every campaign. Clearly, the cinematic hero had become politically enduring.
Vijay and the Superhero Era in Tamil Nadu Politics
The transition from hero to superhero was only a matter of time. Rajinikanth arguably prepared the ground for this change. If Rajinikanth played heroes who dodged bullets, Vijay projected characters who could outrun them.
The appeal of a superhero remains immensely powerful. Audiences continue to believe in figures such as Batman, Superman, Spiderman—or their cinematic equivalents. Although Rajinikanth hesitated for years before entering politics, Vijay eventually took the plunge. And he succeeded dramatically. In many ways, the story resembles the rise of MGR.
Satyamurti’s Legacy in Tamil Nadu Politics
Performing artistes first entered politics as message bearers—a phrase borrowed from S. Theodore Baskaran’s excellent work on the subject. Later, they became kingmakers. Now, however, Tamil Nadu has witnessed something unprecedented. For the first time, an actor with no prior political experience has reached the top.
Only time will reveal how Vijay performs in office. Even so, his rise represents the peak of cinema’s hold over public imagination. Somewhere, one imagines, Satyamurti must be smiling. After all, he recognised a political truth that Rajaji never fully understood.
This article appeared in The Hindu–https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/vijay-tvk-victory-cinema-how-s-satyamurti-harnessed-the-power-of-the-stage-in-politics/article70942419.ece
My book, Chennai, A Biography can be ordered–https://sriramv.com/2021/12/27/how-to-buy-autographed-copies-of-chennai-a-biography-from-outstation/20.ece
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