Actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan has voiced his support for Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, saying the public should no longer see him simply as a cinema star. Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport, Haasan said Vijay now carries a very different set of responsibilities to the people of Tamil Nadu.
“Vijay should no longer be looked at as a cinema actor,” Haasan said, adding that leaders can come from any walk of life and that he was proud to see someone from the film industry reach the state’s highest office. The remarks carried weight given that Haasan is himself a veteran politician leading his own party.
Defending the mandate
Haasan’s comments came at a significant moment. After the May 4 election results, the Tamil Nadu Assembly was left hung for the first time in its history, with Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerging as the single largest party. Haasan urged constitutional authorities to respect that mandate, citing the S.R. Bommai case to argue that Vijay deserved the first invitation to form a government. Vijay went on to prove his majority on the Assembly floor with the support of 144 MLAs.
Although Haasan remains part of the DMK-led alliance, his backing of Vijay’s democratic right reflects a focus on stability, in what marks a shift away from the long-standing DMK–AIADMK duopoly.
Still busy with films
Both continue to manage their film work. Kamal Haasan is shooting KH 237 with action duo Anbariv and is set to reunite with Rajinikanth for a project directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, while Vijay is preparing for the release of his final film, Jana Nayagan, directed by H. Vinoth.
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