Hits & misses: Decoding Vijay's fist ever public interaction after launch of his political outfit

In his first public interaction after launching his political outfit, actor-politician Vijay urged the students to “say no to drugs”. He also slammed the ruling DMK government for failing to control the sale of drugs in the state.

Speaking at the meet and greet event to felicitate the Class X and XII students who fared well in the exams, the actor urged students to become “good leaders” in their respective fields. “Many of you think of medicine or engineering as successful fields. In Tamil Nadu, we already have world-class doctors, engineers and lawyers. We currently lack good leaders. I don’t mean political leaders, but also those who can climb the ladder and become a leader in their respective fields,” he said.

Urging the students to dream of a future in which politics can become a viable career option for the educated youth, he asked them to read news and views and understand politics better.

Advising the students not to indulge in bad habits, he told them not to lose their identity at any cost. “There is an increase in consumption of drugs in Tamil Nadu, especially among youngsters. I am worried about this trend both as a parent and as the leader of the poetical party. Say no to drugs,” he said. Criticising the ruling DMK dispensation indirectly, Vijay said the next generation has to be self-disciplined as the government alone cannot be held responsible for the drug menace.

However, during his eight-minute speech, Vijay did not speak about NEET or the medical entrance exams—which had always been an emotive issue in the state—at a time when the controversy around NEET irregularities is rocking the country. Vijay’s advice to the students asking them to politically equip and empower themselves to become leaders may not cut ice with Tamil Nadu voters, as the actor neither opposed or criticised the state or the Central government. He did not criticise any of the party leaders in the state, even when he touched on the drug issue.

Vijay’s Thamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam will face its debut election in 2026, where Vijay will be pitched as the chief ministerial candidate by his fans. Though Vijay targets the young and first-time voters, Tamil Nadu politics have always thrown surprises for the actors. While most cinema actors in Tamil Nadu aimed at the CM’s chair, none of them other than MGR and Jayalalithaa have proved successful. MGR’s politics apparently grew with the Dravidian movement, deep-rooted in the Dravidian ideology and all his movies talked about uplifting the downtrodden. He had a long career in cinema and politics simultaneously and launched his own party only a decade after he got into active politics.

However, for Vijayakanth, Kamal Hassan or Thalapathy Vijay, the Tamil Nadu political ground is not the same as it was for MGR. The state has come a long way in terms of reservation, education, women empowerment and livelihood. In such a situation it remains to be seen what will be Vijay’s political ideology.