Sir — The death of J Jayalalithaa seems to have encouraged the two matinee idols of Tamil cinema, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, to give vent to their political ambitions. While Kamal Haasan has finally floated his party, Makkal Needhi Maiam, Rajinikanth is still waiting. Nevertheless we await Rajinikanth to finally take the plunge after years of yes-no to a political role.
How both these titans — who want to champion people’s interests above everything else — carve their niche in a familiar but extremely cut-throat arena of politics would determine whether the State’s politics is headed for a revival of sorts. The journey from big screen to the dusty fields of Tamil Nadu will be marked by an engagement with real issues. But harping on corruption alone cannot sustain any political party, as people in Delhi learn daily at their own cost with Kejriwal Government indulging in cheap gimmicks and confrontation with all and sundry. If the AAP track record is anything to go by, and if it is sought to be replicated by Haasan’s newly-floated venture, there can be little hope for the Tamil voters.