Political communication is changing drastically as we have cine star turned politician Vijay becoming CM of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu politics has seen many film star turned politicians and CMs in the names of MGR Karunanidhi Jayalalitha occupying CM post for several years. Now Vijay has been attesting in 2026 being the fourth of fifth person from cinema to become CM. NTR occupied in erst while AP in 1990s or some such period and politics is changing. Ronald Reagan became cinema turned President of the USA during 1980s and he was popular for handling media and TV particularly. Arnold Schwarzznegger became governor of California but didn’t enter US presidential elections. Mass media and politics have close relationship in the US and Indian democracies greatly.
Mass media play a powerful role in non-authoritarian regimes and role in authoritarian regimes worldwide. In her book Mass media and American politics Doris Graber lists various roles for media in political process. Monica Lewinsky, the white house intern, was said to have had affair with President Clinton and it was discussed in Doris Grabers another book Media Power in politics. Thomas Eagleton affair dominated American politics also and he ran against George McGovern, and he confessed he had psychiatric treatment and as a result his campaign failed. Dan Nimmo and James E Combs in their mediated political realities discuss garbage crisis and Eagleton affair vividly in an account of American politics.
Indian politics has also seen communication playing a role and Indira Gandhi promoted Congress through her looks and suave way of handling Press. Rajiv Gandhi too had appeal and he scored effectively in handling domestic and foreign crisis with other nations. Indira Gandhi appealed to TN politicians especially to Dravidian parties’ top brass during 1980s and Congress is stll very popular in South India
MGRs appearance in movies and his entry into politics and becoming CM of Tamil Nadu for 10 years in 1980s is a history itself. The Old congress decried film and we used it said a Dravidian politician years ago. His movies portrayed him good hero and attached to mother and endeared masses greatly during his times. Later day politics aw Karunanidhi playing leading roles in administration and he continued till 2020s. He was a story writer of films attached to cine writers like Valli His son MK Stalin rule TN as CM till 2026 vey recently
Jayalalitha’s entry into politics is through MGR and he inducted her as propaganda secretary during late 1970s itself. She had massive appeal like her mentor MGR and ruled three times Tamil Nadu as CM
NTR another film star started politics in 1980s through founding his Telugu Desam party and allied with NDA and became CM of AP and ruled for some time. He acted as Lord Krishna the Hindu god in movies and had massive appeal of people. He invoked pride of Telugu people and got selected to rule AP for several years until his death and his son in law N Chandra Babu Naidu is CM of AP now
Movie stars as Kamalahassan Vijayakanth Chiranjeevi and Vijay have acted in movies and have entered politics in big way Kamal recently became Rajya Sabha MP with the help of Stalin of DMK and Vijayakanth was elected as MLA twice and his wife Premalatha Vijayakanth of DMDK is MLA now. Chiranjeevis Praja Rajyam also made impact in Andhra politics and Roja the female star became minister in Jagan Mohan Reddys government who also acted in Tamil movies.
Movies play leading role in politics, and it is continuing now also in several states. Rajiv Gandhi asked Amitabh Bacchan actor to enter politics, and he was elected from Allahabad constituency during his period. His wife Jaya Bacchan belongs to Samaj Wadi party now also is active in politics. Rajesh Khanna and Sunil Dutt Hindi stars were active before. This shows movies can play role in politics.
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