Started a Party, Faced Defeat.. Enters the Upper House

There was a time when film stars remained confined to the silver screen. But with changing times, many of them ventured into politics, drawn by interest or influence. Political parties too began to leverage the popularity of film celebrities to boost their electoral success. This culture, which began in Tamil Nadu, gradually spread across the country.

Tamil Nadu has long seen a deep connection between cinema and politics. From legends like Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), to Jayalalithaa—many iconic figures in Tamil cinema rose to become Chief Ministers of the state. Following their path, many others joined politics, some by aligning with major parties, others by floating their own. While some succeeded, others failed.

In the undivided Andhra Pradesh, N.T. Rama Rao created history by winning power shortly after launching a political party. Several heroines who once acted alongside him went on to become MPs and MLAs. The trend of cine stars in politics is nothing new.

Megastar Chiranjeevi, too, started his own party, which failed to gain traction. He later joined the Congress and became a Union Minister, before stepping away from active politics. His younger brother, Power Star Pawan Kalyan, launched Jana Sena. Despite electoral setbacks, he stayed in politics and is now the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Their brother Nagababu also entered politics. Actress Roja, too, has served as a minister in the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government.

In Tamil Nadu, Kamal Haasan took a similar path. He launched his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in 2018, aiming to blend his fame and experience for the public good. That year, he contested all elections from local bodies to Parliament.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, MNM contested all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu but failed to win even one. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Kamal contested himself and narrowly lost by just 1,728 votes. In 2022, MNM contested local body elections but was once again rejected by voters.

Having faced defeat in every election, Kamal understood the reality of electoral politics. By 2024, he decided to back the INDIA alliance, led by the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, and chose not to field MNM candidates. As part of their alliance understanding, DMK promised to allot one Rajya Sabha seat to Kamal.

In June, six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu are set to fall vacant. DMK, using its legislative majority, decided to nominate Kamal Haasan for one of those seats. His party, MNM, has now merged with the DMK.

Thus, despite electoral defeats, Kamal Haasan's political journey has now taken him to the Upper House of Parliament—the Rajya Sabha. While he may have failed at the polls, he has not compromised on his ideological values. Kamal is known for his leftist leanings, atheistic beliefs, and staunch opposition to the BJP. His alignment with the DMK, which shares similar values, reflects this ideological consistency.

Many believe that had Kamal joined hands with the BJP and merged his party with them, he could have easily become a Union Minister by now. Some even suggest he might have been projected as the BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate in Tamil Nadu—a state where the BJP still seeks a strong local face.

But Kamal Haasan chose principles over power. And that’s what makes his political journey unique.