last month, when Kamal Haasan Anna went to Arivalayam DMK Headquartered in Chennai, to accept Rajya Sabha nomination from CM MK Stalin, it marked the end of the road Makkal Needhi Mayyam (MNM) founder’s promise to provide an alternative to the two Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu.Haasan launched MNM in February 2018 to tap anger against power. MNM’s first political promo ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections featured the actor breaking a TV set on which a speech was being played, apparently by Stalin. Cut to 2026 and, accepting the Rajya Sabha nomination, Haasan “generously” surrendered the three assembly seats that the DMK had offered to the MNM as an alliance offer.Why did Haasan, who redefined success in films, fail to live up to his promise as a politician? The mistakes, perhaps, started early. MNM, true to its name (‘Maiyam’ meaning centre), seeks to be a centrist force representing various sections of the society. That position itself was seen as lacking credibility, as Haasan was known for his leftist views long before his political entry. Being at the center of political discussion also reeks of political conflict.In the electoral arena, MNM faced continuous electoral failures. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it contested 37 seats and did not win a single seat with 3.7% vote share. In the 2021 assembly elections, it fielded candidates on 154 seats, won none and its vote share dropped to 2.5%. In neighboring Puducherry it got only 1.8 percent votes. Ahead of the 2024 general elections, MNM joined the DMK-led alliance.After the demise of influential leaders like Jayalalitha and M Karunanidhi, many saw a new political space in Tamil Nadu, which film personalities like Haasan and Rajinikanth could potentially fill. While Haasan took the risk, Rajinikanth postponed his political plans in late 2020 citing health concerns.Haasan’s core team included people from diverse professional backgrounds – IAS officer Santosh Babu, retired IPS officer AG Maurya, businessman R Mahendran, entrepreneur CK Kumaravel, social activist Kameela Nasir, actor director Sripriya and writer Suka. Despite being notable in their respective fields, they were all political novices, and Haasan failed to attract veterans from other parties.Anusha Ravi, a lawyer who was MNM campaign secretary, says she joined the party attracted by Haasan’s call for change. “But, soon, he lost his confidence and I felt demoralized,” says Ravi, who will join the BJP in 2024. Haasan is fond of cinema, but not politics.Some political analysts believe that Hassan lacks a coherent political strategy. “The MNM has a weak organizational structure and limited connect with the people,” says political commentator Aazhi Senthilnathan. “Haasan’s appeal is largely limited to urban voters. After the 2019 defeat, many key members left the party, with some joining other parties like the DMK.”Political analyst Priyan Srinivasan says Haasan was unsure how to deal with the setbacks. He says, “Election defeat is normal; You have to have a plan to take the party forward.” “Look at the name Tamil Nadu Katchi. It faced several defeats, but its leader Seeman is less dejected and keeps the party relevant.Viduthalai Chiruthigal Katchi (VCK) general secretary D Ravikumar says Haasan’s electoral defeat by a narrow margin to Vanathi Srinivasan in Coimbatore in 2019 was a turning point. “Had he won, his political career would have been different. Sustaining a political party requires patience, grassroots work and long-term commitment,” says Ravikumar, who describes Haasan’s stay in the DMK as “pragmatic and retrograde”.Haasan, known as ‘Sakalakala Vallavan (Master of all Arts)’ in cinema, is known for displaying intellectual depth and creative outspokenness. However, many of his works struggled to connect with rural audiences, as his ideas were sometimes ahead of their time. Under the guidance of legendary director K Balachander, Haasan became one of the most famous actors of South India.Yet, the transition from cinema to politics brings a different set of challenges, where individual talent must give way to collective leadership and organizational strength.Haasan is not the first big star to fail in politics. Legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan tried his luck with the DMK and Congress before founding Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani in 1988. After failing to make a mark in the 1989 elections, it merged with the Janata Dal. For Tamil Nadu’s latest film-to-politics crossover star TVK Neta Vijay, Haasan’s journey holds many lessons.Foreigner StarsMG Ramachandran The actor joined DMK after leaving Congress in 1953. In 1969 he was appointed party treasurer. In 1972, after internal differences led to his expulsion from the DMK, MGR formed his own party, the ADMK. He will be Chief Minister twice and will remain in office for 10 years.J Jayalalithaa She joined the ADMK in 1982 and rose rapidly to become its publicity secretary by 1983. Known as ‘Purachi Thalaivi’, or ‘Revolutionary Leader’, she was a five-time CM and was the ADMK chief, becoming the longest serving general secretary of the party.Shivaji Ganesan After leaving Congress, he founded Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani Party in 1988. But the party failed to win seats in the 1989 elections, leading him to briefly join the Janata Dal before retiring from politics.Vijaykant Founded DMDK in 2005 and has been MLA from the party twice. DMDK emerged as the second largest party in the 2011 assembly elections and Vijayakanth remained the leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly from 2011 to 2016.R Sarath Kumar The actor founded the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) in 2007. After leading the party for more than 16 years, he merged it with the BJP in 2024, citing the need for stronger collective action and ideological alignment with PM Modi.
