Following Vijay's path? Dhanush's fan club move sparks political buzz

Rumours of Dhanush's political entry continue to make headlines time and again. The buzz has resurfaced after his fan club was renamed the Dhanush Narpani Iyakkam (Dhanush Welfare Movement) at a meeting in Coimbatore, which was attended by several key members of his fan club. The Atrangi Re actor was not part of the event.

This change in name has led many to draw parallels with what CM Vijay did before entering politics.

The speculation has come to light again months after Dhanush urged his supporters to use their collective strength for social welfare during his birthday speech.

Is Dhanush following Vijay's footsteps?

Now, as the rumours have once again taken centre stage, Chief Minister Vijay's party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has reacted to it, saying that Vijay's journey from being a cinema superstar to politics is inspiring, while calling such moves political start-ups.

Speaking to NDTV, TVK spokesperson M Sathya Kumar said the party is happy to see Dhanush's speculated political entry, which seems to be following actor Vijay.

"We are happy that TVK is an inspiration for political start-ups," he said, adding that Vijay's political journey was built on decades of groundwork.

Vijay had been active in politics for years before he launched his political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), on February 2, 2024. He contested the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and won with historic numbers and is now serving as Chief Minister.

"Vijay gave up acting at the peak of his career," Kumar said, hinting at the efforts and the risk that the actor took to build his political career, and one of the biggest is the decision to leave acting, which the actor is known for.

One of the striking similarities between Vijay and Dhanush is that before entering politics, the Leo actor had transformed his fan network into a welfare platform and started social initiatives such as providing food and other assistance. The network eventually laid the foundation for his political party. Now, Dhanush's fan clubs are doing the same. Amid all this, it has also been learnt that the actor is actively working for his political debut and will soon register his party.

Cinema and politics in Tamil Nadu: How the two worlds collide

In Tamil Nadu, film stars swapping their on-screen careers for a political innings is not new and has been happening for decades. Some of the most famous examples are MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa, two film stars who went on to become Chief Ministers of the state, ruling with their star power and later becoming known for their social work. C N Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi are two other prominent examples of this transition, moving from the world of cinema and scriptwriting to the cabinet as lawmakers.