From Reel To Real: Vijay Set To Become Tamil Nadu Chief Minister; List Of Other Actors Who Became CM

Actors Became CMs: Actor-turned-politician Vijay is set to portray the chief minister's role in Tamil Nadu. This time not in reel, but in real. The TVK chief, Vijay, met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and staked a claim to form the government in the state on Wednesday, two days after his party emerged as the single largest party in the just-concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026. The TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. Vijay is likely to take the oath as chief minister on May 7.

With the assumption of the CM office, he will enter an elite club of actors who have become chief ministers. In the history of Indian politics, only four actors held the CM post, and of them, two are from Tamil Nadu. Vijay would be the third one from the state, indicating that the magic of the cinematic screen is once again back in the state politics. Something that was missing in Tamil Nadu with the demise of J Jayalalithaa.

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Here Are The List Of Actors Who Became Chief Ministers

1. MG Ramachandran (MGR): Actor-turned-politician MGR, one of the key pioneers of Dravidian politics in Tamil Nadu, started his political career with the DMK, riding on his cinematic popularity. In 1972, he leveraged his "Robin Hood" image to break away from the DMK. Later, he founded his own party, the AIADMK. MGR became Tamil Nadu CM in 1977 and remained undefeated until he died in 1987. He is credited with the revolutionary Mid-Day Meal scheme, which is now a nationwide policy.

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2. J Jayalalithaa: Jayalalithaa, popularly known as Amma, was MGR's political mentor. She was deeply influenced by MGR's charismatic personality and his devotion to serving people. After the demise of MGR, Jayalalithaa carried forward his Dravidian politics legacy. Her film career was at its peak when she entered politics. Like MGR, she also oriented her policies around the poor. She served as the CM for a total of over 14 years during her six separate terms between 1991 and 2016. She is still remembered for her welfare schemes, like the Amma Canteen and the Amma Pharmacy.

3. NT Rama Rao (NTR): Telugu superstar, NTR, who played the roles of "Lord Krishna" and "Rama" in films, left a huge influence on Andhra Pradesh's politics. He founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982, aiming to end Congress's influence in the state. Even today, his party is in power and his disciple-turned-son-in-law, Chandrababu Naidu, is the CM of the state. NTR is credited with founding the "Telugu pride" politics, which has remained relevant even today.

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4. Bhagwant Mann: AAP Party Leader Bhagwant Mann has been a popular face in Punjab for a long time before he became the chief minister of the state. He was a leading Punjab film actor and comedian when he joined Arvind Kejriwal's party in March 2014. Mann won the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency in 2014. Later, he led his party to a historical victory in the assembly elections in March 2022. He is now the chief minister of Punjab, the only state where the AAP is in power.

5. M Karunanidhi: Another name is DMK leader Karunanidhi, who was not an actor but was actively involved in cinema making. He was one of the most powerful screenwriters in the Tamil film industry. With his writing skills, he pushed Dravidian ideology to the masses. Karunanidhi and MGR were friends, but personal rivalry led to the birth of AIADMK. Karunanidhi served as the Chief Minister for five separate terms, totalling approximately 20 years between 1969 and 2011.