South Indian Actors engaged in TN Election

 

They may be calling the shots in the reel world but the popularity of three top south Indian cine artistes paled when they came to the real world of Tamil Nadu politics. Action hero Vijaykanth, glamour-cum-character actress Kushboo and legendary comedian Vadivelu faced the wrath of the law when they violated election rules in the impending state elections.

They were booked for breaching election rules in the ongoing frenzied political rallies. Tamil Nadu elections have always had that electrifying factor, with actors adding colour to campaigns, and even contesting in the polls, though many had backed out in the state Legislation Assembly Elections slated for April 13.

Leading Tamil movie actors, some with millions of die-hard fans, both in urban and rural constituencies, are often roped in by political parties to canvas for votes in the heavily contested elections. Kushboo, who acted in more than 100 movies, along popular stars like Rajnikanth and Kamal Hasan, and a member of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has become the latest offender.

She was booked on Sunday for stirring traffic chaos in Theni district where she was busy wooing voters. Police seized eight vehicles belonging to her entourage. Likewise, actor-politician Vijaykanth, nicknamed 'Captain', was also booked for violating India's Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct -- when he and his supporters trespassed at the nomination centre last Thursday.

Among the three, Vijaykanth, founder of the Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) is the only person contesting in the assembly polls, in Rishivandiyam, Villupuram district. Pro-DMK Vadivelu, one of the most successful comedians in the Tamil cinema, was not free from controversies, either. He made a fiery "denigrating speech" against Vijaykanth -- forcing the local police to take stern action against him.

"One who steers a ship in water should be called 'captain', and not the one who always lies in water (liquor)," Vadivelu was quoted as having said in a public rally last week.