Two days ago, the Tamil Nadu government issued an order allowing all cinemas and multiplexes in the state to sell 100 percent of its seating capacity, in the midst of a pandemic. Aside of the obvious irrationality of the move — it diluted the Centre’s COVID-19 restrictions pertaining to multiplexes — the timing of the order raised eyebrows.

Could it have been a decision taken with upcoming assembly elections in mind?

The cinema route to electoral success is an old formula in Tamil Nadu politics. Two chief ministers, MG Ramachandran (MGR) and the indomitable J Jayalalithaa, were popular film stars. M Karunanidhi was one of the best Tamil scriptwriters around. Actor Vijayakanth runs the DMDK and is a political heavyweight, while Khushboo, after stints in the DMK and Congress, is a BJP spokesperson.

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Propaganda is a favourite tool, here. Months before elections, MGR’s films are re-released or beamed on party-owned TV channels, while actors like Vijay are known to make films with heavy political messaging. Incidentally, Vijay’s Master is scheduled for release in a week. Rajnikanth’s Annathai and Kamal Haasan's Indian 2 were made keeping the polls in mind.

Tamil Nadu's cinema strategy, however, may have run its course. For the first time in decades, the 2021 assembly polls will see two frontrunners who never worked in films. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edapadi K Palaniswami is as far from the movies as can get, and the DMK's MK Stalin, despite having an actor son (Udhayanidhi) and a studio-owning relative (Sun Pictures’ Kalanithi Maran) has no direct connection to movies.

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Kamal Haasan isn’t being given a half-chance, while Rajnikanth’s political debut ended before it began. Now, with COVID-19 still at large, reopening full-capacity theatres isn’t an option either. The Centre has written to Tamil Nadu, directing it to revoke its order to reopen full-capacity screens. In 2021, an election in Tamil Nadu will focus on poll issues than the glitz and glam of the movies.

(Edited by : Jomy)