ON MARCH 9, hundreds of young men and women filled a swanky hall in one of Chennai’s prominent hotels, awaiting the arrival of actor-director Kamal Haasan, who promised to “bring change” to politics. Kamal, known as ulaganayagan (world hero) in film circles and nammavar (our man) in the political arena, walked in two hours late, with loudspeakers blaring “Naalai namadhey” (tomorrow is ours), the campaign theme of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), his political party. It got the crowd excited, but they were more interested in clicking pictures of the superstar.
“Going by the present trends, Kamal’s vote share will definitely go up to 8 per cent from the 3.7 per cent he got in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It will not be a surprise even if it touches double digits. But he will only end up a spoiler,” said political analyst Raveenthran Thuraisamy. Kamal’s recent rallies have drawn huge crowds, but observers feel he is unlikely to turn into a political phenomenon like former chief minister M.G. Ramachandran.
この記事は THE WEEK の April 11, 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は THE WEEK の April 11, 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Trump And The Crisis Of Liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
