T he recent tragedy at a political rally of actor-turned-politician Vijay, where a stampede claimed the lives of several of his supporters, should shake the conscience of any well-meaning individual. The dead were mostly fans — ordinary men and women who had thronged the event not merely for politics, but to catch a glimpse of their beloved star. That they perished in their devotion is a stark reminder of how perilous the cult of hero-worship can be.

In Tamil Nadu, the incident is neither unprecedented nor wholly unexpected. The State’s political history is entwined with cinema, with a lineage of actors and writers who have turned the fan’s gaze into a vote bank, and then into consolidated political power. The lines between reel and real life have been blurred for decades, with film scri

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