From silver screen to Parliament: journey of Tamil actors to Rajya Sabha

The Hindu

19 hours ago

Kamal Haasan, one of Indian cinema's most versatile and multi-faceted actors, is set to enter the Rajya Sabha — seven years after making his political debut with the launch of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM). Though his party has no representation in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, his path to the Upper House has been paved by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). This move is the result of an electoral pact struck last year, in which the actor-politician agreed to campaign for the DMK-led alliance without contesting a seat, in exchange for a nomination to the Rajya Sabha.
With this, Mr. Haasan becomes the eighth Tamil film actor to make the transition from the silver screen to the House of Elders. Here's a look at other Kollywood stars who have served in the Rajya Sabha over the decades.
S.S. Rajendran
Sedapatti Suryanarayana Thevar Rajendran — better known as S.S. Rajendran or S.S.R. — holds the distinction of being the first Tamil actor to enter the Rajya Sabha, elected on a DMK ticket in 1970. A key figure in Tamil cinema, the Latchiya Nadigar (Principled Actor) was known for his rationalist leanings, and consciously avoided playing mythological roles.
S.S.R. had earlier made history in 1957 as the first actor in the world to win an election. Contesting as one of 15 'Independent' candidates of the then-nascent DMK — which lacked a formal election symbol at the time — he was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from the Theni constituency, a seat he successfully retained in 1962.
His Rajya Sabha tenure, however, saw a dramatic moment that brought him national attention. Just months after entering the Upper House, S.S.R. missed a crucial vote on the 24th Constitution Amendment Bill to abolish privy purses on September 5, 1970. As reported in The Hindu under the headline 'Rajendran was late by a few seconds', the actor-politician had been ill with a stomach upset but rushed to Parliament after being told his vote was vital. Tragically, he reached the Rajya Sabha lobby just as the doors were closing — missing the vote by mere seconds. The Bill, which was defeated by just one vote, marked a significant embarrassment for the Indira Gandhi government. At the time, the DMK had seven MPs in the Rajya Sabha; while five voted in favour, one, G.P. Somasundaram, was absent with the party's permission.
S.S.R. began his career in cinema as a playback singer before moving to acting and then politics. Later, he joined the AIADMK and returned to the Assembly in 1980, winning from Andipatti — a constituency that would go on to elect M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) in 1984 while he was hospitalised in Brooklyn, New York. In 2002, the same seat sent another star-turned-politician, Jayalalithaa, to the Assembly through a byelection.
S.S.R. passed away in October 2014, leaving behind a unique legacy at the intersection of cinema and politics.
Sivaji Ganesan
A contemporary of S.S. Rajendran in both cinema and politics, the legendary Sivaji Ganesan had a long, though largely unremarkable, political career. For much of his political life, Ganesan — born V.C. Ganesan — was aligned with the Congress (I). In March 1982, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, filling the vacancy left by the passing of Bollywood actor Nargis Dutt.
However, his stint in Parliament was short-lived. In November 1984, Ganesan resigned both from the Congress (I) and his Rajya Sabha position. According to a report in The Hindu, the actor announced his resignation at a press conference held at his Chennai residence. Citing the frustration of his loyal fan base, he said, 'My followers, who have made sacrifices for the growth of the Congress party, can no longer put up with the insults heaped on me and the manner in which the reasonable claims of my Fans Associations for contesting the elections have been rejected. To demonstrate their strength in various constituencies, they have filed nominations.'
Following his departure from the Congress, Ganesan aligned briefly with the Janata Dal and, in 1988, launched his own party: Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani. But the move failed to gain traction. In the 1989 Assembly elections, the veteran actor, despite his enormous popularity and devoted fan base, was defeated in Tiruvaiyaru. That loss effectively marked the end of his political career.
Sivaji Ganesan passed away in July 2001, remembered more for revolutionising Tamil cinema than for his political foray.
Jayalalithaa
Two years after stepping away from cinema and entering politics, Jayalalithaa — who had starred opposite M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) in 28 films — was fielded by the AIADMK in the Rajya Sabha biennial elections of March 1984. At the time, she was serving as the party's propaganda secretary. Her nomination was formally proposed by K. Rajaram, the then Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, while Chief Minister M.G.R. himself backed the candidature of Valampuri John.
In a striking coincidence, Jayalalithaa was allotted seat number 185 in the Rajya Sabha — the same seat once held by former Chief Minister and DMK founder C.N. Annadurai, a renowned screenwriter, in 1963.
'Jayalalithaa stole the scene wherever she was. Her maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha was widely acclaimed for its clarity of diction and elegant prose. Khushwant Singh, a fellow member, gushed that here was a beauty with brains. Even Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was impressed,' wrote author Vaasanthi in her biography Amma: Jayalalithaa's Journey from Movie Star to Political Queen.
Jayalalithaa — then spelling her name as 'Jayalalitha' — was elected the AIADMK's deputy leader in Parliament, while R. Mohanarangan served as the leader. However, her rapid rise met with resistance. In 1985, during M.G.R.'s prolonged hospitalisation in Brooklyn, she was removed from her post. Responding to this, she told The Hindu, 'If Mr. M.G. Ramachandran was perfectly all right and in full possession of his mental faculties, able to understand questions and give instructions, then why are these leaders afraid to let me meet him?'
Jayalalithaa resigned from the Rajya Sabha in January 1989 after being elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Bodinayakkanur. She was then leading a faction of the AIADMK and went on to become the first woman Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu. In 1991, she united the party, led it to a sweeping electoral victory, and became the youngest Chief Minister of the State.
Jayalalithaa remained a dominant force in Tamil Nadu politics until her death in office in December 2016.
Vyjayantimala Bali
Vyjayanthimala Bali, the earliest Tamil film heroine to make a successful foray into Hindi cinema (1955) was also an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer and a prominent political figure. A member of the Congress, she was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Madras South constituency in 1984 and 1989.
In August 1993, Vyjayanthimala was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, following in the footsteps of her contemporary Sivaji Ganesan. However, her tenure in the Upper House was not without frustrations. In 1994, she raised a grievance regarding her exclusion from the official list of Members of Parliament eligible to implement the Prime Minister's Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme.
In a telegram addressed to Rameshwar Thakur, then Union Minister of State for Rural Development, she wrote: 'Already seven months have passed. I am disillusioned at the indifferent attitude of your department. The purpose of the Prime Minister's scheme is nearing failure. Immediate action is necessary to include my name in the Tamil Nadu list and release the funds for implementation.'
Disillusionment with the Congress eventually led her to part ways with the party. In 1999, she joined the BJP.
Cho S. Ramaswamy
Cho S. Ramaswamy — acclaimed Tamil film comedian, satirist, journalist, and political commentator — entered the Rajya Sabha in December 1999 as a nominated member. Though not affiliated with any political party, Cho was widely known for his alignment with right-wing politics and for his sharp, independent voice in public discourse. Joining him in the Upper House at the time was another iconic figure from the world of films — legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar.
As a nominated member, Cho remained true to his forthright style and was unafraid to challenge dominant narratives. In 2003, he expressed frustration over being denied the opportunity to speak during a Rajya Sabha resolution that deplored the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Writing in The Hindu in April that year in an article titled 'Resolution Lacks Moral Authority,' he recalled: 'I was one of the members listed to speak on the resolution. The Chairman decided that from among the nominated members, only one would speak, and that was not me. When I pleaded that since mine might perhaps be the only voice against the resolution, I should be given an opportunity to express my views, I was told that opposing the resolution would be an insult to the Chair, since the resolution was in the name of the Chairman.'
Cho passed away in December 2016.
S.S. Chandran
Two years after Cho S. Ramaswamy entered the Rajya Sabha, another comedian from Tamil cinema, S.S. Chandran, followed — but through a different route. Unlike Cho, Chandran was openly political. His career saw him move across party lines — from the DMK to Vaiko's MDMK, before finally settling in the AIADMK.
Ironically, it was Chandran's sharp criticism of DMK leader M. Karunanidhi, whom he had once admired, that paved his way to the Upper House. In June 2001, when the Jayalalithaa government came under heavy fire for the controversial midnight arrest of Karunanidhi at his Oliver Road residence, Chandran emerged as one of the most vocal defenders of the Chief Minister's actions. His blunt and unwavering support did not go unnoticed.
The following month, when biennial Rajya Sabha elections were announced, Jayalalithaa sprang a surprise by nominating Chandran as one of the AIADMK candidates.
In an interview with The Hindu, Chandran remarked, 'As a comedian, I can make the Parliament laugh with my jokes and make my point heard with due attention. In this, my role model is Piloo Mody, who was one of the best speakers in Parliament.'
Chandran passed away in October 2010.
R. Sarath Kumar
Tamil film star R. Sarath Kumar, known for his transformation from screen villain to hero, entered the Rajya Sabha in 2001, the same year as comedian S.S. Chandran. His nomination by the DMK came as a surprise — even to the actor himself. Just hours after Jayalalithaa announced her party's Rajya Sabha candidates, DMK leader M. Karunanidhi unveiled Sarath Kumar's name, catching political observers and the actor off guard. At the time, Sarath Kumar was busy shooting for the film Samudram at A.V.M. Studios.
Having joined the DMK in 1998, Sarath Kumar had previously contested the Lok Sabha elections from Tirunelveli but lost. Still, his active involvement in the South Indian Film Artistes' Association, where he served as secretary, helped him gain political visibility.
Reflecting on his nomination, he said: 'I strongly feel that my outspokenness, sincerity, and the boldness with which I approach a subject made Mr. Karunanidhi feel that I am the best choice for the MP's post.' He added that he intended to speak in Parliament about the controversial arrests of M. Karunanidhi and two Union Ministers on June 30, 2001. 'If an opportunity comes, my maiden speech in Parliament could be about the imposition of Article 356 (President's Rule) in Tamil Nadu,' he said.
However, Sarath Kumar's political affiliations shifted over time. In 2006, he quit the DMK, later had a brief association with the AIADMK, and eventually launched his own party — the All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi. In 2024, he merged his outfit with the BJP.
(Note: Another prominent Tamil film personality from outside the acting world to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha is music maestro Ilaiyaraaja in 2022.)