This story is from December 9, 2007

Will Chiranjeevi join politics?

KARTHIK P / TNN / Dec 9, 2007, 00:00 IST

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With the assembly elections a little over a year away, Hyderabad Times analyses the impact Chiranjeevi could have on state-politics… if he takes up the gauntlet.

doweshowbellyad=0; Chiranjeevi (TOI Photo) More picsSpeculation surrounding Chiranjeevi's political entry have been hogging headlines since last week. Though the star is yet to make a public statement, the impending move seems to have caught the imagination of political parties, with Y Rajasekhara Reddy himself welcoming the move.
Making of the megastar
Chiranjeevi has undoubtedly been the star of his time, and his popularity can be compared to that of former chief minister, NTR.He is miles ahead of any of his contemporaries, be it Balakrishna, Nagarjuna or Venkatesh. Khaidi, in 1983, catapulted Chiranjeevi to superstardom and established him as the youth-icon.
"Since then he has grown to become the undisputed numero-uno of Tollywood. BO results don't affect his star rating. His image is different from the angry young man image of Amitabh Bachchan of the seventies. He's built up an image of the 'chivalrous elder brother' through his movies and philanthropic activities. That contemplations of his entering politics have cropped up ever so often in the last 15 years is an indication that people expect him to make the transition," says SV Srinivas, senior fellow, Centre for the Study of Culture and Society. There are approximately 3000 fan associations devoted to Chiru!

Monika Satijn-Boricic, a Dutch filmmaker working on a documentary on Chiranjeevi, says, "I saw an anti child-labour ad which Chiranjeevi did, and became interested in who the person was. What makes him different is that he is willing to try and help solve real problems. The silver screen hero, Indra, Stalin or Tagore, comes down to earth and tries to make a difference. That's what endears him that much more to the masses." "Both the Congress and the TDP have been in power in the past. Atleast for the first time, the hope that Chiru could bring something new to the table will ensure he will get a landslide victory all over the State," says Krsihna Naidu, an ardent fan.

Politics of iconisation
The film world in South India, and more so in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, has been a source for the celluloid creation of mythical personalities. Stars like MGR in Tamil Nadu and NTR in Andhra Pradesh enjoyed a deified persona and the same has greatly impacted the politics of the region. Indian politics has always looked up to charismatic personalities to take authority and perform messianic roles.
Chiranjeevi is the first non-Kamma star to make it big in cinema, and hence became the basis of mobilisation for the non-Kamma public. "AP today lacks a charismatic leader. Globalisation has delegitimised the moral authority of the political class. Yes, the Kapus have to emerge as a community to take on the Reddys and the Kammas. But I am not sure if we can reduce Chiranjeevi to a caste equation," says Tirumal, faculty at the communication department, Hyderabad Central University.
The naysayers
However not everyone is convinced that Chiranjeevi will make a difference. The fact that Tagore in 2003 was the last film to reinforce the iconic stature has people arguing that, when he's unable to pull crowds to theatres, will he manage to draw them to the ballot. "Chiranjeevi is definitely not at his acting peak, unlike NTR or even MGR. The whole family was embroiled in a spate of unsavoury controversies and I think the political speculation conveniently shifts the attention away," says Adi Krishna Murthy, a retired government official.
In any case, this won’t be Chiru's baptism into politics. "In 2004, producer Ashwini Dutt lost the elections in Vijayawada inspite of Chiru campaigning for him. It proves that Chiranjeevi does not hold the same sway over the masses as is widely believed," says MN Praveen Kumar, a filmmaker who also made a documentary on Chiranjeevi.
A very close aide of the star, speaking on condition of anonymity, however, dismisses the whole issue as a rumour, "I do not think he will enter politics unless driven by an emotional reason. Nothing pleases him more than delivering a blockbuster and I do not think he will join politics."

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