Actress Vinodhini Vaidynathan, known for her work in Tamil cinema, has expressed her grief over the tragic stampede incident during the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally organized by actor-politician Thalapathy Vijay in Karur, Tamil Nadu.
Vinodhini, who starred alongside Vijay in ‘Jilla,’ took to X, formerly Twitter, to share her condolences for the 39 lives lost in the rally. She expressed her admiration for Vijay as an actor and reminisced about a moment when she received an award for her performance in ‘Aandavan Kattalai.’
She recalled, “When I got down from the stage after receiving the Vikatan award for Aandavan Kattalai, he was seated in the first row. I went up to him, showed him the award, took his wishes and only then went back to my seat. So much love was showered upon him by the people of Tamil Nadu when he was only an actor. He was the undisputed leader of the film industry. Why oh why did he have to enter politics? My brother, I truly don’t know how you are going to handle this guilt. He’s an extremely nice person at heart.”
Vinodhini mentioned that the backlash Vijay is facing feels personal to her. She stated, “I have no comment on his political career or opinions since I don’t agree with most of the party ideologies. But as a person, knowing him to be a mild mannered, soft spoken, kind hearted human being, I’m sure he is truly devastated by the deaths of so many innocent people. Please don’t politicise this situation. Let us mourn the deaths of these innocent souls in deep sorrow. Let us not be consumed by hate. Please.”
In a separate post, she reflected on the interplay between cinema and politics in shaping society. She observed, “The craze for cinema is not only limited to the film industry but also among the people. Cinema is everywhere. Cinema has inculcated mediocrity in our public consciousness. Influencers, grocers, and textile traders see their lifetime achievement in cinema. Apart from entertainment, due to cinema’s publicity, political leaders have also used the medium to enter the minds of the people.”
Vinodhini further remarked that the entertainment industry has created an environment where cinema and politics are intertwined. She noted, “The nature of our politics is as much an illusion as cinema. The photo shoots, the promotional poses at the airport, and the superficial punch-dialogue style of speaking—it’s all just a patchwork of pastels.”
She added, “It is the pinnacle of intellect that we, the common people, have done cinematic things in everything from marriage to black magic and look forward to deep thought and action only from the leaders who come to us. You’ve got the leader you deserve. May the souls of those who died today rest in peace.”
Vinodhini concluded with a call for change, stating, “I don’t know if the political situation will change. Society can change. We need to change for the next generation. Support the movies. But let’s keep the movie out of life. Look after your family.”