Vijay regime deserves time to perform, says Kamal Haasan

Tamil politician and actor Kamal Haasan has stated that it will take time to assess Joseph Vijay, the newly appointed Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and his administration. He suggested that in order to adequately evaluate Vijay’s performance, the government should be given at least six months.

Speaking to reporters, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan remarked that reviewing a new administration within just two or six days would be akin to mere astrology; instead, observers should wait six months. He went on to say that newcomers to politics are not unusual, pointing out that ministers were also entirely new to governance at the time of India’s independence. Therefore, he argued, they should neither be undervalued nor burdened with unrealistic expectations.

Voters were also urged by Haasan to actively monitor the government’s performance. He stated that citizens should ensure the government is acting appropriately after casting their ballots, adding, “We are monitoring it as well.”

During a subsequent meeting with Chief Minister Vijay, Haasan submitted a memorandum outlining six significant demands, focusing heavily on government backing for the Tamil cinema industry. These requests include the establishment of a robust anti-piracy squad within the cybercrime department, the elimination of the 4% local body entertainment tax, and the introduction of a state-owned OTT platform.

The political shift comes after Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), entered the assembly elections for the first time. The TVK emerged as the single-largest party by winning 108 seats and eventually secured the support of 120 MLAs to form the government—marking a historic development in Tamil Nadu politics by disrupting decades of dominance by the DMK and AIADMK.