Karur Tragedy: When Hero-Worship Turns Deadly

 

Karur Tragedy: When Hero-Worship Turns Deadly

This weekend, Karur witnessed a tragedy that should shake every thinking citizen. Tens of thousands gathered to see Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar — “Thalapathy” Vijay — actor-turned-politician. Hours of delay, unbearable heat, and poor crowd control turned the rally into chaos. A stampede followed. 40 lives lost. Many injured. Even toddlers died. Vijay is one of Tamil Nadu’s most successful actors and is running for office in state elections scheduled to be held in early 2026. He was there for a political address. Chaos prevailed and yet, in the middle of this human disaster, speeches continued, slogans roared, and the frenzy went on. Nobody is asking: What were little children doing at a political rally? 

In India, cinema is more than entertainment — it’s an emotion. We laugh, cry, and celebrate with our favourite stars. Over time, these actors become part of our families, part of our identity. So when they step into politics, it’s no surprise that millions follow them with the same devotion they showed in theatres. In Southern Indian states, particularly Tamil Nadu, cinema isn’t just entertainment — it’s identity, pride, and even divinity. Stars become Gods; their words, gospel; their gestures, commands. Sounds irony? But it is the fact. 

A certain group, later, turned this craze into political capital. Feeding this addiction, they built an empire. A meticulous planning and execution of brainwashing an entire generation started 7 decades ago. There is nothing new – every new political outfit is just an off-shoot of this parent group. The tragedy of Karur stampede is nothing but the outcome of this very evolution.

The Manufactured Daze:

This group, in the guise of Dravidianism, kept Tamil society intoxicated in multiple ways — addiction to films, alcohol, linguistic chauvinism, aversion to nationality and cinema obsession. They ensured that people never sober up. No stone was unturned – they did everything possible. They dominated certain fields initially and later started owning almost all of them, giving no alternate choices for the public. Be it literature, stage plays, print media, novels, stories, films, TV channels, social media — they set the narratives in the form of content. 

Views were shoved down in the guise of news. They were successful in making people believe that Merging with the National mainstream was a sin. Worse, when they formed the Government, they used Education too for driving their own narratives. Recently, the Tamil Nadu government organized an event titled ‘Tamil Nadu Excels in Education.’ In all fairness, they should have invited educationalists, scientists, entrepreneurs—people whose insights could inspire students. Instead, they invited actors. This is the level of film-addiction they bring on. 

Television is no better. TN Channels work hard to prove the phrase “Idiot-Box” given for television. They drown viewers 24x7 in serials and film-related programs. Even on auspicious days, the morning begins filmi-music, followed by film debates, then movie reruns, until the next morning. People are being kept in a daze. 

They conditioned the society that confuses dialogue delivery with policy delivery, where a reel doctor or leader is mistaken for a real one.

• Where actors who earn crores lecture on austerity
• Where tax-evaders preach honesty

And the crowd cheers. Pathetically, this feel is growing stronger in Tamil Nadu—even in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Perhaps, in TN, AI stands for Acquired Ignorance.  

These are the people who sneer at others as “PeeDavaayan” or “Paani Poori seller” but have no hesitation sitting idle instead of working hard. These are the folks who ridicule people’s religious practices but worshipping film-idols. They thump their chests claiming “we are the world’s greatest intellectuals”—but shy away from NEET and competitive exams. This cult blindly follows actors without shame. I am not sure whether such a phenomenon exists anywhere else in the world.

Let us adore their acting, love their acting but not the person per se. Loving the actor has a danger: adoration on screen can blur into blind trust in real life. An actor playing a heroic leader in films doesn’t guarantee they will make a visionary leader in government. Politics isn’t about dialogue delivery, it’s about policy delivery.

So how do we — as citizens, voters, and everyday thinkers — break out of this film-driven political craze? How do we ensure we are thinking for ourselves? Getting people to stop treating actor-turned-politicians (or any celebrity) as infallible and to start thinking for themselves takes patient, practical work across media, schools, communities and everyday conversations.

A quick diagnosis on why film-craze → political deference happens: 

Parasocial bonds: fans form one-sided emotional ties with stars and transfer trust to their political claims. 

Media amplification & spectacle: celebrity visibility crowds out policy debate; image beats substance. 

Cognitive shortcuts: people use heuristics (familiarity, authority) to decide quickly, especially under information overload. This makes celebrity endorsements persuasive. 

Few Suggestions:

Separate the Reel from the Real: Actors are masters of illusion. They make us believe in a role so deeply that we forget it’s scripted. But politics has no scriptwriter, no retakes. Before cheering for a star-turned-politician, ask: What have they done outside the camera? What real-world decisions or contributions back their promises?

Ask Simple but Tough Questions: A healthy democracy thrives on questions, not slogans. Here’s a quick checklist anyone can use:

1. What policy are they proposing?
2. What evidence do they give that it will work?
3. How will it be funded or implemented?

If the answers aren’t clear, no amount of charisma can fill the gap.

Value Issues Over Idols: We need to flip the focus from who is speaking to what is being said. Hospitals, schools, jobs, water, and clean governance — these matter far more than who smiles on a poster. Let’s judge leaders by their track record and vision, not their box office records.

Strengthen Media Literacy: In today’s world, information is everywhere — but so is misinformation. Learning to cross-check claims, verify news, and identify propaganda is as essential as reading and writing. A simple rule: before forwarding or believing a political claim, look for at least one credible source that confirms it.

Build Communities of Critical Thinkers: Change won’t come from one person thinking differently. It will come when we make critical thinking cool. Imagine fan clubs not just discussing movie trivia, but also debating real issues like healthcare or education. Imagine social media groups where fact-checking is celebrated as much as fandom.

The Bottom Line

Actor-turned-politicians are not the problem; blind hero-worship is. India deserves leaders chosen for their vision, competence, and integrity — not just their celebrity status.

So the next time a film star asks for your vote, enjoy their movies by all means — but when it comes to politics, put aside the glamour and put on your thinking cap. Democracy works best when citizens are fans of facts, not just faces.

Share your suggestions in the comment section please....