Thalapathy Vijay wins: From MGR To Jayalalithaa, actors who became CM before him

Actor and now politician, 'Thalapathy' Vijay, might be the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. His party, TVK, is projected to end the decade-long rule of DMK and AIADMK in the state. While an official announcement on Vijay becoming the new CM of the state is awaited, check out the list of actors who once held the powerful position after a successful career in films.

Vijay, MGR, Jayalalithaa and more actors who became CMs

Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran

One of the beloved CMs of Tamil Nadu, Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran, aka MGR, was once the most popular actor of his time. Some of his iconic films were Nadodi Mannan, Enga Veettu Pillai, Ayirathil Oruvan, Adimai Penn and Rickshawkaran, to name only a few.

MGR was the state's three-term Chief Minister till he passed away in 1987.

Founder of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), MGR began his political stint in 1972 as a member of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Jayaram Jayalalithaa

Jayaram Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for six terms after a successful acting career. She began working in films as a child actor and went on to star in over 650 films across Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi languages. Some of her most popular films include Aayirathil Oruvan, Vennira Aadai, Adimaippenn, Kavalkaran, and Pattikatu Ponnaiah.

During the peak of her film career, Jayalalithaa joined AIADMK. After the death of her mentor, MGR, she became the general secretary of the party.

Later, she became the first popularly elected woman Chief Minister of the state in 1991 and rose to prominence with her welfare-driven governance, including popular schemes like Amma canteens and subsidised programs.

NT Rama Rao

NT Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR, was a legendary figure in Telugu cinema before foraying into politics. Popularly known for portraying mythological characters like Lord Krishna and Rama on screen, he enjoyed immense popularity, which helped in his political career.

In 1982, NTR founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and later became the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. His governance was marked by welfare initiatives and administrative reforms, becoming one of the most iconic leaders of the state. He reportedly starred in over 300 films, including Daana Veera Soora Karna, Mayabazar, Lava Kusa, Adavi Ramudu, and Bobbili Puli.

M Karunanidhi

M Karunanidhi was among the popular political figures in Tamil Nadu. Known for his tenure as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu as a DMK leader, he was a renowned writer in the film industry. Although he was an actor, he made his brief cameo appearance as himself in the 1990 film Kavalukku Kettikaran.

Janaki Ramachandran

Janaki Ramachandran, a former actress and the wife of MGR, briefly served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1988. Her tenure came in the aftermath of MGR’s death. Although her time in office was short-lived, she is still remembered as the first woman to serve as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. She starred in several films, such as 1000 Thalaivangi Apoorva Chinthamani, Raja Mukthi, and Mohini.