Industry
With Vijay exiting films for a political career, can Tamil cinema move beyond star power?
Summary
The Tamil film industry now has an opportunity to reinvent itself—but only if it can break free from the shackles of its star-centric legacy.
Tamil star Vijay’s announcement of his final film before a full-fledged political entry has raised questions about the future of the state’s cinema industry, which has long been anchored by star power. The unease is evident as icons Rajinikanth, Ajith and Kamal Haasan have scaled back to only one film release a year, leaving a void that emerging actors have yet to fill.
Experts said the star-driven model of Tamil cinema is at a crossroads, with producers scrambling to chart a path forward. The lack of fresh crowd pullers has sparked fears of dwindling box-office returns, forcing the industry to rethink its reliance on marquee names.
Yet, analysts see a silver lining. The current vacuum presents a rare window for content-driven films and franchises to shine and for a new generation of stars to step into the spotlight. As audiences increasingly lean towards strong narratives, the Tamil film industry has an opportunity to reinvent itself—but only if it can break free from the shackles of its star-centric legacy.
“The nature of stardom and the connect with fans is changing for actors across industries but southern film stars have managed to stay rooted to their fan base in a very mass-market way," said Rahul Puri, managing director of Mukta Arts and Mukta A2 Cinemas. “One will have to wait and see if some of the newer names will have that kind of mass connect but given the sort of movies that are generally made in Tamil cinema, it shouldn’t be an issue."
Compared with the niche, urban narratives that young Bollywood stars increasingly feature in, Tamil actors remain enthusiastic about commercial entertainers with simple and meaningful messaging. Film producer Girish Johar agreed that Tamil film fans are particular about mass-market movies and the new breed could take some time to fill the void left behind by older stars.
“They will all need back-to-back hits and while it is common for everyone to have fan clubs, these will all have to be nurtured and cultivated over time," Johar said, adding though that there is enough emerging talent.
Small town connect
Millennial and Gen Z stars from Hindi cinema dominate social media feeds and algorithms thanks to endorsements, collaborations and paparazzi appearances, but experts said many of them are simply unable to ‘open’ films anymore, especially in small towns. While Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar penetrated deep into smaller territories in the 1990s, resonating easily with mass-market viewers, younger actors, both male and female, are yet to make their presence felt in small-town pop culture or discourse.
This may not be as much of a challenge for younger Tamil actors Dhanush, Vijay Sethupathi and Sivakarthikeyan, who consistently feature in commercially entertaining films that appeal to the lowest common denominator across the state, which operates cinemas at a price cap.
Amaran, a biographical action film starring Sivakarthikeyan, made over ₹200 crore after it was released in October. Sethupathi’s Maharaja earned over ₹80 crore in India, besides setting cash registers ringing in China recently.
Then there are opportunities in franchises.
“While stars such as Vijay or Rajinikanth can’t be replaced, there is a huge appetite for theatrical content among Tamil audiences. One way to cater to this demand would be to create enduring franchises and IP (intellectual property) brands," independent exhibitor Vishek Chauhan said.
Chauhan referred to the emerging action film universes in Tamil cinema inspired by the Hollywood franchise model, such as the one created by director Lokesh Kanagaraj, comprising action thrillers Kaithi, Vikram and Leo.
“Star culture can be kept alive by franchises," Chauhan emphasised.
