Indira Parthasarathy’s ‘Ver Pattru’: Caught between one’s roots and student politics

In Tamil Nadu, under impressive development indicators and a long history of social reforms, cinema continues to exert a strong influence on public life. For many actors, politics remains a compelling second act; This phenomenon dates back to MG Ramachandran, who remained without an electoral seat for 13 years until his death. Not all were successful. But actors like Vijay are coming to the fore and threatening the entrenched political status quo in the state.

Their entry inevitably revived debates about the absence of political activity in educational institutions. The Dravidian movement, which once benefited greatly from increased student support, appears, at least in hindsight, to have turned a blind eye to this decline. Today, with a few exceptions, most colleges and universities have closed their doors to politics. The proliferation of engineering colleges, where students are primarily guided through campus interviews with the goal of securing placement, has left little time for extracurricular involvement, let alone political involvement.