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Tamil film star’s shock poll win is playbook for slaying giants in Gen Z era

By ditching manifestos and relying on One Big Idea, Vijay upended Tamil politics. Can his Insta-first movement actually govern?

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TVK party members blow their party symbol, a whistle, and hold a cut-out of Indian actor and party president Vijay to celebrate on May 4.

TVK party members blowing on their party symbol, a whistle, and holding a cut-out of Indian actor and party president Vijay to celebrate during vote counting for the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections, at the party headquarters in Chennai on May 4.

PHOTO: AFP

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In the lead-up to Tamil Nadu film superstar Vijay’s stunning election victory in his state this week on his maiden try, various voices from the decades-old incumbent party he sought to unseat blasted him for hubris.

The refrain was this: You may be the state’s biggest, most bankable action hero, but what makes you think that will help you become chief minister in just one try?

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