The arrest of former DMK minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi is a terrific move by the TVK government. Everybody knows that a huge scam allegedly took place right under Mahesh's watch. They say it's a ₹100 crore scam. It might have been even bigger. The question was, who would bell the cat? Normally, governments of the day look the other way after making the familiar noises. Joseph C. Vijay didn't. Anti-corruption is in his DNA. He also wants to put the rabble-rousing DMK in its place. We expect more arrests to follow. Those arrested may all be released after a few weeks. The idea is to score political points and sully the DMK's image. Here's hoping the case is taken to its logical conclusion.

Many political leaders have utter disdain for actors. We don't understand why. Politicians crave a following. Actors already have that in their kitty. Good politicians rehearse their speeches. Actors rehearse their dialogues. Big leaders use teleprompters. Big actors, ditto. Some netas make money after assuming positions of power. Actors have already ticked that box. The press is kinder to actors. Voters give them a longer rope. Actors guarantee crowds. Politicians, not always. The one area where actors fall short is in speaking with clarity on a variety of political issues. Even here, with training, they can easily outshine politicians. The trick is to master the script. In our view, actors are natural-born leaders because they take to power very easily. In fact, going forward, influencers may take their cue from actors and throw their hats into the ring. Because democracy isn't reserved for politicians. All are welcome.

My latest AI song is here. It's my tribute to the moustache. Do give 'Mooch nahin toh Kuch nahin' some love. Share it, if you like it.

Dhanush has always been the underdog. No one ever imagined he’d be a superlative actor. No one thought he’d be hero material. No one predicted he’d be the first in line to start a political party after Vijay. The reality is that Dhanush is slowly transforming his fan base into a political organisation. Many political pundits don’t give him a chance. They say he’s not as popular as Vijay. They say he’s controversial. They say he’s not liked. They say he’s the BJP’s D-team. Dhanush couldn’t care less. He’s faced such doubters before. He seems clear-headed about what he wants to do. Goal-setting is the first hurdle. He seems to have crossed it and has a plan to move forward. There were rumours about him joining the AIADMK. Media reports claim EPS has shot down the idea. Today, Dhanush flexed his muscles by hosting a meet for his women fans. Interestingly, each of them was given a kuthuvilakku as a gift. We think there’s a cryptic hint here. Could that be his future party symbol? Having badly misjudged Vijay’s fortunes, the pundits should stop the guessing game about Dhanush. He will certainly fare better than Annamalai on the popularity front. Whether he develops an aura of credibility depends on the statements he makes and the actions he takes. Having tracked Dhanush since his first movie, all one can say about him is that he’s a Polladhavan when it comes to prep work. He’s the dark horse that will go far.

Annamalai seems to be in a hurry to burn his bridges with the BJP. There could be an electoral calculation behind this move. If WTL is to carry any weight, Annamalai needs to win the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. If he were to contest alone, he would suffer a fate worse than Seeman's. So, he needs an alliance, preferably with a formation that has a realistic chance of winning. He has three options: a) The Congress Party, b) TVK, and c) DMK. Having railed against the DMK all his political life, it would be suicidal to tie up with the Rising Sun. That leaves the Congress and TVK. Since his supporters are pitching 2031 as a battle between Vijay and Annamalai, joining the Vetri bandwagon would look like a surrender. The Congress Party looks like a tempting option. Which could explain why he has gone soft on Rahul G. The Congress will certainly be looking to cobble together a nationwide coalition to take on the NDA. Annamalai could try to pull off a Kamal Haasan by joining hands with Rahul G in exchange for a safe seat. If the TVK-Congress pact continues into 2029, TVK may not mind too much if Congress allocates a seat to Annamalai. With the combined votes of TVK, Congress, VCK, the Communists, and the Muslim League, Annamalai could have enough votes in his kitty to win his seat. That's his pagal kanavu. His dream of making it to Parliament. Kaalam badhil sollum.

Treat Annamalai as a former employee who went on to create a new start-up in the same domain. He will cross lines. He will open friendly fire. He will take plenty of U-turns. Aakhir paapi pet ka sawaal hai. Zyaada tension nahin lene ka. Bas ignore karne ka.

Six issues that should worry BJP supporters: a) The SIR protests continue despite all the steps taken to snuff out the movement. b) The Index of Opposition Unity (IOU) is at its highest in recent times. Mamata is willing to do business with the Left. Chandrababu has established a rapport with southern chief ministers. The Congress is no longer taboo for regional satraps. c) Rahul G has long outgrown the “Pappu” image. The political situation is such that the voting public has started considering him as an option. d) The “deep state regime change” theory put forward by the BJP as the reason for disturbances across the country has not been bought by the thinking classes. e) The cabinet reshuffle was touted as a move that would create fresh momentum. But the Modi government has been dragging its feet on it for some reason. f) Young people seem to be drifting away from the BJP. There has been no comprehensive plan to win them back.

Finally, a sensible move from WTL. The intent to contest local body polls has been announced. Hopefully, the party name and its symbol gets unveiled soon. Nothing like entering the fray and walking the talk. We wish them well.