DMK's Annadurai 'Endorses' Vijay In AI Video, DMK Says 'Cheap Tactic'

Campaigning for next year's Tamil Nadu election took a theatrical twist this week after actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam released an AI-generated video of former Chief Minister CN Annadurai, the founder of the now-ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, criticising the party and endorsing him. The DMK hit back swiftly and condemned the TVK's 'cheap tactics'.

Party spokesperson A Saravanan said, "This is a deepfake video and a cheap tactic for political gain. Using AI for social good is fine... but misusing it for politics? The people will see through it."

He also rejected talk of an 'understanding' with the BJP, something Vijay has repeatedly claimed.

The video in question showed 'Annadurai' declaring the young Tamil men and women who powered him to victory in the 1967 election, in which the Congress was defeated, would ensure Vijay's win in 2026.

"The youth stood with me in 1967... today they are behind you (Vijay). Just like me, an ordinary man who rose to be Chief Minister, you too have come up through hard work. You know the hunger and needs of the working class (and) that is why I call on you to lead," the AI-generated Annadurai said.

The video also showed 'Annadurai' complimenting Vijay for recognising social activist and reformer EV Ramasamy, better known as Periyar, as a policy leader and drawing inspiration from his life.

"When you identified Periyar as your 'policy leader', I understood your egalitarian politics is on the right track. Those who continued the rule with my name and picture (referring to the current-day DMK) worked for their sons' upliftment and not for the people's development," AI-Annadurai said.

"Your exposition of their tacit understanding with the central government has removed the thorn in my heart. Let everyone say Vijay's rule is in Annadurai's way... let the TVK win."

The two minute, 32-second video also referred to the Hindi imposition row, a sensitive subject in the southern state and one that has already been raked up - in the state vs centre spat over the National Education Policy - ahead of the election. AI-Annadurai told voters, "I opposed Hindi imposition... the people trusted me... now if people are treated like a flock for votes, how will there be trust?"

AI-Annadurai also attacked the party he founded over nepotism and selling of liqour.

Annadurai (the real one) and Tamil socio-political leaders of that generation were against the consumption of alcohol. In fact, prohibition was enforced when he became Chief Minister in 1967.

Prohibition would be an on-again, off-again measure over the next 20-odd years; the DMK and its great rival, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam would flip between enforcing and relaxing the ban, with AIADMK icon J Jayalalithaa shutting toddy shops when she became Chief Minister in 1991.

But, true to the flip-flop, the same party took over sale of IMFL, or Indian-made Foreign Liquor, in 2003, so the state government could rake in tens of thousands of crores in revenue.

AI-Annadurai's liquor sales jab was an echo of the BJP's attacks on the DMK on this topic; in February last year, for example, then-BJP state boss K Annamalai alleged the same point - that the DMK of today is in violation of Annadurai's stand against dynasty politics and the state earning money from liqour sales.

Notably, however, the TVK's Annadurai AI video was silent on the AIADMK, fuelling speculation Vijay, aware he needs the backing of one of the two big Dravidian political parties, is keeping the door open.

However, he may have to wait for a while; the AIADMK has renewed ties with the BJP, with whom it was allied till an acrimonious split over Annamalai criticising iconic past leaders like Annadurai and MGR.

Vijay has frequently invoked the legacies of Annadurai and the AIADMK's MGR, or MG Ramachandran, predicting 2026 would mirror the 1967 and 1977 elections, which reshaped Tamil politics. The 1967 election ended the Congress' dominance and MGR's 1977 win kept the DMK at bay for over a decade.