In a striking blend of cinema nostalgia and high-stakes politics, legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja has set social media abuzz by sharing an old film song featuring actor-turned-politician Vijay, a move widely interpreted as a gesture of support ahead of the Tamil Nadu election results.
The audio track from the 1988 film Ithu Engal Neethi, directed by the actor-politician's father SA Chandrasekhar and composed by Ilaiyaraaja, featured a young Vijay in one of his earliest roles as a child artist.
What has captured public imagination, however, is the song's evocative line, "Chinna Thambi, Unnai Nambi ......" - translated as "The state waits for you, little brother."
Supporters see the song shared by Ilaiyaraaja, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP-led government at the Centre in 2022, as symbolic, suggesting that Tamil Nadu is now looking up to Vijay as a potential leader.
