South Indian cinema has given us many superstars, and quite a few of them later stepped into politics. Some went on to become Chief Ministers, some became MPs or MLAs, and a few are still finding their feet in the political world.
List of South Indian Actors Who Became Politicians
Here's the full list of well-known South Indian actors who joined politics, along with their political journey and election results.
N.T.Rama Rao
Political Journey
- Founded Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982.
- Became Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister within just a year.
- His entry reshaped Andhra Pradesh's political history.
- Served as Chief Minister three times.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| 1983 Andhra Pradesh Assembly | Won – Became Chief Minister |
| 1985 Assembly Election | Won |
| 1994 Assembly Election | Won |
M. G. Ramachandran
Political Journey
- Started AIADMK in 1972.
- Went on to become one of Tamil Nadu's most loved leaders.
- Served as Chief Minister for close to 10 years.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| 1977 Tamil Nadu Assembly | Won – Became Chief Minister |
| 1980 Assembly | Won |
| 1984 Assembly | Won |
J. Jayalalithaa
Political Journey
- Joined AIADMK after MGR's death.
- Went on to become one of India's most successful woman politicians.
- Served multiple terms as Chief Minister.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| 1991 Assembly | Won – Chief Minister |
| 2001 Assembly | Won |
| 2011 Assembly | Won |
| 2016 Assembly | Won |
Chiranjeevi
Political Journey
- Started Praja Rajyam Party in 2008.
- Later merged the party with Congress.
- Went on to become Union Tourism Minister.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| 2009 Andhra Pradesh Assembly | Won from Tirupati |
| 2014 | Did not contest |
Pawan Kalyan
Political Journey
- Founded Jana Sena Party in 2014.
- Grew into one of Andhra Pradesh's biggest political leaders.
- Currently serves as Deputy Chief Minister.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| 2019 Assembly | Lost |
| 2024 Assembly | Won |
C. Joseph Vijay
Political Journey
- Launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in 2024.
- Stepped back from full-time acting to focus on politics.
- Won the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2026.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| Till 2026 | Became CM of Tamil Nadu |
Kamal Haasan
Political Journey
- Started Makkal Needhi Maiam in 2018.
- Works on governance, education, and anti-corruption issues.
- Entered Parliament as a Rajya Sabha member.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| 2019 Lok Sabha | Party did not win seats |
| 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly | Lost |
| Rajya Sabha | Elected |
Rajinikanth
Political Journey
- Announced plans to enter politics.
- Later called off his political launch due to health concerns.
- Never actually contested an election.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| Any Election | Did not contest |
Upendra
Political Journey
- Founded Uttama Prajaakeeya Party.
- Pushes for clean politics and political reforms.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| Karnataka Assembly | Contested but did not win |
Suman
Political Journey
- Joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
- Campaigned actively across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Election Results
| Election | Result |
|---|---|
| Lok Sabha Election | Contested but lost |
