CHENNAI: Cinema and politics have long shared a translucent boundary in Tamil Nadu, a relationship dating back to the era of MG Ramachandran. At the session 'Beyond the Screen – Finding Your Voice’ at ThinkEdu Conclave on Monday, actor-politician Kushboo Sundar and film producer G Dhananjheyan examined this intersection in conversation with K Vaidyanathan, Editor of Dinamani.
Opening the discussion, Kushboo framed her journey beyond cinema in terms of responsibility rather than reinvention, tagging herself as a person who is "a part of society" rather than identifying herself as an actor or politician. “We are chosen by the people to serve them. That means we are public servants,” she said.
When asked about a life away from screen, Dhananjheyan emphasised the cultural force of the medium. “Cinema is so, so powerful, especially in Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding that “The social media, the technology, and the virtual world, makes the difference on how much you are able to achieve success.”
Kushboo offered a counterpoint on the limits of digital popularity. “Social media will garner sympathy, they will garner likes, they will garner retweets, but they do not garner votes,” she said. Urging civic responsibility, she added, “If you don’t go to vote, you don’t have the right to question any government.”
When the session moved towards AI in the film industry, “Technology is going to bring in a huge opportunity for talents," said Dhananjheyan. He also added that with the increasing reliance on technology for VFX, de-aging etc, students of engineering have started getting opportunities in the industry. However, Kushboo cautioned against overdependence on technology: “Let your minds lead. Adapt technology to your needs, do not let technology control you.”
The session underscored that while cinema and social media amplify influence, credibility in public life ultimately rests on participation, accountability and the voters.