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In this special show on Tamil Nadu assembly elections, India Today's Akshita Nandagopal ground report captures the immense crowd frenzy during actor-turned-politician Vijay's mega election rally in Tiruchirappalli.
Transcript
00:00Thank you very much.
00:30one so they said on the Paya in a sense John
00:38I gotta wait for our girl Petya
00:42Parambu
00:48Turchi Keku see Joseph Vijay
02:13This is a superstar politician in action right now.
02:18This is what it's like to be in a big world.
02:46Are you ready for Vijay?
02:47Yes.
02:48We've come all the way from Chennai for the big grand Vijay show.
02:51Yeah.
02:52So what's it like?
02:52You've done it before.
02:53Yeah.
02:54Right?
02:55What should I expect when I anticipate when I go there?
02:58So when you go to Vijay, the crowd that comes up, it's totally different, you know, from
03:02when Stalin comes or Uday comes or EPS comes, the kind of turnout for Vijay.
03:06It starts right from airport.
03:08People coming in, bike rallies.
03:09In fact, I was standing here a while back and I saw a little girl.
03:12She had come with her mother, father and she says that she bunked today's school.
03:16Why?
03:16Because she wanted to see Vijay.
03:17Bad example.
03:19And her full family's ringtone, wallpaper, they're obsessed.
03:22It's just Vijay.
03:23Even her ringtone is, unga Vijay, unga Vijay, ui, ra, na, na, na, na.
03:27It's that level of obsession when it's Vijay.
03:30So it's a very interesting election because every time we have only two Dravidian parties,
03:33right?
03:34It's either EPS, Stalin, Uday Nidhi, Dynasty.
03:37But this time it's so different because, you know, we have the Vijay factor which makes
03:40elections all the more interesting.
03:42But will this frenzy really become votes that we don't know?
03:45But it sure is fun covering Vijay because the love that you see.
03:48I think it's just coming unbridled.
03:51How close have you gotten to Vijay?
03:53This distance.
03:54This distance.
03:55Yes, thanks.
03:56I'm going to go across, see what it's like now in a rally in the flesh.
03:59Let's show you.
04:00Let's go.
04:20Brace yourselves for a whole lot of whistle pudding.
04:31I set out for Trichy to soak in the sights and sounds of a TVK rally.
04:37No better day than Vijay's nomination day.
04:45Trichy was painted red and yellow and sounds of whistles everywhere.
04:57I'm going to be hearing this a whole lot today.
05:00That's right.
05:01We're in a Vijay rally.
05:02We're going to get right into the heart of it.
05:04I've heard so much about these rallies that they're full of energy.
05:08They're a tad chaotic.
05:09Let's see what it's like.
05:11We're going to get into the heart, give you a first person account.
05:20As crowds swell, we speak to excited kids who gather there not to vote, but to cheer along.
05:28How are you 17 now?
05:2918 now.
05:30How are you 17 now?
05:32How are you 17 now?
05:32How are you 17 now?
05:33How are you 17 now?
05:34How are you 17 now?
05:34How are you 17 now?
05:37How are you 17 now?
05:3718 now?
05:39In 13?
05:39No, BECAUSE I am 18 now.
05:40What are you 17 now?
05:41How are you 17 now?
05:43How are you 17 now?
05:46You don't believe us.
05:47No chance to vote, nor come here.
05:49How are you 17 now?
05:50He is 17 now.
05:50How are you 17?
05:54How are you 17 now?
05:55What are you 17 now?
05:57What are you 17 now?
05:59I have 17 now.
06:01Yes.
06:03I am 17 now.
06:04Do you remember that?
06:04My father is 17 now.
06:06How are you 17?
06:06vote for
06:08but i see lots of youngsters
06:10nobody is
06:1220 to the whole single person
06:14vote out for
06:1620
06:17okay
06:20one one one one one
06:2123 all people
06:23mother, father, sister, can't put
06:26TVK
06:27what can you vote
06:30can't?
06:32support
06:32support
06:34TVK support
06:35lots of women here
06:40and as things are warming up
06:43for the Vijay show
06:44you can see more and more women
06:46turning up
06:57so
07:14do you wish she contested in Kerala?
07:16in Kerala
07:16in Kerala
07:16in Kerala
07:17in Kerala
07:17in Kerala
07:19in Kerala
07:21in Kerala
07:22in Kerala
07:23one message for Vijay
07:27Vijay
07:28in Kerala
07:28in Kerala
07:30from the
07:30in Kerala
07:32in Kerala
07:33in Kerala
07:34she's aimed at
07:35mveti
07:35in Kerala
07:43in Kerala
07:45You are the one who is the one who is the one who is the one?
08:30Satsang with the
08:31and we come back to it.
08:32We wanted to do a radio show and start,
08:38that bull ayudar.
08:42Luckily, a city has fallen to train,
08:48but today with Trader Joe Sata,
08:49we are coming back every day from death.
08:51The branch tree has hit high real quickly
08:52and we are going to drown.
09:11The love is evident.
09:18They get to see their superstar in action for the first time.
09:21And Vijay too is all about messaging.
09:34So interestingly we have come right where Vijay is going to campaign.
09:36I want to show you the MGR statue there.
09:39You know how Vijay has been constantly saying that like MGR he will ensure a victory.
09:43There is messaging right here in Trichy as well.
09:45But you can see the crowds that I have gathered.
09:47I want to show you the MGR statue of Vijay.
09:51Vijay is the MGR and Kamal Haasam.
09:57Did Kamal Haasam flop happen?
10:01Political flop.
10:02What did you say?
10:02Political flop?
10:03How did you say that?
10:04Political flop.
10:07What did you say about Kamal Haasam?
10:10It was a very bad argument that they came from the family.
10:14Now there have been a lot of things.
10:15How did you say these are the MGR and she will be right into the family.
10:21So how did you say that?
10:22I have heard Kamal's Flop.
10:25Kamal's Flop was not saying.
10:26I didn't say I was.
10:27I told him about Mjar's Flop.
10:28I've told him about it.
10:30I told him that Kamal's Flop was not on the rally and didn't come in.
10:36How did the Flop happen?
10:39I've never seen Flop in the past,
10:42but I've seen all these things.
10:43I've never seen this thing.
10:45I've never seen this.
10:46You've seen him being a actor?
10:51They were downtown.
10:53It was transportation for the Vijay label,...
10:54Our building said that we can then invest this in Chicago.
10:58We can have how many all the payments we will do.
10:59We can do as much for Dan MarĂ­a les expenditures.
11:26Before we show you Vijay's tribute to MGR, a salute to the volunteers who after the Karoor
11:33tragedy are on an overdrive handing out bottles.
11:37It's very very hot.
11:39I'm doing everything I can to cope.
11:42What I want to highlight is that they're also distributing water bottles because there's
11:46so much controversy over whether TVK is prepared, whether they're doing enough to battle the
11:50heat.
11:51They're distributing water bottles as per the norms to ensure that everyone is hydrated,
11:55everyone has enough resources to take care of the heat.
11:58I have mine.
11:59What is it?
12:01What is it?
12:02What is it?
12:04What is it?
12:05What is it?
12:05What is it?
12:06What is it?
12:06What is it?
12:07What is it?
12:07What is it?
12:08What is it?
12:09What is it?
12:10What is it?
12:13What is it?
12:22Madiripat data is also directly attached to D...
12:24My friend moment you are two.
12:25You don't have an Olamity Dionyson.
12:26have an Olam 가운데.
12:26About two and a half others.
12:27These are two sides.
12:31They are the ones who are often waiting for them.
12:38But that's the problem, the die-hard fans.
12:41Many don't listen.
13:25It starts getting crowded, so I decide to move beyond barricades.
13:29A Herculean task, but one that my team is a pro at by now.
13:44And then the wait.
13:45As Vijay files his nomination, everyone waits, chanting TVK in the searing heat.
14:11I'm telling you, for example, if you go and wait for me, I'm going to leave.
14:15Do you want to meet me?
14:17That's right.
14:18That's right.
14:20That's right.
14:23That's right.
14:36Go.
14:38Go.
14:41Go.
14:49Go.
15:03You can feel the tempo picking up and when the music comes on just before Vijay's arrival,
15:10the crowd goes berserk.
15:27This is the energy that plays out in every Vijay Rally and this is.
15:31Vijay has just arrived and you can see that there is so much energy out here.
15:37The cheers have begun.
15:39The music has started.
15:41That's the cue.
15:44This right here is the cue.
15:59I mean absolutely, absolutely crazy scenes.
16:05It feels like I am in a concert right now with a kind of chance that I saw playing.
16:16And let me show you what the celebrations are for.
16:20Let me show you where Vijay is.
16:46Vijay appears.
16:48Garland's MGR waves and blows kisses at the crowds.
16:55And there you have that symbolic moment of Vijay paying a tribute to Dr. MGR.
17:03He's always referred to himself as, oh there you have the most symbolic moment perhaps of this campaign.
17:11Vijay right next to the MGR statue.
17:14John
17:15I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
17:31I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
17:32And there you go.
17:34Let me show you that way the decision.
17:34I'm sorry.
17:36I am sorry.
17:40Let me say.
17:47Right in front of me is Vijay, meters away, he is making his speech and you can see how
17:56people are cheering him on as he continues to speak to all of the people, he is standing
18:03with huge cheers here and he is making his speech right now, that's his speech, he is
18:09referring to Karu, he is saying he is blowing a whistle, he is saying he is blowing a whistle,
18:40surprise surprise Vijay even breaks into a song.
19:08A short speech and Vijay then with one last wave at the crowd is saying he is blowing a whistle,
19:13he is back into his van and as he moves away the crowds disperse with one bow to make Talapati
19:21Vijay the Chief Minister.
19:24What did you think of Vijay's speech?
19:26When it comes to Tamil Nadu there is some experience required in the political perspective, so
19:30I think he is first to debut this time, so we will see what will happen.
19:34You want to give him a chance?
19:36Yeah, no it depends on people, because the vote bank is below 25 years.
19:41That's true, very good analysis, very good analysis.
19:44Actually this time everyone can see that Vijay has a huge fan base in Trich district, so other
19:49parties like ADMK, DMK should watch this constituency, so Vijay in Trich is definitely he will win
19:55100% to support all TVK fans.
20:01The sound of the day for me is that, I am going to go to sleep, I will be having
20:06whistles
20:07through my dreams I am sure, but I hope to give you a glimpse of what Vijay Rally actually
20:14looks like.
20:15Just about 10 minutes of a glimpse at him, so many people have come together, the energy
20:20is right up there, it has been an experience I will never forget and I am sure that is the
20:24same for my team as well.
20:54the national!
20:56The.
20:58The.
20:59The.
21:00The.
21:01The.
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