Political Science DA-1

22BEC1287 MUKUND

Cinema Influence in Politics of Tamil Nadu Survey

Survey Details:

1. Core Objective:

To investigate the relationship between Tamil cinema and political behavior,

specifically how film personalities, movie content, and fan culture influence the
political opinions and voting choices of people in Tamil Nadu.

2. Central Research Themes:

The Actor as Influencer: Measuring the perceived power of film stars to shape political
debates and public opinion.
Cinema as a Political Medium: Assessing whether movies themselves are seen as
carriers of political messages that affect viewers' perspectives.
The Campaign Advantage: Evaluating if political campaigns led by stars are more
effective than traditional ones.
The Legacy Effect: Understanding the lasting impact of past film-politicians like MGR
and Jayalalithaa on today's voters.
The Fan Club Factor: Probing the role of organized fan clubs in mobilizing voter support.

3. How It Measures Influence:

Direct Questions: Asks yes/no questions about concrete actions (e.g., "Would you vote
for a candidate they endorse?").
Perception Scales: Uses agree/disagree scales to gauge the strength of feelings on
abstract concepts (e.g., "I trust an actor's political views").
Comparative Ranking:Forces respondents to rank film influence against other common
sources (like family or news media) to see its relative importance.

4. Target Audience Context:

The questions are designed for an audience that is:

* Familiar with Tamil cinema and its major stars.
* Aware of the unique history of film stars transitioning into politics in Tamil Nadu.
* Eligible to vote, making the questions about voting behavior relevant.
 In essence, the survey moves beyond a simple "Do actors influence politics?" question.
It instead explores the **how, why, and to what extent** this influence operates in the
complex landscape of Tamil Nadu politics.

Section of Demographic Questions

 Age Group: The majority of respondents (12 out of 15) are in the 18-24 age bracket.
The remaining are spread across 35-44 and 45-59.
 Gender: The sample is predominantly male (13 out of 15), with two female
respondents.
 Occupation: An overwhelming majority identify as Students (12 out of 15). The
others are Homemaker, Self-employed, and one left blank.
 Location (Area): Most respondents are from Urban areas (12 out of 15), with one
from a Semi-urban and two from Rural areas.
 Education: The most common highest level of education is Undergraduate (9 out of
15), followed by Postgraduate (3), School level (1), and Doctorate (1).
 District: Represented districts include Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tirunelveli,
Erode, Krishnagiri, Chengalpattu, and Karur.

Analysis of Trends From Survey Responses:

1. How often do you watch Tamil films?

 Trend: The majority of respondents are engaged viewers of Tamil cinema.

 Description: The most common response was "Frequently", followed by

"Sometimes". A significant portion also reported watching films "Very frequently".
Only a small number said "Rarely". This indicates a high level of engagement with
Tamil films among the participants, which is a prerequisite for the survey's focus on
cinematic influence.

2. Through which medium do you primarily follow film personalities?

 Trend: Social Media is the dominant channel, often complemented by Interviews.

 Description: Social Media was selected by almost every respondent. Interviews were
the second most common choice, frequently combined with Social Media. Television
and Newspapers were mentioned by a few. This shows that access to film
personalities is now direct and digital, bypassing traditional media filters.

3. Whose views on politics do you notice most?

 Trend: A diverse range of voices are noticed, with Social Media Influencers and Social
Activists being prominent.
  Description: This was a checkbox question, so respondents selected multiple
sources. Social media influencers and Social activists / public intellectuals were the
most frequently noticed. This was closely followed by News
anchors/journalists and Famous film actors. A few also noted Established
politicians and Others. This suggests a fragmented landscape where political
opinions come from a mix of new and traditional sources.

4. How closely do you follow politics?

 Trend: Most respondents follow politics with moderate to low engagement.

 Description: The most selected answer was "Not much". The next most common
was "Somewhat closely". Only a couple of respondents follow politics "Very closely".
This indicates that while the sample is aware of politics, they are not highly politically
engaged in their daily lives.

5. Do you vote regularly in elections?

 Trend: Voting habits are mixed, leaning towards regular participation.

 Description: Responses were split between "Always" and "Sometimes". A few

answered "Rarely" or "Never". This shows a variety of voting behaviors within the
group.

6. Actors and film personalities strongly influence political debates in Tamil Nadu.

 Trend: Overwhelming agreement.

 Description: On a scale of 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree), the responses

were heavily clustered at 4 and 5. This is the strongest consensus in the survey,
indicating a widespread belief that film stars play a major role in shaping political
discussions in the state.

7. Cinema has shaped my political opinions.

 Trend: Moderate agreement.

 Description: Ratings were more varied here, but leaned towards agreement. Several
respondents gave a score of 4, with a few 3s and a couple of 5s. This suggests that
while films are a factor in forming opinions, they are not the sole or dominant
influence for everyone.

8. I trust the political views expressed by my favorite actor.

 Trend: Strong disagreement and skepticism.

 Description: This statement received the lowest scores across all scale-based
questions. Many respondents selected 1 (Strongly Disagree). This is a crucial finding:
while people acknowledge the influence of actors, they largely
do not inherently trust their political views.
9. Movies often contain political messages that impact my perspective.

 Trend: Agreement that films carry influential messages.

 Description: Responses were generally positive, with many 4s and a few 3s and 5s.
This indicates that respondents are receptive to the political and social themes
embedded within films themselves, as opposed to just the explicit views of actors.

10. Political campaigns by film stars are more appealing than traditional campaigns.

 Trend: Moderate agreement.

 Description: Opinions were mixed but leaned towards agreement, with

several 4s and 3s. This suggests that celebrity campaigns are seen as more engaging
and effective at capturing attention than those run by career politicians.

11. I am more likely to pay attention to political news when delivered by actors.

 Trend: Mixed to moderate agreement.

 Description: Similar to the previous question, responses included several 4s and 3s,
alongside some lower scores. This confirms the "attention-grabbing" power of film
stars, even if it doesn't translate to trust.

12. Have you ever supported a political party because of a film personality?

 Trend: Overwhelmingly no.

 Description: The vast majority of respondents answered "No". One answered "Not
sure". This clearly shows that a star's endorsement is rarely the sole reason for
someone's party support.

13. Would you vote for a political candidate endorsed by a major actor?

 Trend: Hesitation and uncertainty.

 Description: The most common answer was "Maybe", indicating an open mind but
no guarantee. A significant number said "No". This reinforces that an endorsement is
a factor to consider, but not a decisive one for most voters.

14. Rank the following influences on your political preference.

 Trend: Family/Friends and News Media are top influences; Film Personalities are a
secondary influence.

 Description: Based on the responses ("Never", "Rarely", "Sometimes", "Highly"):

o Family/Friends and News Media were most frequently ranked as "Highly"

influential.

o Film personalities and Social media were most often ranked as "Sometimes"
influential.
 o Party campaigns were frequently ranked as "Rarely" or "Sometimes"
influential.

o This ranking confirms that personal networks and traditional media are still
primary sources, with film personalities acting as a significant secondary
influence.

15. Do you believe fan clubs play a role in influencing voting behavior?

 Trend: Yes, they are believed to be influential.

 Description: A majority of respondents answered "Yes". A few were "Not sure". This
indicates a perception that fan clubs are active and effective in political mobilization.

16. If yes, have you ever been part of such a fan club?

 Trend: Very low direct participation.

 Description: Every respondent who answered the previous question

answered "No" to this one. This highlights a key gap: while fan clubs are seen as
influential, very few people are directly involved, suggesting their influence is broad
and diffuse rather than deep through membership.

17. The legacy of M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), Jayalalithaa, and other film-politicians still
affects voter choices today.

 Trend: Strong agreement.

 Description: This statement received very high scores, mostly 4s and 5s. There is a
clear consensus that the history of film-politicians in Tamil Nadu is not just history—it
continues to shape the political present.

18. Film celebrities are more relatable to people than traditional politicians.

 Trend: Agreement.

 Description: The most common response was "Agree", followed by "Neutral". One
respondent "Strongly Agreed" and another "Strongly Disagreed". This perceived
relatability is a fundamental reason why film stars hold the influential power that the
survey documents.

19. Do you think young voters are more influenced by film personalities compared to older
generations?

 Trend: Yes, young voters are perceived as more susceptible.

 Description: The overwhelming majority answered "Yes". This suggests a belief that
the phenomenon of cinema-political influence is particularly potent among the youth
demographic.