Actor Vishal questions CM Vijay over giving film portfolio to Egmore MLA Rajmohan

Tamil actor Vishal has questioned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay over the decision to assign the Film Technology and Cinematograph Act portfolio to Egmore MLA Rajmohan. His remarks came after Governor Rajendra Arlekar approved the allocation of portfolios to the nine ministers sworn in alongside Vijay on May 10.

Taking to X on Saturday, Vishal said it was “disheartening” to see Rajmohan handling the film-related ministry, arguing that Vijay himself was better equipped to address the concerns of the Tamil film industry because of his decades-long association with cinema. The actor stressed that the industry was “actually bleeding” and in urgent need of reforms and relief measures.

Take a look at Vishal's post:

Why did Vishal object to the portfolio allocation?

Rajmohan, the ruling party’s legislator from Chennai's Egmore, was allocated several departments including school education, Tamil development, information and publicity, archaeology, Tamil culture, and film technology and cinematograph act.

Reacting to the move, Vishal said the film fraternity, associations and production houses needed someone with direct industry experience to understand their long-pending concerns. While clarifying that he was “not demeaning” Rajmohan, Vishal maintained that Vijay’s background in cinema made him the natural choice to oversee film-related matters.

The actor also pointed out that producers and production houses were looking for “a ray of hope” at a time when the industry was facing financial strain.

What demands did Vishal place before Vijay?

In his post, Vishal listed three key demands for the state government. He called for a government-operated movie ticketing platform, claiming it would reduce the burden on audiences and generate revenue for the state.

He also sought the removal of local body tax, arguing that Tamil Nadu remained the only state imposing dual taxation despite the “one India, one tax” principle. Additionally, he requested an increase in subsidies for small-budget films, saying the demands had remained unresolved for nearly nine years.

How did Arun Vijay react?

Actor Arun Vijay appeared to criticise Vishal’s remarks without naming him directly. In a post on X, he urged people not to interfere in “top government decisions” and said Vijay was well aware of the industry’s challenges.

He added that the Chief Minister’s decisions should be respected and called on people to wait for results instead of drawing conclusions prematurely.

The exchange marks the latest instance of Vishal publicly raising governance and industry concerns with Vijay, who recently joined the ranks of actor-turned-political leaders in Tamil Nadu.