Meet the cast of ‘TN 2026’, the Tamil film that has captured all attention this election season

Actor-cinematographer Natty seems calm and composed ahead of the interview, as he chats about paintings, cinematography and the difficult process of a film’s post-production. “Many underestimate the difficulty and importance of sound mixing,” he says, and shortly later, actor Thambi Ramaiah makes a loud entrance. The air in the room shifts instantly. On one hand, there’s Natty, bringing a stoic, serious energy, while Ramaiah brims with an eagerness to talk about everything — MG Ramachandran’s endurance in politics, the history of cinema professionals in politics, the importance of observation in life, and his love for Kannadasan. This unlikely team-up is behind a film that has certainly turned heads this election season in Tamil Nadu.

Natty and Ramaiah headline the upcoming political satire, TN 2026, in which the TN denotes Natty’s character, ‘Thanga Natchthiram’ Kulkanth Kumar. The film revolves around Kulkanth, a North Indian who comes to Chennai for livelihood, and how he becomes an actor, a superstar, and then a political leader. Ramaiah has written the story of the film, which his son, filmmaker Umapathy S, has directed. “I like talking about politics. Only cinema stars and politicians become subjects of ridicule among the common public. Similarly, politics and cinema tend to criticise each other. As a comedy writer, I have always desired to write such political satires,” says Ramaiah, on what inspired him to write the film.