The political and cinematic legacy of the Karunanidhi family is preparing for its next chapter, this time with Inban Udhayanidhi, the 21-year-old son of Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and grandson of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. Reports suggest that Inban is set to make his acting debut in a film directed by Mari Selvaraj, the same filmmaker who helmed Maamannan (2023), Udhayanidhi Stalin’s last film before he went full-time into politics. Videos of Inban undergoing ‘acting’ training have already gone viral.
This marks the fourth generation of the Karunanidhi family to engage directly with Tamil cinema. Former Chief Minister and dialogue writer M. Karunanidhi used films like Parasakthi to spread social and political ideas.
His son, M.K. Stalin, also appeared in films such as Ore Raththam (1987) and Makkal Aanaiyittal (1988) but failed to make an impact as an actor.
Udhayanidhi Stalin followed, starting as a producer with Red Giant Movies, then making his acting debut in 2012 with Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, and later transitioning fully into politics after the film Maamannan. He too failed as an actor with more than 10 flop in his filmography.
Inban’s rise mirrors his father’s path but appears to be accelerated. In June 2025, coinciding with DMK patriarch Karunanidhi’s birthday, Inban formally took up responsibilities at Kalaignar TV, working closely with executives like CFO Karthikeyan. Reports indicated that he managed daily financial operations reflecting an early immersion into media management much similar to his father Udhayanidhi Stalin. Shortly afterward in September, Inban was seen to have taken over Red Giant Movies, securing distribution rights for Dhanush’s Idli Kadai, further cementing his position in the film industry before even formally debuting as an actor.
It is impossible to ignore the role of nepotism and political grooming. Inban’s rumoured entry into acting, combined with his immediate control over major media and production enterprises, suggests a carefully orchestrated strategy: first managing finances and operations, then producing and distributing films, and finally stepping into acting – all before establishing an independent reputation. Comparatively, Udhayanidhi Stalin took nearly a decade to solidify his cinematic career before moving into politics; Inban’s timeline is much more compressed.
Critics argue that Inban is being prepped not just for a career in Kollywood, but also for future leadership within the DMK, following the same blueprint his father did – from media to cinema to political office.
(With inputs from Times of India)
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