Prateek Tanmay
4 min readHyderabadJul 16, 2026 08:45 PM IST
Malayalam actor Dhyan Sreenivasan turned a routine promotional event for his upcoming film Visitor into a comedy set that has since gone viral, taking pointed digs at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay‘s political rise and landing a joke about Trisha Krishnan that had the audience roaring without him ever having to name her directly.
Speaking at the event, Dhyan said he has been spending more time doing stage shows and advertisements than films lately. He then launched into a story about being at an event in Australia when the news broke that Vijay had become Chief Minister. That, Dhyan said, inspired him to follow the same path.
Dhyan Sreenivasan then pulled his friend and fellow actor Aju Varghese into the joke, claiming Aju had advised him to first become president of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), before attempting to become Chief Minister. “He also said I could become Chief Minister later after doing charity work and impressing people,” Dhyan said, before delivering the twist. “Then he called again and told me not to get involved with AMMA because there were huge issues going on. He said I shouldn’t become either the AMMA president or the Chief Minister. The ideal job for me would be Governor, because there wouldn’t be much work.”
Also Read: Vijay’s son Jason Sanjay flatly refused a movie offer from Alphonse Puthren at age 20
The joke about AMMA landed with extra weight given the controversies that have surrounded the organisation in recent months, including high-profile resignations and public disputes among its members. Dhyan said that when he eventually becomes Chief Minister of Kerala and takes his oath, he hopes his Visitor co-star Navya Nair will be sitting in the front row, wearing a saree, with tears in her eyes.
ഞാൻ CM ആയി സത്യപ്രതിജ്ഞ ചെയ്യുന്ന ദിവസം. .സാരീ ഉടുത്തു ആ ഫ്രണ്ട് റോയിൽ നവ്യ ഉണ്ടാവുമെന്ന് ഞാൻ കരുതുന്നു. .!!
– Dhyan Sreenivasan
That Vijay–Trisha joke from Dhyan Sreenivasan was unexpected..🚶😂 pic.twitter.com/ICrqa590Gf
— Anantha_vishnu (@Ananthuavj) July 15, 2026
When Vijay was sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Trisha Krishnan was seated in the front row alongside his parents S.A. Chandrasekhar and Shobha, and was visibly emotional as he took the oath. The moment had been widely discussed on social media, particularly because it came weeks after Vijay’s wife Sangeetha Sornalingam filed for divorce in February, citing infidelity among other reasons. Vijay and Trisha had also been spotted attending a wedding together in March in matching outfits.
Dhyan Sreenivasan did not mention Trisha by name at any point. The room understood, and the laughter confirmed it. Navya Nair, to her credit, played along when she took the stage. “Don’t worry, Dhyan. When you become CM, as you wished, I’ll wear a white saree with a green border and a diamond necklace, sit in the front row with tears in my eyes, and cheer you with victory slogans,” she said, adding, “Won’t you arrange a seat for me in the front row?”
Aju Varghese, who followed Dhyan Sreenivasan on stage, took a different approach. He addressed Vijay directly and apologised. “Well, one thing is clear now. I can no longer step into Tamil Nadu. So, my dear CM sir, Vijay sir. What is the Tamil word for friend? My nanban has gone mad. I am helpless. Please forgive me,” he said.
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Videos of the event have since been widely shared across social media, with users pointing out how Dhyan Sreenivasan managed to reference one of the most talked-about stories in South Indian entertainment without ever making it explicit. The jokes walked the line between affection and audacity, and the audience at the event clearly appreciated both.
Visitor, which stars Dhyan Sreenivasan alongside Navya Nair and Aju Varghese, is set to release soon.
