Tamil Nadu's politics has always been about more than elections — identity, language, social justice, and a culture shaped as much by ideas as personalities.

For decades, this has been a two-front contest. And of course, the DMK and AIADMK remain the main players.

But as Tamil Nadu votes on April 23, that equation is beginning to stretch, with actor Vijay entering the fray, the BJP pushing for a foothold in a state it has long struggled to break into, and competing visions of development and identity in play.

This election is much, much more layered than it appears.

So join me and my colleague, Azeefa Fathima, as we look at the eight factors really shaping this contest.

Let me explain.

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Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Lakshmi Priya, Camera by Nithiesh Kumar M, Megha Mukundan, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ET.