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As Mumbai prepares for the upcoming municipal elections, political conversations are no longer confined to rallies, posters, or debates. On social media, especially Instagram a new and unexpected trend is shaping the election buzz: artificial intelligence-generated videos featuring famous Hollywood superheroes stepping into local politics.
Over the past few days, Instagram reels showing characters such as Thanos, Hulk, and Iron Man “campaigning” for political parties have gone viral. These videos are not linked to any official political organisation, yet they have attracted massive attention, racking up millions of views, thousands of likes, and widespread sharing.
One widely circulated reel portrays Thanos as a political entrant, complete with visuals of him filing nomination papers. The caption humorously suggests that the Indian National Congress has welcomed the supervillain into its ranks and assigned him a key responsibility ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
The playful take struck a chord with users, sparking amusement and online chatter.
Another account, depicts Hulk as a supporter of the Shiv Sena. The video claims that Hulk has joined the party to serve Mumbai and Maharashtra, cleverly linking the character’s legendary strength with the party’s image.
The familiar superhero appeal, combined with local political context, has helped the reel gain strong engagement.
The same trend extends to Iron Man. In another AI-generated video, Tony Stark is shown aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The caption highlights themes of leadership, development, and public service, using the character’s global popularity and tech-savvy persona to reinforce the message. Like the others, the reel has travelled quickly across social media feeds.
The rise of these videos highlights how pop culture, technology, and politics are increasingly intersecting online. By blending well-known movie characters with local political themes, creators are finding new ways to capture attention, particularly among younger audiences who dominate platforms like Instagram. The trend also reflects a broader shift, where election-related content is evolving beyond traditional campaigning and becoming part of digital humour and creative expression.
