The usual New Year resolutions of losing weight or changing lifestyles are usually made without much conviction. However, the word of one man carries enough weight to make thousands of people across the state quit smoking - Superstar Rajinikanth.
Speaking at a function on his birthday earlier this month, Rajinikanth had said, “I have not touched a cigarette for the last few movies that I have made. Not one of my fans should smoke, so please quit the habit.” Following this there had been a group of people who had burned cigarette packets at the venue itself to show that they have taken their idol’s advice.
However, this is not just a theatrical stunt: several thousand of fans of the actor have taken this advice seriously and are planning to quit in the New Year. Many have already stopped smoking, and are dead set on continuing this for the rest of their lives.
Among the city’s most prolific fans, Saidai Ravi, head of the Rajinikanth Fans Association, Saidapet, said, “I used to smoke six packets a day. The day Thalaivar told us to quit smoking, I did. Now I’m saving Rs 300 a day; my wife is happy and my family respects me more.” He also said that he would do anything that the superstar demanded of his fans. Around 150 members of the Ponneri fan club had taken out an anti-smoking bike rally in the area on Sunday evening. Apart from this, many fans are quitting by the day, said Ravi.
After meeting Rajinikanth on Monday afternoon, Ravi said, “He is also a great advocator of organ donation, so around 25 of our members who got the organ donor card presented it to him. He was very happy on hearing about our active move to quit smoking as well.”