CHENNAI: You can’t have Rajinikanth appear in public without someone using the ‘P’ word. And that is probably why the ‘Superstar’ often cringes when he is asked to speak to large crowds. The audio launch of his first motion picture in four years, Lingaa, was no different, as everyone from his director K S Ravikumar to the man who ran the largest film union in town, Ameer, exhorted him to announce his entry into politics.
Surprisingly, the Superstar was way less circumspect than he normally is, not only responding to all the political chatter, but also giving his fans a little something to look forward to. “Entering politics is easy, making it count is difficult. People’s expectations have to be met,” said the actor, speaking at the fag end of a three-hour-long event.
At this point, the anticipation in the theatre was almost palpable. The fans saved their last spurts of energy, it had been a tiring Sunday morning after all, to explode at what they hoped would be the news they’d all been waiting for. Inimitably, the Superstar threw a well-manicured curve ball, “A lot of people who have known me for a long time have said that they never know what I am thinking. To tell you the truth, I do not know myself all that well! I am a prisoner of circumstance, and that and only that will determine my path,” he continued.
A lot has been said about Rajinikanth’s political entry, ever since Narendra Modi met him while campaigning in Chennai. Arching his head to one side and looking squarely past the thousands gathered, focusing on a patch of wall somewhere over their shoulders, Rajinikanth’s words scythed through the sound. “Politics is a danger. It is not a good place to be in. To get somewhere, you need to stamp over people’s shoulders. I do not know the depth of politics. I am not afraid of it, but I am wary,” he paused before delivering his final statement. “I don’t know where my path will take me, but if it leads me there (politics)...”, the crescendo of cheers began to build, “And if god wants me to do it, then I will strive to do good for people.
“We need to create a wave, but I do not know the depth. I am not afraid buy I am wary. I didn’t want to go without addressing these issues - I don’t know where my path will take me, but if it take me there, and if god wants me to do it, I will strive to do good for people.”
Earlier, it was Ameer’s show that led to all the natter. “You are the only person in this State who is worthy to sit in the post of CM,” said the director. “We are waiting for you to become CM. There is currently a gentleman in politics who has been occupying space for 60 years. He isn’t allowing anyone else to come in, to such an extent that last week his son announced that even for the 2016 Assembly polls, he will run for CM. You are not like that,” he said, taking a rather unveiled potshot at DMK chief M Karunanidhi.
On a day when it took little to make the fans go wild, this was the statement that made the crowd cheer the loudest and the longest. In fact, it needed the actor to raise his hands to calm them down. Rajinikanth looked visibly uncomfortable at all the political cat-calling and did not appear happy after Ameer’s firebrand statement. Known for his close ties to the DMK patriarch, Vairamuthu brought some calm to the proceedings by saying, “No one can push him to enter politics, but when he decides to do it, no one can stop him,” he said. Enough said?