There are stars, there are superstars and there are also megastars. But there is only one Rajinikanth. The excitement over his next Kabali that hits the theatres this Friday is already at its zenith and one wonders what the post-release effect would be.
Talk of stardom, probably no other actor in the country has the fan following this conductor-turned-actor has and that cuts across regions. With due respect to the Khans, Amitabh Bachchan and looking back Rajesh Khanna and Dilip Kumar, Rajini Sir is at a different level.
According to a report in the Hindustan Times, several companies down south have issued a holiday on Friday, so that their employees can catch their icon on screen. Can you imagine? Mumbai's Aurora Theatre will have shows of Kabali starting from 3 am and will have its last show at 9 pm on the day of its release. This is perhaps unheard of. There's always something special about southern stars- Sivaji Ganesan, MGR, NTR, Kamal Hassan, Mammootty, Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna and others who are literally treated like Gods. But, Rajinikanth's popularity has redefined stardom. And if you think his charm is confined to the Nilgiris, wait a moment.
For the last one month, the national media is going ga-ga over Kabali, where the superstar has gone for an image makeover and plays his age. Give us one instance of a regional film (ignoring the fact that Kabali is also dubbed in Hindi) garnering so much of attention before with the exception of a Rajinikanth release.
Let's not forget, Rajinikanth is not getting any younger. He is in his 60s and one would say is he is past his prime. But he still is the safest box-office bet in the south even in the presence of hordes of younger stars. Not the best looking man around, Rajinikanth still is more saleable than the Suryas and Mahesh Babus.
What makes him click with the classes as well as the masses is his honesty. Rajinikanth is not a born Tamil (he is a Marathi whose real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad), but when you gauge his stardom despite being an outsider, it's unparalleled. Here's one star who doesn't sport a wig off screen and is back to his own self after shooting is over. It's not for nothing that actresses from Mumbai right from Aishwarya Rai to Sonakshi Sinha die to share screen space with him and that also as his leading lady. Kabali for sure will be a stepping stone in Bollywood actress Radhika Apte's career.
Even to somebody who is not much into southern films, the name Rajinikanth spells magic. There could be question marks on his acting skills (critics don't rate him high as an actor), but who cares when the whole nation salutes his star power? Be it as a scientist in Robot or a crusader in Sivaji, Thalaivar (Boss) as Rajinikanth is fondly referred to, is acceptable in any avatar.
Talk to any film buff from Chennai and the tone of reverence in his voice vis-a-vis Rajini Sir is loud and clear. Many would say that the actor should have done more Hindi films. One still fails to fathom why Rajinikanth preferred to focus on regional cinema despite being a superstar in Bollywood as well --- Andha Kanoon, Bhagwann Dada, Hum, Chaalbaaz and Geraftaar are some of his memorable films. He held his own in the '80s even when Bachchan was at his peak and actors like Sanjay Dutt, Mithun Chakraborty, Anil Kapoor, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff were making their presence felt.
Recall his death sequence in Geraftaar? Or his hide-and-seek game with his on-screen sister Hema Malini in Andha Kanoon? His smoking style was a craze among the youth in the '80s. Have a look at the posters of Andha Kanoon where Rajinikanth is not overshadowed by Big B. Doesn't it say it all? A southern star who can be held in the league of Bollywood's Shahenshah has to be special. When Shah Rukh Khan pays tribute to him in Chennai Express, it speaks volumes of the respect Rajini Sir gets beyond Chennai. And to say Salman Khan's record-breaking Sultan faces a threat from Kabali starring a 64-year-old actor only proves Rajinikanth's star power.
For any wannabe actor, Rajinikanth will be the perfect example of how to handle stardom despite being grounded. Here's an outsider who is more popular than Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister J Jayalaithaa. Here's an outsider whose voice matters to crores and can also influence voters. Here's a MEGASTAR who doesn't crib when a photo showing him wearing a lungi goes viral. Didn't we say he remains grounded? The million-dollar smile on his face only endears him to millions all across the globe.
Cut the cheap Rajinikanth jokes. It takes a lot to be a Rajinikanth. And to say he is DIFFERENT won't be an exaggeration. He is the Thalaivar who doesn't throw attitude and starry tantrums. "When I first went up to meet him, during the initial photo shoot for the first look posters, he was waiting outside his caravan to welcome me. Which star would do that?" says his Kabali co-star Radhika in an interview to Firstpost. Do you need any more proof of his humbleness?
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