Jaya and Karunanidhi out of the way, Rajinikanth now seeks a lead role in Tamil Politics.
“EN vazhi, thani vazhi” (My path is a path apart)—that famous punchline from superstar Rajinikanth’s hit movie Padayappa—is all set to come true. Finally, after decades of dithering, Tamil cinema’s superstar seems close to taking the political plunge. And, as promised, he would be charting his own path by launching a new party.
During a meeting with his fans recently, when he took photographs with them, Rajinikanth vaguely outlined his political intent. “If god so wills it, I will enter politics. And those who want to make money from politics will be kept away,” were his opening remarks. In his concluding remarks, he asked his fans to get back to their work and report when the “war” is announced (comparing elections with war). Having raised their expectations sky high, the 67yearold Rajinikanth cannot afford to retreat like he has done in the past—and his supporters assert that he won’t. “Once the movie assignments are wrapped up by October, Rajinikanth will make the announcement,” reveals a close confidant. “The new party and its agenda would be in place for the 2019 general elections. The groundwork has already commenced, with a few advisors already drawing up the blueprint. Rajinikanth wants to dominate the next phase of Tamil Nadu politics and he will.”
This story is from the June 12, 2017 edition of Outlook.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 12, 2017 edition of Outlook.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Propaganda Files
A recent spate of Hindi films distorts facts and creates imaginary villains. Century-old propaganda cinema has always relied on this tactic
Will Hindutva Survive After 2024?
The idealogy of Hindutva faces a challenge in staying relevant
A Terrific Tragicomedy
Paul Murray's The Bee Sting is a tender and extravagant sketch of apocalypse
Trapped in a Template
In the upcoming election, more than the Congress, the future of the Gandhi family is at stake
IDEOLOGY
Public opinion will never be devoid of ideology: but we shall destroy ourselves without philosophical courage
The Many Kerala Stories
How Kerala responded to the propaganda film The Kerala Story
Movies and a Mirage
Previously portrayed as a peaceful paradise, post-1990s Kashmir in Bollywood has become politicised
Lights, Cinema, Politics
FOR eight months before the 1983 state elections in undivided Andhra Pradesh, a modified green Chevrolet van would travel non-stop, except for the occasional pit stops and food breaks, across the state.
Cut, Copy, Paste
Representation of Muslim characters in Indian cinema has been limited—they are either terrorists or glorified individuals who have no substance other than fixed ideas of patriotism
The Spectre of Eisenstein
Cinema’s real potency to harness the power of enchantment might want to militate against its use as a servile, conformist propaganda vehicle