In true Rajini style, Vijay doesn't believe in giving interviews and has a strong fan base among Tamil film lovers.
The DMK, AIADMK, PMK, BJP gear up for next May's assembly elections.
Its double bonanza for Rajinikanth fans as his newest film releases on his 64th birthday.
The actor said he took the decision after founders of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, Vaiko and Thol Thirumavalavan respectively, and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan asked him to consider withdrawing from the programme.
Rajini-Kamal duo cannot do harm to the AIADMK-led alliance in the state electorally, Jayakumar said.
Rajinikanth and Kamalahaasan's new generation movies of the twenty-first century may make bigger money than their earlier films but leave behind a lesser impact. That would make the difference between their success and failure as politicians, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Vijay's fans have erected a statue to celebrate the success of his newest film, Kaththi.
Neither Thiruvalluvar nor me will get trapped, Rajini said with a big laugh.
'He just said that those who cannot control the violence should go. He did not name the BJP.'
A recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours
Sanju Samson had his fan boy moment when he met Rajinikanth -- the one and only Thailavaa -- at his residence in Chennai.
Celebrities and politicians made a beeline for polling stations in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as both the states go to the polls on Monday.
At the Leo fete, Vijay had this also to tell his fans: 'I know you all are in my heart. But today, I also know that I am also in the hearts of all of you...' A typical politician's line, did you say, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
The latest updates from the Tamil film industry.
The Tamil film industry won't forget Vijayakanth's large-heartedness, how he took care of fellow industry persons, male or female, rich or poor, young or old...recalls N Sathiya Moorthy. How he sent money quietly for the family of a stunt artiste to meet his funeral expenses, how he always ensured that all female co-stars, including junior artistes, had secure accommodation on outdoor shoots, and how he would always the first to rush help if anyone from the fraternity was in distress.
The Delhi high court, on March 9, allowed Dinakaran's plea for allotment of a common symbol, preferably 'pressure cooker', and a name of his choice for the AIADMK faction led by him.
A lowdown on all the goings-on in the Tamil film industry.
Vijay has a lot of young and middle-aged women fans, but as voters, they are possibly now with the DMK, or remain with the AIADMK. Recapturing this constituency would have helped Vijay's political launch and the GOAT script and dialogues could have gone a long way in helping out. But the kind of script and screenplay and the unusually and equally unnecessary long run-time (3 hours, 3 minutes) that GOAT offers takes the film experience over the heads of those that are not familiar with secret agents and uranium theft in Tamil cinema, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
As Thalapathy Vijay embarks on a career in politics, Arjun Menon looks closer at his glorious filmography.
Rajinikanth gave a realistic portrayal in his 2016 release Kabali.
If the BJP has to work as a junior partner of Vijay's TVK, then either the party will have to change the state leader, or the latter should change himself. Incidentally, ever since Vijay started talking politics and elections, the pro-BJP/Hindutva social media had stopped dragging his name into any non-existing issue.' In particular, they have stopped referring to him by his Christian name, 'Joseph Vijay', observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
If Muslims face trouble I will be the first person to raise voice for them, says the Tamil superstar.
Rajinikanth said he stood by his comments made on Periyar, maintaining that they were factual and refused to apologise as demanded by fringe Dravidian outfits. DMK chief advised him to exercise caution while expressing views on Periyar.
'After the blockbuster success of Annaatthe, he argues, why should he hang up his boots when his fans still want more and more of him?'
Is the unusually and unbearably scorching Sun and the general laxity, bordering on laziness, among voters, responsible, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
If the Congress lost in Tamil Nadu in 1967, never to return, or the DMK and the AIADMK have kept their place in power and electoral politics since then, it owes not to their love or hatred for gods or for one religion over another. Instead, they had always been linked to performance and incumbency/anti-incumbency factors. There may be something in such constructs for Rajini's strategic team to consider, especially if the superstar is to enter direct politics by around this time next year. But then, they would need to brush up their homework more than at present, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
We take a look at 10 recent awe-inspiring prosthetic aesthetics that actors have rocked for their respective roles in films.
While we wait to see just how good Brahmastra is and how well it does at the box office, Joginder Tuteja looks at how sci-fi movies have done in recent times.
"I have suddenly become the talk of the town," Alok Nath laughs.
'Sri Ayodhyaji will emerge as the greatest centre of cultural togetherness, universal harmony, vasudeva kutumbakam, compassion, and love for every single living being on this Earth.'
But, Haasan said he one could not rule out an electoral alliance between the two.
Will it be the battle of the year between two bigwigs? Only time will tell.
Rajini's call may now force other political parties, including the DMK and the Congress, who are in alliance talks already, to come up with water proposals of their own in their poll manifesto. In a way, this may be a 'tactical victory' for Rajinikanth, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Today, Anirudh Ravichander's name on a film's poster is enough to pull in audiences, notes Arjun Menon.
Tamil Nadu has time and again proved that it needs a decisive leader even if corrupt, rather than an indecisive leader, however good-hearted, good-natured and honest he may be, writes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Kabali will hit nearly 5,000 screens worldwide on July 1.
Along with Modi, senior BJP leaders including Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar, all ministers in Modi 2.0 Cabinet, took oath as cabinet ministers at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. In all, 71 ministers were sworn-in along with Modi, taking the strength of the Union council to 72.
'2.0 has Rajinikanth playing a complex character, it has a lot of shades, and he has different looks too. He was very sporting.' Designer Rocky S lives his dream.
Arjun Menon looks at some Tamil films from the last decade that tick all the right boxes, and lists where you can watch them.
