Truth be acknowledged, Rajinikanth is not known for wanting to leave his comfort zone to take the politico-electoral plunge, even if it meant his becoming the chief minister of a state that has conferred Tamil cinema's superstardom on him over the past 25 years. Today, his fans belong to the younger generation all right, but their numbers are far fewer than their counterparts in the '90s. They are not devoid of personal ambitions and agendas, unlike what Rajinikanh wants them to be, if he and they were to enter politics, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
'Later, I asked Hrithik how he could have remained so calm in the circumstances. He told me simply, "What could have happened? At the most, they would have killed me".'
Dominic Xavier offers his take on the Thalaiva's entry on Tamil Nadu's political screen and wonders if he can duplicate his cinematic feats at the ballot box next April..
'In 1983, my father T Rama Rao made Andha Kanoon with Rajinikanth.' 'Amitabh Bachchan was reluctant to come on board as a guest star, as Rajinikanth was a southern star.' 'But when my father pitched it to him, he came on board.' 'The movie ran for 200 days.'
Director Ponram's Rajini Murugan has no real plot, nor any remarkable characters or poignant moments, but some good music, vibrant visuals and spontaneity and charm of its lead actor, makes it a fun watch, writes S Saraswathi
The theatres will start functioning from Friday with the ticket prices set to go up from the present maximum of Rs 120 with the addition of 28 per cent of Goods and Services Tax.
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The list of the prestigious Padma Awards 2016 awardees is out and superstar Rajnikanth is set to be honoured with the nation's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.
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>Ask any true Rajini fan and they'll agree that it's been 20 years since the superstar has produced anything bigger or better than Padayappa. And Darbar, at least going by the trailer, doesn't seem to get any closer to that benchmark 1999 film, says Divya Nair.
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R Rajagopalan predicts that Tamil Nadu won't have single party rule for the first time in its history.
Suresh Krissna, who directed superstar Rajnikanth in films like Annamalai, Baasha and Veera, speaks about his book on the star, My Days with Baasha.
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After a gap of 10 years, the DMK snatched the reins of power from arch rival AIADMK, with its president M K Stalin leading the party to a stellar performance and in the process, helming the state as chief minister for the first time.
While critics and protestors have multifarious arguments to offer, the defence of CAA has been uni-dimensional and uni-focussed as has been the case with most policies of the Modi government and the political positions of his party. But to be drawn into an issue that has assumed more than local and national dimensions, Rajini has knowingly or otherwise, taken the plunge and in favour of the BJP -- or, so it has come to be seen, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The movie superstar and the director will wed at a resort in Mahabalipuram on Thursday, June 9.
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Rajinikanth's visible electoral strength is his constant mouthing of the term, 'aanmiga arasiyal', or 'spiritual politics', without he having to explain what it is. By implication, it is all that what Dravidian politics is not about. It may imply anti-corruption, being against Periyar's forgotten anti-god, anti-Brahmin dictum, but also ends up covering 'Tamil pride', which begins with Tamil language where, as a Maratha from Karnataka, he has more to defend himself. However, in the contemporary national context, aanmiga arasiyal is seen as a front for Rajini to market his brand of 'soft Hindutva' but identified even more with the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in political terms, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
Rajnikanth spoke at the trailer launch of his forthcoming film Darbar in Mumbai.
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A relatively quiet foray by actor Vijay into politics through the TN rural local body elections last month has captured the attention of many, reports Shine Jacob.
Ko 2 is too dreary to make an impact, feels S Saraswathi.
Karunanidhi had expelled Azhagiri and his supporters from the party in 2014 at the height of his fight with his younger brother M K Stalin over establishing supremacy in Tamil Nadu's main opposition party.
In Karunanidhi's passing the real loser is Tamil Nadu and Tamil language. So far there is no one on the horizon to fill the vacuum left behind by him, says R Rajagopalan.
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The BJP will be the obvious gainer while the DMK will lose a major chunk of its vote bank.
'If Mahatma Gandhi could fight to eradicate corruption at the age of 78, why can't I try at 60?'
'I didn't want the biopic on Swami Chinmayananda to be a propaganda film,' filmmaker R S Prasanna tells Shobha Warrier/ Rediff.com
The film will have a mega release in December.
The two obvious best choices are to combine OTT viewing time with some good eating, because Joe, Rishi and Co don't have to be the only ones dining well.
Hundreds of Chennaiites have taken to the social media platforms such as Twitter to reach out to people who need help, co-ordinate search, rescue and food distribution efforts.
Modi, Shah and Nadda have created a strategy to boost the BJP and the government's image.
Today, when one Kamalahaasan launches a new political outfit, vowing to cleanse Tamil Nadu polity and political administration of corruption, mal-governance and non-governance, he is pitted not only against Rajini with his commitment to 'spiritual politics', he is also pitted against the real 'Lotus' in Tamil Nadu politics, representing the ruling BJP at the Centre, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The question is not if Vijay would enter politics. Instead, it is about his chances of success, if any, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
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