Hey, 61 is no age for a veteran actor to hang up his boots or slow down, for that matter. Rajnikant’s Bollywood counterpart Amitabh Bachchan is going stronger than ever after attaining septuagenarian status.
We can well imagine the South star’s discomfort at having to run around trees and break into song, but Rajni Sir, we hope to see more supersonic thrust in your performances in the future, with you wooing your heroines around planets and asteroids instead of earthly trees!
–Shankar, Sujatha, Lalitha, Chennai
Shivaji Rao Gaekwad Aala Re!
I was pleasantly surprised to lay my hands on the latest copy of FSJ. I wonder why it was not seen earlier on newsstands in Delhi (Hauz Khas, from where I read my mags).
Referring to Rajnikant’s interview, in South India he is perhaps more famous than Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, even surpassing 70s’ heartthrob Rajesh Khanna’s popularity. Rajnikant and Amitabh are both 60-plus and delivering goods to the satisfaction of their fans.
Few remember that the former is originally a Marathi manoos. His desire to now act in a Marathi film has one wondering if it is just a superstar’s wish to appease his roots or a well-calculated political decision.
–Mahesh Kapasi, New Delhi
Where’s Ash?
The 10 most powerful women was interesting. But hey, how did you miss Aishwarya Rai? You mean Priyanka, Katrina and Kareena have power but not Ash, the green-eyed beauty of Bollywood and Hollywood? Aw, come on!
–Noorie Khan, Hyderabad
You’ve Erred
Your Rajnikant interview reads:
And now how are you celebrating the success of Robot/Endhiran?
“I’ve been very busy. The marriage (second daughter Aishwarya’s) was a very big event, then the thale deepavali (a bride’s first Diwali). Now we can concentrate on the animation film.”
His second daughter is Soundarya. Please do the edit.
–Naveen Varadarajan (by email)
We stand corrected, thank you – Ed Redefining The Meaning Of ‘Power’
The power list of women in showbiz was thought-provoking. While Ashvini Yardi of Colors is the epitome of today’s successful woman, it is ironical that she is riding on the woes of the suppressed woman, be it Anandi of Balika Vadhu or Sia and the rest of the Veerpur clan of Na Aana Is Des Lado.
In television circles, any budding writer is clearly told by the channels that they are primarily interested in stories revolving around the ‘abla, laachar Bharatiya nari’ as only such themes garner TRPs. Stories with progressive themes find their way into the trash can.
The worst part about all the serials is that the perpetrators of regression are never punished. Rather, the weaker womenfolk at the behest of their impotent menfolk are expected to forgive them, all in the name of tradition, be it a mean Dadisa or Ammaji.
I think a truly powerful woman would be one who can entertain as well as break the shackles of the stereotyped portrayal of our society. Are you listening, Ms Yardi?
–Anvesha Shah, Surat
From Dakshin With Love – Rajnikant
Yesterday Rajnikant was shot at. The funeral of the bullet will take place this evening! Did you know that Rajnikant once kicked a football? Today it’s known as Pluto! Rajnikant once ordered a plate of idli at McDonald’s… and got it! Rajni and his jokes may be flying high but gauging the man himself from my personal experience and now from your interview, he still seems pretty grounded to reality.
It is so typical of him to pose candidly for the camera in his normal avatar, totally unaffected by the adulation and hype around him.
I have had the good fortune of working with him as a producer when I made Uttar Dakshin way back in the late 80s. He seemed a tad out-of-place in his Bollywood surroundings, preferring to sit it out in the evenings with his wife in an unobtrusive corner of the hotel’s coffee shop. He was already a big star down South, but he never let anyone feel uncomfortable about his godly status.
I have so many pleasant memories of this superstar. On one occasion, I had to give him an instalment of `1,00,000 and another actor `25,000. But my production guy goofed up – he gave Rajni the latter amount and saw him off at the airport. I was aghast and took the next flight to Chennai and handed over the remaining amount to his wife. Both husband and wife were touched by my gesture and said that there was no need for me to have taken the trouble, the amount could have been settled later. But the point is, when Rajni Sir saw he had received a smaller amount, he didn’t question my production man or call me. He was too much of a gentleman to pick up the phone and ask me why I had paid him less.
And how can I forget his hotel bills? For most producers, actors’ hotel bills are a nightmare but right through Rajnikant’s stay in Mumbai, I only had to shell out for his hotel rent and one coffee, one idli per day. He paid for everything else from his pocket.
I guess the saying, good things happen to good people, really holds true here. I wish him all the best and hope the next time he kicks a football, the ball begins to rotate as a planet around Star Rajni!
–Ashok Khanna, Mumbai
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