The thought of entering politics is something film superstar Rajinikanth has never been able to get rid of. In a state that made chief ministers of two scriptwriters — S. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi — and three actors — M.G. Ramachandran, Janaki Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa — the temptation to throw his hat in the political ring should have been far greater for the matinee idol. In keeping with his mysterious ways, Rajini has aired his latest inclination in a typically enigmatic way, saying, “If God is willing, I will serve the people.”
Having maintained a studious silence for 18 years, Rajini has set the expectations of his fans soaring with his semi-idea of becoming a politician. The magnetic draw of cinema stars in the matter of vote-catching may have had its exceptions, like Sivaji Ganesan being a disaster in the field. But so great is the pull of cinema that political parties have never tired of hoping to rope in Rajini’s crowd-swaying mystique.
Once described as a phenomenon born of a tiger mating a tornado and then their tiger-nado baby getting married to an earthquake, Rajini has been the butt of a thousand jokes, which his family members too have appreciated as they weave fantastic tales of his prowess as a celluloid hero. However, it is a moot point whether such a reluctant politician would ever plunge into a rough and tumble world. Maybe one day he will re-enter the endorsement game, but that would probably be the limit of his political foray.
