Tamil superstar Rajinikanth enthralls audiences with punchy dialogues

VIJAYAWADA: Tamil superstar Rajinikanth enthralled the audience with his punchy dialogues in Telugu language and recalled the greatness of NTR as an actor and administrator, at an NTR event on Friday.

Rajinikanth was the chief guest at the inauguration of NTR's centenary celebrations here. Family members of NTR, Telugu Desam chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Nandamuri Balakrishna and others participated in the programme. The event also saw the release of two books on NTR’s speeches.

Rajinikanth said, “If you look at this meeting, you want to talk about politics. Experience tells you not to talk about politics. But there is a need to talk about politics when we are remembering NTR.” He added,

“Chandrababu is my close friend and Balayya (Balakrishna) is my younger brother.”

Rajinikanth, praising the services of Chandrababu towards development of Cyberabad in Hyderabad, said Naidu’s Vision 2047 will be realised. He hoped that AP will become ‘number one’ in the country if Naidu once again came into power.

“NTR's influence on me is a lot. The first movie I saw at the age of six was Pathalabhairavi of NTR,” Rajinikanth said and remembered seeing NTR at the silver jubilee celebrations of 'Lavakusa'. He also remembered the Sri Krishna role donned by NTR, saying NTR mesmerised him in Sri Krishna Pandaveeyam.

Rajinikanth said that after becoming a bus conductor, he acted by imitating NTR and he acted with NTR in the film Tiger in 1977. After seeing Danaveerasurakarna, he wanted to act in the same role but a close friend told him after the makeup that his appearance did not suit the Karna role. So he left it at that. “Only NTR was suitable for that role,” he said.

Chandrababu Naidu, recalling the services of NTR, urged the Union Government to confer Bharat Ratna on NTR. “We would prepare an action plan to establish an NTR memorial,” he said.

Rajinikanth and Naidu felicitated freedom fighter Rampilla Narasayamma, writers and eminent persons. Earlier, Naidu welcomed Rajinikanth to his house for a high tea.