Superstar Rajinikanth is in Hyderabad for the promotion of his upcoming film Kaala. The city reminds him of his first Telugu outing. “I did my first Telugu film, Antuleni Katha, here, and then went on to act in films like Annadammula Savaal, Iddaru Asadhyule, and Tholireyi Gadichindi. I took a break after 15 or 20 films,” he says.
After that, the actor switched his focus to Tamil films. “I had done my first film in Tamil, with K. Balachander, so I decided to continue doing Tamil films. But Telugu audiences never stopped encouraging me, and I am grateful for that,” he says.
The superstar developed an attachment not only to Telugu audiences but also to members of the Telugu film industry.
“Whenever I came to Hyderabad, I would meet N.T. Rama Rao and Dasari-garu and seek their blessings. I miss NTR-garu at lot at this time, and you all know why I am missing him so much,” says the actor who recently announced his intention to enter politics. He has also hinted that Kaala, which is set against a political backdrop, falls in line with his real-life political ambitions.
Talking about his superstardom, Rajinikanth says, “My son-in-law Dhanush said that earlier there was the one and only Rajanikanth. But now, there is a Chiranjeevi, a Nagarjuna, a Venkatesh and a Balakrishna as well, and every actor has his own speciality. In any industry, when an opportunity presents itself, you have to make the most of it. If you work hard, with dedication, you will definitely see the results. Some people call it luck, some call it God’s blessing. Whatever it may be, you have to use the opportunities available to you.”
The actor’s upcoming Kaala has been directed by Pa. Ranjith and produced by Dhanush.
“Ranjith and I worked together in Kabali, and I liked his work. So I decided to work with him again. I know Dhanush has proved himself as an actor, now, he has proved himself as a producer as well,” he says.
