ONE SONG. TWO LANGUAGES. ONE HEROINE. TWO HEROES

THE ORIGINAL IN TELUGU



THE REMAKE IN TAMIL

WANNA KNOW WHY RAJNIKANTH IS THE BIG BOSS OF INDIAN FILM INDUSTRY? READ ON

He is revered by the people, adored by filmgoers, and deified by his fans. He has fan clubs in more than a dozen countries in the world; his films are a rage in south-East Asia, especially Japan and China, and his latest film was released in some ten countries. What makes Rajnikant, who has changed the definition of a filmi hero, a huge phenomenon that has the nation go bonkers whenever his film releases?

"Style, style and only style," says Sreedhar Dorairaj, a senior business development executive in an IT company. "It might look funny for people who don't know him. But, he is famous the world over for his style."

Style is an understatement for his gimmicks like throwing a cigarette in the air and lighting it midway, his quick gun moves, his unique way of brushing his hair, and his ability to shuffle the things in his hand in rapid succession. "They may be small things, but they have a huge impact on the audience," says Dorairaj.

Abhishek Shetty, general manager in a hotel, feels that Rajnikant "creates an impression" whenever he appears on the screen. "His gestures like the way he puts his shawl, movement of his hands, wearing goggles, and his unique gait during the opening scene of the movie make people go crazy."

In fact, so popular has he become for his handling of the gun, that one of the music channels had a promo for its regional programmes, titled Quick Gun Murugan. Explains Anand Vishnu, an entertainment journalist, "Rajnikanth has a seasoned but bizarre style that every kid on the streets loves to imitate. Besides his unique style, he also has an amazing screen presence that makes him an irreplaceable icon."

But, it is too simplistic an explanation for his legendary status in the Indian film industry today. It's true he owes his meteoric rise in the '80s to his gimmicks. But, gimmicks alone cannot explain his larger-than-life persona that puts him miles ahead of his colleagues in the film industry.

Says Sunitha Chowdhury, a film journalist from Hyderabad, "All this talk about style and gimmicks is a thing of the past. Only people who haven't watched him closely attribute his unusual popularity to gimmicks. On the contrary, Rajnikant has carefully cultivated an image to ensure a place in the hearts of the people."

In a word, Rajnikant has transformed himself from an angry young man, bashing up the baddies in the 80s, to the comic superstar of the 90s and 2000s with his brand of humour. And, when he digs into his aggresive side, his one-liners deliver such a punch that they reverberate in the theatre with the background music giving it the right effect, sending tremors amlong the baddies. And so popular are they that they echo in the minds of the people, years after the film is released, whenever they talk about Rajnikant or his films.

What lends the punchlines such a mesmerising effect is that some of them are intended to be political missiles like the one from Padayappa, reportedly aimed at the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa. Similarly, the one-liner 'Nobody will know when I will arrive, or how I will arrive, but I will arrive when I ought to arrive' was meant to ward off the speculation of his entry into politics. In an industry that is closely associated with politics, Rajnikant had made the most of the people's political awareness. And soomed his way to the top!

THE SECRET OF RAJNI'S POPULARITY IS IN THE PUNCH LINES

* Naan solrathaiyum seiven, sollathathiyum seiven. (I will do what I say, I will also do what I don't say)
-- Annamalai (1992

* Naan oru dhadavai sonna nooru dhadavai sonna madhiri ( If I say it once, it's like saying it a hundred times)
-- Basha (1995)

* Naan eppa varuven, eppadi varuvennu yarukkum theriyadhu, aana varavendiya neratthil correct-aga varuven (Nobody will know when I will arrive, or how I will arrive, but I will arrive when I ought to arrive)
-- Muthu (1995

* Andavan solran. Arunachalam seiran (God orders, Arunachalam follows)
-- Arunachalam (1997

* En vazhi – thani vazhi (My way is the highway)
-- Padayappa (1999

* Khatham, gatham (The past is past)
-- Baba (2002

* Laka, laka, laka
-- Chandramukhi (2006).

* The latest to tease the audiences is 'COOL' from Sivaji: The Boss

(Courtesy: Pune Times)

YOU CAN'T STOP THE RAJNI JUGGERNAUT! SIVAJI ROLLS ON MAJESTICALLY INTO THE AUDIENCES' HEARTS

If wishes were horses, Rajnikanth would ride off to the Himalayas and take sanyas. Seriously. We're not joking. For the expectations from him are so mindbogglingly huge, that even if gives the best of the best hits, it is not enough. The discriminating audience and the critics want even more. A superlative verdict. A perfect work of art. But, sadly, only plastic things are perfect, while living things look good with their little imperfections.

Take, for example, Sivaji: The Boss, which was released with much fanfare today. It has all the ingredients, and in the right doses, to call it a superhit. But, no, the critics, say, the first half is a little slow, the dialogues are a little drab, A R Rahman's background music is unimpressive, and there is no punch in Rajni's dialogue delivery. What crap! These are the same guys who will have names for a perfect piece of art like the Taj Mahal, too.

Like all his earlier films, Rajnikanth seeks to play the good samaritan to the core. And so, this NRI, who earns loads and loads of money, Rs 250 crore to be precise, wants to spend it on charity by constructing hospitals and educational institutions to offer quality education to the poor and the needy -- all for free.

But will the education mafia allow him to do that? Definitely, not. Because it will deal a deathly blow to their money making institutions. So headed by Suman, the godfather of the education mafia, they gang up to ensure that his plan is nipped in the bud. And how do they do it? With the help of politicians and the bureaucracy. Director Shankar, in his own unique style, exposes the corruption that is eating away the innards of our political system and lays bare the politician-bureaucrat nexus.

Shankar paints a realistic picture of how anyone who wants to do good in the society, however big or mighty he might be, without whetting the appetites of the ruling class, is bound to end up like paupers. It is only the blood-sucking, power-hungry, money-minded people who survive in the country. And this explains why the politician-bureaucrats-contractors nexus still rules the country. So, Rajnikanth too loses his all in his attempt to provide social infrastructure. Predictably, the interval follows.

How Rajnikanth picks up the gauntlet and gives the bad guys a taste of their own medicine is the crux of the remaining part of the story. And, once the curtains go up after the interval, the film picks up momentum with the Rajni's trademark quips, witty dialogues and his unique mannerisms. And director Shankar rivets our attention with gusto. And only a director of his calibre could have been able to pull off an impossible coup as Sivaji: The Boss.

The film has the right mix of entertainment with Shreya oozing the much-needed oomph to make the audiences go bonkers. She looks great and exudes an aura that will be remembered in the South Indian film circles for some time to come.

Like all his films, Rajnikanth has a too has a cool dialogue in Sivaji, too. And that is COOL. And when he says it in his typically naughty way to taunt the baddies, it is a sight to watch. The way Rajni plays on the chewing gum is hilarious and drives the fans crazy.

Rahman delivers a classy concoction and some of the songs, especially the one starring Nayanatara is bound to be popular.

A COOL movie to the core, if it sags in its enthusiasm, it is only because you are watching it with blinkers on: that is the expectations, I've been talking ablout. And if you go to watch Sivaji with such an attitude, you are bound to make it a miserable experience. Otherwise, it is a wonderful film by all standards. Don't miss it for anything in the world.

That guy Vivek will have you in splits. And when he is in Rajni's company, which he always is throughout the movie, it is a double treat. And for the critics, I have only one advice. Go take a walk!!

If you haven't watched Sivaji, watch the trailer at least, it is fun