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)

RAJNIKATH NOT JUST PUNCHES THE BAD GUYS ON HIS WAY TO STARDOM, BUT PUNCHES SOME WONDERLINES TOO!! TAKE A LOOK AT THEM

Every film of actor Rajinikanth has one of those punchlines delivered by him in the inimitable superstar-style. In fact, the film punch dialogues become the showcase of the film, and are remembered forever.
The punch dialogues are carefully scripted behind the scenes to match the super star's image. And his new film, Sivaji: the boss, that has his fans raging about cannot remain an exception.
Director and scriptwriter P Vasu, who scripted the super star’s last hit Chandramukhi, says that the writer can come up with the lines, but it's Rajinikanth's delivery that gives it an impact. "We can come up with the lines but when the superstar says it, the lines become alive,” says Vasu.
And the punchlines often have a message. In 1998, super hit film Padayappa, a one-liner condemned the anger of a woman. It was seen as a message to Jayalalithaa with whom Rajinikanth had a face-off in the 90s.
Director S P Muthuraman who introduced Rajinikanth as a hero says that from the beginning the punch lines were designed to project a reel life image, matching with the superstar’s real life image.
Says Muthuraman, “In Murattu Kalai, there was song designed for Rajinikanth because we knew it would be received well by his fans.” And, in the subsequent journey to super stardom, Rajinikanth has carried his style and his punchlines guaranteeing an electric presence every time he blazes the silver screen.

(Courtesy: CNN-IBN)