A political role for ‘Thalaiva’ Rajinikanth?

Santosh Kumar

RAJINIKANTH’S five-day interaction with thousands of fans from all over Tamil Nadu did not provide any definite hint as to the celluloid hero's real intentions. Those who read between the lines feel that this time the star seems to be serious about his political role. Or rather side roles for mainstream political parties. However, one thing is certain. Rajini is fed up with the present political system which is "corrupt" and he feels democracy is in a "rotten" state in Tamil Nadu. He did not offer any panacea for this, other than the need to "work together". 

Instead, he said: “They ask me why I want to correct things when there are others. Yes, there are leaders; Stalin is there, Pattali Makkal Katchi's Anbumani Ramadoss is well-educated, has modern ideas...Dalit party Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan is also admired a lot. Naam Tamilar Katchi leader is a fighter. I am excited about some of his views. Then there are others..." 

At no time did he point to any specific act of corruption, nor about what is actually “rotting”. If on the first day of the interaction Rajini hoped to enter politics, God willing, he signed off by telling his fans that: "We shall unite when war comes." Which war, nobody knows. It can't be one with Pakistan, for the winds of xenophobia sweeping across the North have not yet reached deep down South. It can be anyone's guess, which suits Rajini.

More than anyone else “Thalaiva” Rajinikanth knows that his larger-than-life persona of the celluloid world will not work in politics, though some political parties have this mistaken notion that his fandom is a real vote bank. It was in the 1996 Assembly elections that Rajini stuck his neck out by asking his fans to vote for the late GK Moopanar's Tamil Maanila Congress which was in alliance with Karunanidhi's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. The combine swept that election not because of Rajini's support but mainly riding on the wave of people's anger against a corrupt Jayalalithaa regime, especially the wedding that she held for her foster son. Though Moopanar had invited Rajini to join his party at that time, he politely declined the offer. 

In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections when Rajini openly cast his vote for the BJP, the party's alliance with Jayalalithaa did not win a single seat. Rajini does not belong to the class of MG Ramachandran or Jayalalithaa. At best, he may be slightly better off than “Captain” Vijayakanth who was made irrelevant in Tamil politics by J. Jayalalithaa in the last Assembly elections. Like Rajini, MGR too was not a Tamilian. But unlike Rajini, MGR had done his political homework by mingling with the toiling masses as an ordinary DMK worker, understanding their hopes and aspirations, sharing their sorrows and rare moments of joy. This reflected in his cinema. There is not a single MGR film that does not convey a message on social justice.  There is not a single film in which you could see MGR consuming alcohol or smoking a cigarette. His reel and real life personas coincided. No wonder they endearingly called him “Makkal Thilakam” or “People's Jewel”.  

Jayalalithaa was exceptionally lucky to graduate from that school of politics.  It stood her in good stead. Rajini has none of these qualities. He had always kept a distance from the masses. His films do not convey anything that is worth emulating. All he has got is his fan following, that goes hysterical each time a new Rajini film is released. He even met his fans this time after a gap of eight years. There is nothing that connects Rajini with his fans other than his "style". To transform that into votes is perhaps asking for manna.

There will be no dearth of political parties making a beeline to court Rajinikanth, the politician. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is trying its level best to get a foothold in the state, is very much in the forefront. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah may succeed in wooing him to their ranks. But if the BJP hopes to piggyback on Rajinikanth to the centre stage of Tamil politics, the party leadership seems to be living in a fool's paradise. If the ruling party at the Centre is defining who should be a nationalist and who is anti-national, this is bound to come into direct conflict with Dravidian nationality. Marketing Rajinikanth, who happens to be a Marathi by birth, as a Tamil politician will not be as simple as marketing Rajinikanth the Tamil film actor. Already, there are fringe elements of Tamil nationalist outfits hitherto unheard of such as Tamizhar Munnetra Padai organising rallies against Rajinikanth. Hawks among the Dravidian parties will naturally do everything to fuel such sentiments. How Tamil nationalism came to the fore recently over Jallikattu can't be forgotten easily. The BJP had at that time stoked the fire of Tamil pride — hoping to cash in on it politically.  

Dravidian parties and the Congress too would surely love to have Rajini. The DMK and Stalin would be an exception since no one can be above Kalaignar Karunanidhi. Rajini may opt to float his own party which may turn out to be suicidal. Castles can't be built on shifting sands. For that, one has to lay a foundation. Members of Rajini manrams (fan clubs) can't substitute for party workers.  In present-day Tamil Nadu, the role of a politician is unlikely to suit Rajinikanth. It is better for him and the Tamil film industry if he remains a supestar, "a pacha Tamizhan (plain Tamilian) and a pacha human being”.

The writer is a senior journalist