Is Rajinikanth heading abroad for treatment?

Chennai: One summer night, 15 years ago, every Chennai mediaperson was headed to the airport for the biggest event of the season: superstar Rajinikanth's return from the US. That he landed to a hero's welcome and became the swing factor in the 1996 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls is now history.

But, fans ask, is Rajini bound for America again? This is the question on the minds of most people in the state. Though sources close to the actor deny he has any such plans, the grapevine has it that he may be taking off for medical treatment abroad.

Ever since the 60-year-old actor, who is paired with 25-year-old Deepika Padukone in his next film Raana, took ill at its launch on April 29, there has been widespread speculation about his illness.

His doctor, C V Krishnaswamy, said Rajini had viral fever, for which he had been advised against attending the launch. But he went ahead and shot for an hour; the heat and stress made matters worse.

Yet the air has not cleared on what ails the superstar.

Rumours abound, one of which is about a liver condition—leaving his fans a worried lot. Many have been seeking divine intervention. In a famous temple in Chennai's western suburb Thiruverkadu, one Rajini fan does angapradhikshanam (roll around a temple's periphery in wet clothes) every weekend. Elsewhere, several people with different professional backgrounds congregate with their families to pull the Golden Chariot of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, while others perform 108 types of abishekams at the Sri Pratyangira Devi Temple in Villupuram.

All have one prayer on their lips: Rajinikanth should be fine. Though the actor was discharged from St. Isabel’s Hospital the same day he was admitted the first time, his second visit, on May 4 led to admission till May 9, which left Eros International, the producers of Raana, concerned.

Is the 150-crore period film jinxed? If his Bangalore-based elder brother is to be believed, Rajini's collapse was a result of a drastic diet regime he had undertaken, shedding 15 kg in 20 days to trim up for his triple- role in Raana. Whatever the reason might be, neither rumour sounds quite like the superhero about whom jokes run out of superlatives.

Meanwhile, Raana's heroine Deepika Padukone, who was committed to shooting that week with Rajini, was made to shoot a solo number by director K S Ravikumar, in order not to waste her call-sheet.

Another dampener arrived with his doctors reportedly advising him a month’s rest. Now there's talk of arrangements being made for a US visa, and rumours of a liver problem. Making light of the health concerns, a doctor who treated the actor during his six-day stay in the ICU, says: "He only needs rest, which is why he was in hospital." Sources are confident the film will be finished by Rajinikanth, even though the beginning hasn't been auspicious.

"There's no way the film will be shelved. The crew will wait for Rajini to recuperate. Deepika is next expected to be available for shooting in July. Rajini will probably rest till then and return to shoot with her,” said a source.

An enchanting actor and enigmatic recluse, Rajinikanth still holds the box office in his sway. Fan frenzy, and the revenue collection for Enthiran (The Robot) reinforce that he is unassailable in Tamil cinema.

The film was made at nearly Rs 200 crore and opened at a record 500 theatres across the state, 200 in Chennai alone. Within a fortnight of its release, the movie raked in twice the investment. The film’s success has been used as a case study at IIM Ahmedabad.

One reason for Rajini's box-office success could be because he dons the greasepaint rarely—two in the last five years. Compare this to three years after his sensational debut, when a record 20 Rajini films hit screens in 1978 alone. Despite his slowing down, his fan base remains enviably intact.

His fan club had 5 lakh registered fans in the early 1990s when enrolment was discontinued, and his dedicated fan following is estimated at 20 lakh. Hence the abiding interest of political parties in this mercurial cultural icon.

Before the 1996 elections, a survey showed Rajini the only actor with a fan base across age groups. The political establishment beckoned and he played along, supporting the hastily cobbled DMK-TMC alliance, which won the ensuing contest for Tamil Nadu with a thumping majority and did equally well in the general elections.

Since then, though the actor tries to keep all parties at arm's length, his entry into politics is eagerly awaited. During this year’s poll campaign, almost every Chennai candidate visited Rajini’s house, ostensibly to seek his blessings.

Perhaps, Rajini is the rare star who is hated by none and loved by most people of Tamil Nadu. That explains the prayers, rituals and thousands of phone calls to St. Isabel’s during his hospitalisation. But those praying the most are leaders who hope to bring The Boss into their fold.