R for Rajni

am a self declared thalaivar fan. I wrote this below article in Aug 08 when Kuselan released.

read on...

There is only one sun...

I will complete the above riddle at the end of this mail. Now, back to what I wanted to write about. After marriage, I was a bit reluctant on bringing out my Super Star mania to her. Well...not that I felt bad about it but its like...you know...hmm...how will a girl look at somebody who adores a cinema star and goes berserk on his new movie release days. Seemed like a hard sell. Anyhow, it eventually needed to come out and it did. Surprisingly, she was cool about it when I told.

Finally D-day arrives. On the day before Kuselan release, I gently tell her that I will be up by 5:30 am next day so that I can drive to Hosur (about 25 km) to catch up with the exclusive fan's show (thanks to naadas!). She does not believe that I will get up and takes it light. Hmm...girls!....:) ....So, next day dawns and I do it for the first time ever in Bangalore...get up by 5:30 am without the alarm...Quickly dress up and get going along with three other friends. First drink of the day is ...he he he....wine in the car.

7 am.

We reach Hosur Raghavendra theatre by 7 am to the sound of Fireworks. The celebrations and hoardings are toned down (since this is not a pucca Rajni movie). Yet, the place wears a festive look. Something strikes me quick. Most of them present are over 30. And well behaved (believe me....I have been to first day shows in Albert theatre in Egmore and the crowds there are really crazy!) The worn steel grille gates could not hold the mad rush of people trying to get inside. The theatre guards start shouting and an aged person (some 40 years old) comes up with something I have never ever heard before.

Guard : deii...#$#%^^..olunga varisaya pongada (hey....#$#$%^....go in a line)

Aged : thambi....naanga kadavule paaka porom....idhu (points to theatre) enga koil...onnum panna maatom!....(bro..we are going to see our God...this theatre is our temple...nothing will happen)

Guard : (gives a puzzled look and moves away)

Aged : (says to the crowd in general) naan inga 25 varushama varen..hmm.. (am coming here for the last 25 years)

The crows jostles and me lands inside the theatre with a big shove! Wheww.....We quickly occupy the wooden seats and wait for the darshan (he he..). No AC in the theatre. No fans where we sat. We sweat and wait......It happens in the sixteenth minute. And everything else is forgotten!....The last 20 minutes of the movie rocks us. We make out of the theatre straight to office.

7 pm.

This is an entirely different world. Forum mall is one of the happening places in Bangalore (bomb or not...:). The crowd is hep; you smell Australian cookies. The might of Indian economy: the rising middle class is amply seen. Am again with a larger group of friends and my wife. The PVR theatre ambience is real good. Once inside the theatre, the crowd dynamics is typically the same for Thalaivar!. The 16th minute...the same excitement!

I witness

Two worlds;
Different types of people;
Same behaviour.

There is one scene in the movie where Vadivelu on seeing Super Star goes wierd and starts acting mad! That was the act of the day and I could fit any fan in that scene and see the same result....:)

As we come out and slowly dissolve into reality, she asks me....'When did you become this big a fan?' Am puzzled for an answer. When? Why? Was it his on screen or off screen presence? Was it his struggles and eventual success? Was it his simplicity? I don't know.

I only know

There is only one sun...
There is only one super star.