ENTHIRAN - ROBOT - RAJINI

There was a time when Rajinikanth was a lowbrow act. The mannerisms that endeared him to frontbenchers in cinema halls across Tamil Nadu for at least two decades invoked derision among those who aspired to class.

But the 'Enthiran' (Robot) mania sweeping the country indicates that the world has changed. Rajini has crossed the borders of Tamil Nadu, and even the boundaries defining Tamil language and culture.
People in the metros are discovering this phenomenon, which can entertain like no other. The pink papers are waking up to the unique business model Rajini presents and the money that's made around him. His film 'Muthu' was all the rage in Japan and 'Chandramukhi' reportedly became a cult hit in Germany. Slate, the US-based online magazine known for its incisive commentary on global culture, has just discovered that of all Asian actors, only Jackie Chan is paid more than the "balding, middle-aged man with a paunch ... sporting the kind of moustache that went out of style in 1986".


Fans are sprouting all over — across classes — to toast the superstar. Call it fad, fetish or fashion everyone is a frontbencher these days when a Rajini-starrer is released. And they make no secret of their yearning for the Rajini experience.

Rajini has been a popular icon in Tamil Nadu for at least two decades now. What's new is the crossing of borders. Could it be just hype kicked off by the media? Or is this an indication of the emergence of a new audience, described by a cinema enthusiast as a post-ironic audience, which is willing to see a film for what it is and not what it ought to be?

A Rajini film is a fast ride in a fantasy world. Outrageous sets and costumes, snappy one-liners, music that mixes folk, rock, rap and classical, dancing sirens and dollops of commonplace moral lessons conjure up three hours of non-stop entertainment. There's no pretence of making the show logical, realistic or cohesive. It's meant to be consumed, no questions asked. You enjoy the unreal stuff without a tinge of irony. It's not surprising that children are counted among Rajini's biggest fans as claimed by Gayathri Sreekanth, the author of "The Name is Rajinikanth".

Rajini didn't begin life in Tamil cinema exactly this way. He started out in negative roles when he joined the industry in the 1970s. In the 1980s, a new Rajini, a hero of the underclass, emerged. This hero was all style and panache. He spawned a thousand imitators as he flicked a cigarette in the air and caught it between his lips. In between, films like 'Mullum Malarum' revealed the potential of Rajini, the character actor.