Will 'Kabali' see the return of Rajinikanth the actor, rather than the 'Superstar'?

Every time I see “Superstar” appear in the title credits on screen, I get goosebumps. And I’ll have the same reaction until my last breath. I have shouted his name until my throat was hoarse, and I know just what it means to fans like us — the emotion it stirs in us. In the desert that is this dreadful life, the Superstar logo and music is an oasis of relief and unbridled happiness. It is something we are used to; something we used to look forward to. But now, I don’t care for it. There, I’ve said it. Let the mobs lynch me, but there it is. I don’t care about the Superstar. Because all I care for is Rajinikanth. [caption id=“attachment_2901584” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rajinikanth in ‘Kabali’, which releases on 22 July[/caption] It’s time for Rajinikanth to change. To drop the symbols and become the man — the man we know as Rajinikanth, or even Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. And I don’t say this with anger. I say it with angst. I say this with honesty, as a fan — a hardcore one. I, as a fan who wears a _rudraks_h on a flimsy black thread just because he does, one who has memorised every one of his dialogues, learnt by rote the lyrics to every song. I have watched all of his movies — multiple times. Nothing has made better a bad day at school, in college, at work, like a Rajini movie. He’s my upper when life hands me out downers. I have grown up with Rajinikanth. However, now I can’t help but feel that he hasn’t grown with me. His recent films could’ve been made to a template. When I walk into the theater, I know he has made yet another film hoping that I won’t walk out disappointed. I know it’ll have all his style, his charisma, his dialogue delivery, basically the Rajini Package. But Rajini wasn’t just about that. He was also someone who played roles that were blacker than what the Black and White Era would allow. He played grey roles — that were sometimes side roles — but with performances that stole the scene even from the likes of Kamal Haasan. There were characters that weren’t moulded for the Rajini-archetype, rather characters that Rajni moulded himself into. I want that old Rajini back. The one who surprised you, who made brave choices. I want the Rajini who made you take him seriously as an actor, and not just as a Superstar. His last critically acclaimed piece of work was Thalapathi, back in 1991. Yes, it’s been over a quarter of a century. The fans might argue Baashha was as good as Thalapathi but the argument is simple: in Thalapathi he was Surya, he was not Rajnikanth. There was no style, there were no punch lines, there were no crazy stunts. He played a character. Not Rajinikanth. We all know the man can act. And he has proved this time and again, in Apoorva Ragangal, Avargazh, Johnny, Ninaithale Innikum, 16 Vayathanile, Netrikan, Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai, Moondru Mudichu, and so many other films. But there is a trend to this list. All these films were made before 1990s. I am not disputing that he has given great, entertaining performances after that era — of course he has. Be it the snake scene in Annamalai, or the swing scene in Padayappa, or the black sheep scene in Enthiran; these roles are iconic without a doubt. But do they match up to the boat scene in Moondru Mudichu, where there was no style, no dialogue and just plain emotion? I, for one, don’t think so. Why were those performances so brilliant? What set apart his choice of scripts from the others? To me, the answer is simple. Back then, he was Rajini. He hadn’t forgotten what it was like for Shivaji Rao to find acting gigs. He wanted to stand out, he wanted to perform, and most importantly, he wanted to act. He wasn’t controlled by production houses. He had the freedom to pick the characters and scripts he liked. Even at his peak of his action career, he could choose to do a Johnny and get away with it. And he could choose to retire. He came back because he was coaxed by his fans. But now, everything changed. Earlier, he chose the scripts that he liked, now he began choosing the scripts he felt his fans might like. We, as fans, are responsible for this too. We hailed him as our Superstar, and we wanted this Superstar to play the Superstar in every film. We put so many expectations on him, that he had to rely on a formula, he couldn’t take risks. The fault lies with us too. There’s a pressure that comes with the title. The pressure of delivering every time, the pressure of paying back the producers if the film does not do well, the scorn of the fans. I understand the pressure. And for that I am sorry. I am sorry for putting on him the pressure of being a Superstar. But it’s time to take this pressure off his shoulders. Because his legacy has become his baggage. And time for him to start playing characters his age, instead of romancing heroines who played his children once upon a time. It’s time he took a page from Amitabh Bachchan’s book (and not another script), to gracefully transition into roles that suit him. It’s time he started using his style as a punctuation to his acting narrative, rather than the narrative itself. It’s time he did a film that will be loved by the critics, or better, one that he’ll love himself because the fans will automatically follow suit. It’s time he did some justice to his talent. It’s time he went back to where he started. It’s time to change, Thalaiva. Please. I will watch every film of yours again and again, especially from the ones from the golden era. But deep in my heart the questions will always remain, was this your best yet? Was this the film every Rajini fan wanted? Or was it the film Rajini wanted? I don’t know these answers, but there is one thing I do know. When you choose to drop the Superstar logo, we fans will be sad. We’ll be sad, but we’ll get over it. Because we love you and not a goddamn title. And so, I will see you in Kabali. I will be there at 4.30 in the morning, on the first day, for the first show. I will yell until I lose my voice cheering for the Superstar. But hopefully I’ll see my Rajini instead. The writer knows how to humble brag, annoy folk and lives in a land where his foot is always in his mouth