The situation has turned so desperate that people across the country generally believe that we are close to anarchy. The faith on the common man on the government and the system to deliver is perhaps non-existent, with perhaps the sole exception of the highest courts of the land.
But if only real life could imitate the reel life, we could get rid of the scourge of poor governance and its associated ills instantly. But in real life it is exactly the opposite -- the continued triumph of the system against the common man. That explains why Sivaji - the Boss was a success on screen and why Rajni did not enter politics in real life.
Crucially, Rajni is fully aware of this paradigm. He knew for sure that reel life provides the luxury of retakes, cuts, body doubles and editing while real life is ruthless. Naturally, one wonders whether Rajni did miss the political bus in the mid-nineties, more by design rather than default. The Boss did fail -- but in his political failure lay his personal triumph. Nevertheless, since then the sobriquet 'Rajnican't' stuck.
But who can?
The reference to Rajni is not without a purpose. Readers may be aware that it another star of the Telugu cinema -- Chiranjeevi -- has recently taken a plunge into politics. So has Vijayakanth -- a popular hero in Tamil cinema a few years back as have Sarath Kumar and Karthik, recent heroes of the Tamil celluloid world.
Image: Chiranjeevi posters adorned the temple city of Tirupati the day he launched his party, Praja Rajyam.
Photograph: Snaps India
Also read: 'Rajnikanth must apologise'
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