D-Day is here. Rajnikanth’s latest flick, Sivaji, is releasing in Bangalore today. Those who managed to get tickets for the premiere will be enjoying the superstar’s histrionics onscreen. But for those who want to know more about ‘Rajni anna, Rajni saar’, there is Rajani, a compilation of a series of articles by Devashetty Mahesh, that appeared in the film suppliment of a Kannada daily recently.
Rajani is the story of Shivajirao Gaekwad, a dark, strapping lad who went on to become Rajnikanth, the highest paid actor in Asia, next only to Jackie Chan.
We all know that Rajni gave Rs 40 lakh to Pandari Bai after she was maimed in an accident. But did you know that he helped a poor old lady right beneath Mysore Road flyover, to hoist her bundle onto her head and then stuffing currency notes in both her hands?
Or that a 15-year-old Shivaji went to work as a coolie at Mandipet, downloading heavy bags of grain? Perhaps, the security guard at Alankar Pearl Plaza also would not be knowing that the man who accosted him one day and handed over a few thousands of rupees, after hearing the guard’s tale of woes was indeed, the Tamil superstar himself.
The author, however, was not a fan of Rajni when he began chronicling the ‘adventures of Rajnikanth/Shivajirao Gaekwad in Bangalore.’ All he wanted was a good story for his readers when he heard that Rajnikanth came down to Bangalore and spent his time roaming the streets of Hanumanthnagar, Gavipuram Guttahalli, Gandhi Bazaar and Basavanagudi, disguised as an old man in tattered angi-panche.
Mahesh now wants to bring the book out in English. However, reader-fans need not despair. To get your copy, you can call Ravichandra Rao: 93423-57906/94800-88960 or e-mail: m72_deva@yahoo. com
B S Srivani