Rajinikanth's spiritual plank not for 'Dravidian cradle' Tamil Nadu: Stalin Edit

Asked if Rajinikanth sought the DMK's support, he said such things could be decided only during elections

DMK working president M K Stalin has said Tamil Nadu was the cradle of the Dravidian movement, where there was no place for spiritual politics as enunciated by superstar Rajinikanth.

He made the remark just after the top star called on his father and DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his residence here, days after announcing his entry into politics.

Citing Rajinikanth's assertion of "spiritual politics", Stalin told reporters here yesterday that Tamil Nadu was the cradle of the Dravidian movement.

"Some are creating an impression that Rajinikanth is to launch a party at the instigation of people who intend to decimate the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu.

"Let me tell you this is the land of Periyar Anna (Dravidar Kazhagam founder E V Ramasamy Periyar) and Kalaignar (Karunanidhi)... such efforts in the past have ended in a fiasco," he said.

Asked if Rajinikanth sought the DMK's support, he said such things could be decided only during elections.

Announcing his political debut on December 31 last year, Rajinikanth batted for honesty in politics and good governance.

He said "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" needs to be ushered in with transparency, sans shades of any caste or religion.

Stalin said the actor calling on Karunanidhi was nothing new and that he had called on the nonagenarian leader some months ago to enquire about his health.

Actor Vijayakanth too had called on Karunanidhi and sought his blessings before launching his party, the DMK leader said. (more)

Kabali film review: Weapon of mass attraction Edit

The expectations from Kabali are as high as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the setting for almost 80% of the movie, not least because it's a Rajinikanth movie. The reasons are varied: the audience need a taste of the Rajinikanth of yore, not a do-gooder Samaritan (Lingaa) or a CGI generated version of a warrior Prince (Kochadaiiyaan). Thalaivar fanatics just wanted him to have fun, which was rarely the case ever since Sivaji. The teasers of Kabalisuggested Rajinikanth is back to his glory days of Basha, Padayappa and Pedarayudu.
 
You wanted badass, you get industrial levels of badass in this Pa Ranjith movie. His previous film Madras had a delightful off-kilter sensibility. Sadly, here he spends too much time deifying his larger-than-life protagonist. And that makes the movie a giant 150-minute slog.
 
It opens with the erstwhile gangster getting released from a Malaysian prison after spending 25 years there. As soon as he steps out, he's apprised of how his rival gang (consisting of Kishore and Winston Chao) has grown from strength to strength and has turned the city into a teeming hub of drug abuse and prostitution.
 
Kabali starts cleaning up right away, while getting reunited with his daughter and wife along the way. You have to be punch drunk on Rajini mania to sit through the movie without dozing off or trying to play Pokemon GO at the cinema itself. The only saving grace is the man himself. The wizened visage hasn't lost a bit of its grace and infectious scowl.(more)