In star-gazing Tamil Nadu, actors definitely make news even if they were only exercising their franchise along with over 75 per cent of voters.
Superstar Rajinikanth was at the Stella Maris polling booth at about 11 a.m. and when he went in to cast his vote, he was mobbed by camera persons as usual. Speaking to TV channels outside his residence later, he said the issues for him during this election included price rise and stability in governance. He also said the Anna Hazare campaign against corruption had his support.
When Kamal Haasan came to the Eldams Road school to cast his vote, he insisted that the camera personnel move away so that he could have complete privacy while pressing the button on the voting machine. “I have come here to do my duty, I request you to grant me privacy,” he said.
Pleasantly surprised
Actors Suriya and Karthi accompanied their father actor Sivakumar and sister Brinda to the Hindi Prachar Sabha booth in T.Nagar, at about 9 a.m. The other voters were pleasantly surprised to see the family waiting in the queue to cast their vote. Suriya, who has just finished shooting for ‘7aum arivu', said: “I am relatively free now. I had to make a trip to Mumbai, but decided to cast my vote and leave later,” said the actor, clad in a blue tee and jeans. Karthi too said he did not have to reschedule his shoot. Actor Ajith Kumar also stood in the queue at a booth in Tiruvanmiyur, waiting for his turn to vote.
Actor Vadivelu who voted in a booth in Saligramam did an impromptu jig just after he cast his vote. Later, he even sang a few lines from an MGR song indicating the three essential qualities of a leader.
Actor Khushboo and her husband director C. Sundar cast their vote at a booth in the Santhome area. The family of actor Vijay, including his father director S.A.Chandrasekar; actor-turned MP D.Napoleon, actors Prabhu, and Trisha were among those who voted in Chennai on Wednesday.
(with inputs from Meera Srinivasan and B.Kolappan)
