Rajinikanth meets Bal Thackeray

“He is like God to me”

Actor Rajinikanth with Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray at his Matoshree bungalow in Mumbai on Tuesday. Photo: Special Arrangement

Actor Rajinikanth met Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray here on Tuesday.

He drove to Mr. Thackeray's residence at ‘Matoshree' in suburban Bandra and sought the Sena chief's blessings.

After meeting Mr. Thackeray, Rajinikanth said: “He is like God to me.”The actor, who has his roots in Maharashtra, also expressed the desire to act in Marathi films.

His latest film

Enthiran (Robot) , in which he is paired with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is a box-office hit. The actor arranged a special screening of the film for Bollywood friends here on Monday night.

Sources said the meeting between Rajinikanth and Mr. Thackeray lasted nearly 40 minutes.

“The Sena chief enquired about the superstar's latest movie and wanted to know the technological details of what went into its making. He also asked Rajinikanth about the box office reports,” the sources said.

Mr. Thackeray wanted to know the actor's fitness mantra and asked how old he was. “Rajinikanth said he was 60 years old and told the Sena chief that he too looked fit and healthy. To which Mr. Thackeray replied that he was 85,” sources said.

Rajinikanth, who was born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in a Maharashtrian family, said he always wanted to meet Mr. Thackeray when in Mumbai.

“Balasaheb told the actor that he was most welcome at Matoshree,” the sources said, adding that the conversation was mostly in English and a little Marathi.

Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray presented Rajinikanth with Maharashtra Desha , his pictorial book on important landmarks in the State.