When Rajinikanth played the role of a politically-conscious Dalit who fights against a right-wing leader in Pa. Ranjith’s Kaala, it came as a surprise to many.
While the actor was taking a strong political position against anti-Sterlite protests after the police firing in Thoothukudi last year, his screen personna was organising protests against the State in Kaala . Political commentators and critics attributed the politics of Kaala to the politically conscious filmmaker instead of Rajinikanth.
However, he has done it again.
In Karthik Subbaraj’s Petta, Pettai Velan , the character played by Rajinikanth, is once again pitted against a right-wing group based in Uttar Pradesh. Not only is the actor taking on right-wing villains in the film, the film's narrative is peppered with subtle digs at Hindu extremist groups.
Could this film alter the perception that Rajinikanth as being ideologically close to the BJP and the Sangh Parivar?
Fans hopeful
While the actor himself has made no bones about the fact that he would be involved in 'spiritual politics', top Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM) office-bearers are hopeful that it would.
“There are so many subtle messages against Hindu right-wing politics in the narrative throughout the film. The fact that he did not mind acting in a movie that directly critiques a Hindu right-wing party shows that he isn’t right-wing,” said a senior RMM office-bearer.
Rajinikanth, after the losses suffered by the BJP in the recent Assembly elections, said he felt that the “BJP was losing influence”.
However, it remains to be seen whether such onscreen messaging will be enough to change hearts and minds in the real world.
Dalit intellectual and writer Stalin Rajangam feels that the successes of films such as Kaala and Petta might make him think about taking on right-wing politics.
“It is not clear if people’s opinion on Rajini’s politics might change because of these films, but the successes of these films might place certain limitations when he takes such political positions. When he works with young filmmakers with new ideas and when he sees the backlash he receives online for taking strong right-wing views, there is a possibility that it might make him think about his own politics,” he said.
