Kaala and the different shades of Rajinikanth

At the audio launch of his much-awaited film Kaala, at the YMCA grounds in Nandanam on Wednesday, actor Rajinikanth declared that “The day hasn’t come yet.” He was speaking about the date he would announce the name of his political party.

However, he promised that people of Tamil Nadu can hope for a great future soon.

Speaking more about the film, Mr. Rajinikanth said that he didn’t want to make a ‘political film’ and even turned down a great political film. He said that he didn’t have any concrete plans of entering politics even when he decided to act in Pa. Ranjith’s direction again in Kaala.

“After Kabali, I listened to a script from Vetrimaaran, which was superb. But it was an entirely political film. I did not have any plans to enter politics then. There is politics in Kaala, but it is not a political film,” he said. He further said Mr. Ranjith, who has successfully discussed social issues such as caste discrimination and the struggle of Dalits in mainstream cinema, will not end his career merely as a ‘director’ but will go onto do good for the society.

“I told him (Ranjith) that Kabali was your film but Kaala should be both my film and your film. Ranjith will not finish his career as a director. He is the one to think that his community, friends and family should come up in life.”

Important decisions

Speaking about how he made a decision to not to act with female actors who are almost his own daughters’ age, after his 2015 film Lingaa flopped, he said, “The film didn’t do well and people said that my career was over. I learnt that one shouldn’t play a character that is too nice. I decided to play my age and not act with heroines as young as my daughters. I have seen Sonakshi Sinha as a kid.”

Mr. Rajinikanth also spoke about how various situations — movie failures and health issues — in the last few years made it difficult to celebrate the success of his films.

He said that he hoped, just like millions of his admirers, to listen to the voice of former Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s voice again. The actor also said that his dream was to see the ‘linking of rivers’ in India.

Director Ranjith said that Mr. Rajinikanth decided to give him a chance again despite the duo’s earlier film Kabali receiving mixed reviews. “Superstar has so much faith in me and my work. I thank him for him giving me such a big space again,” he said.

“Superstar wanted me to do a commercial film but I wanted to speak about issues faced by the people. It is a commercial film but I was bent about speaking about people’s issues. He has a powerful voice and I wanted to use it,” he said.

Underlining how solving the inequality between two human beings is the greatest struggle, he said, “This film is a small protest to reclaim the dignity and equality of the people who have been denied the same in the Indian society for so many years.”

He further said, “The film will talk about how important land is and about the people who don’t own land, and why more than 60% of Indians remain landless.”

The film, produced by Dhanush’s Wunderbar films, is scheduled to release on June 7. Santhosh Narayanan has composed the music.