Although Tinseltown friendships are often described as ephemeral and superficial, some have stood the test of time and transcended the glitz and glam. ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth recently opened up about one such bond in his life, the one he shares with multi-hyphenate K Bhagyaraj, which he has cherished for a long time and also became his sole saving grace during a chilling moment once.
While participating in an event in Chennai to commemorate Bhagyaraj’s 50 years in cinema, Rajinikanth noted that the former was one of the three “kings” who entered the Tamil film industry in the 1970s, alongside legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja and ace filmmaker Bharathiraja. While Ilaiyaraaja reigned over music and Bharathiraja commanded film direction, Rajinikanth noted that Bhagyaraj was the only one to demonstrate his prowess in writing, directing, acting, and composing music simultaneously. He also lauded the screenwriter-director for crafting strong female characters in his movies.
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On the occasion, Rajinikanth took a trip down memory lane and shared an incident from the 1990s when Bhagyaraj saved him from an angry mob. Recalling speaking in an emotional and passionate manner at an event in Chennai in 1995 to pay tribute to legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth said that certain remarks he made there did not sit well with the public and soon led to protests against him. One day, while he was travelling in a jeep, an unruly crowd began pelting stones at the vehicle. “Everybody had gone away. I did not know where to run,” Times of India quoted the superstar as saying.
Mentioning that Bhagyaraj swiftly stepped in and took the loitering police personnel there to task, Rajinikanth shared that the screenwriter-director demanded that the officers escort him back home safely. It was only after Bhagyaraj’s admonition that the police swung into action and offered the superstar protection on his journey home. “I can never forget that day. He didn’t just save me from a mob; he showed what it truly means to stand up for another human being,” an emotional Rajinikanth said. The two Tamil cinema icons have worked together in films like Naan Sigappu Manithan and Anbulla Rajinikanth.
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