Actor Rajkiran has slammed what many are describing as rising intolerance in India and said that such tactics would not work in Tamil Nadu, thanks to its long tradition of anti-caste movements led by men like Periyar and Anna. In an interview with Ananda Vikatan, the actor said, “The seeds of poison that they [presumably the RSS] sowed through the Babari Masjid demolition has now become a tree. The incidents we see all around the country are due to this.”
However, Rajkiran said that the Jallikattu issue was proof of how those seeds would never take root in Tamil Nadu. He said, “Due to the efforts of learned men like Periyar and Anna, us Tamil people are Tamilians first. For us, caste and creed do not matter. The Jallikattu issue proved that. Tamilians need not fear.”
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Rajkiran will play the male lead in next week’s release, Pa Paandi. “The film is about the men and women Tamil cinema shuns onscreen. It’s about the 50-plus who rarely find representation anywhere in cinema. Dhanush has penned a beautiful love story for me and I’m extremely glad to have associated with him.”
He also said that director Subramaniam Siva had narrated the script of Pa Paandi to him. “He told me the story and said that he would talk with the producer and come back. It was only on the second or third meeting that Siva confessed that Dhanush would be directing it. I was happy. I made my acting debut through a Kasthuriraja film. Now, I am happy to be a part of his son’s directorial debut.”