So then 5 non-Tamilians go to watch Shivaji! Me being the most politically correct of the lot, being a ‘Madrasi’, (for the records …I hail from Kerala, so technically am a Mallu…and in no way a Madrasi!) Onto Shivaji…so to speak…all that I am to say about this movie is but an understatement!

…The Man

It was a riot! It was all we expected…multiplied in tens and thousands! It was Rajnikanth…from start to finish. As a matter of choice and incapability alike…this post will not talk at all about the extravagance that is the movie…it will just talk about the experience! Readon…

We knew that we were experiencing a phenomenon…then moment a slide appeared on screen that read “SuperStar Rajnikanth”…blinked, glittered and shone in 3-4 languages. I guess the only other people who had a title preceding like that in a public proclamation of these sorts was JC and ABBA! It took a full 10 minutes from the start…for Rajni’s face showed up…the wait was worthwhile! I am yet to know…why the 5 of us whistled and animatedly applauded his presence! In all my years of cinema…I had never before done that, it was a very involuntary thing! I could make out Tamil..in bits and pieces and started to settle down into the flow of the movie. I had gone with the idea of setting my brains aside for this one…but even before I proceeded to take it out… I found my brain venturing out by itself, and sharing my seat. Then the first of the ‘bouncing chewing gums’ made its appearance! Rajni had arrived… 15 more minutes on, we got introducted to a ravishing Nayantara with a super Tam glam sham…and 20 odd painted Rajnis staring at us from huge-ass pot bellies…I know that you are having difficulties understanding this…it’s a visual thing you see! A Punju frend of mine, found himself thoroughly lost…between Nayantara’s ultra-sexy curves and the jiggly-wiggly pot-bellies!

On screen, Rajni, since his return from the US…had acquired a strange habit of saying “Cooool” (phonetically a cross between goooool and kooo-oul…its tough…and in practice. Will upload an audio file maybe, for better understanding…when I get it right!) From bouncing chewing gums…he movies on to flipping coins! That goes…left to right…right to left…up and then down into the pocket! My brain sort of left the theatre…when the astronaut-suit came in! You have to see that to believe it! There were a few songs…and through them the word obscene got a new definition…at the site of the sets involved…From colosseums to glass houses to palatial courtyard to Mardi Gras/Venetian type Carnivals we saw it all! Like my friend suggested…the money on the songs alone, could have funded 10 odd Bheja Fries!!! Shriya who contributed to the feminine touch, was a divine sight for sore eyes…boyyyyyyy…oooooommphmax or what!

Then there are the dialogues, that go to the lines of : “For little kids there’s Pogo…Don’t stand in front of Shivaji..Go Go!” “Chumma Edarrrrathedaa” “After six there is seven…After Shivaji there is yevan” ! You have to have to have to clap…whistle…bow down! The second half sees Rajni in an all new shiny avatar…he goes bald! He has glares on, that swivels to the back of his head, when he does a flick/nod sideways(no…no engineering contraptions there)! And yes…his style statement then, is tapping his fingers, across the bald terrains…that creates a sound to the order of a small pony doing a short burst, across open grounds! Floored…Frenzied…Rajnieeeeed!

Software Architect At Work.

As the final words, excerpts from a gujju friend of mine….
“ Rajnikaanth transcends language barriers…. who said that one needs to be Tamilian, to understand what he does….In fact, who needs the He-mans, and the Spidermans and the Supermans…when we have…the Boss! Oh yeah…he calls himself The Boss…Bachelor Of Social Service! Beat that!

Must see movie…In true Rajni style…6 stars out of 5!