For over four decades Rajnikant aka Shivaji Rao Gaikwad ruled Tamil hearts across the globe . Today he stands at cross roads of his career. Weeks before his next big movies Robot 2 and Kaala Karikaalan release Rajnikant is caught in a situation that he has never faced before.  The controversy surrounding his political debut has seen many of his diehard fans  turn their backs on him . For the man who has ruled Tamil hearts on the celluloid screen and off-screen through his thousands of fan clubs spread not just across Tamilnadu but across the Tamil diaspora internationally is being questioned about his Tamil identity .

For the Marathi actor who was a bus conductor in Bengaluru till he moved to Chennai and made it big in Tamil cinema , the fact that he was a non-Tamil by birth was either never raised or was ignored by the people of Tamilnadu . But now Rajnikant is not having to answer but also prove his Tamil antecedents by claiming that his forefathers had settled in Krishnagiri , West Tamilnadu over a century ago. But the Tamil activists and scholars will have none of it. Seeman , a staunch tamil propagandist told Policy Pulse , “ He is a good actor , we have wished him well and people of Tamilnadu have helped him earn crores of rupees in his profession . but ruling the state , Never” .  Seeman and his associates have started a campaign against the film star’s political entry and make every effort to highlight his Karnataka connection.

The reported moves of the super-star to take a political plunge have put these questions to him and this testing the state’s mood has created a storm bigger than what the film star can handle . Like in rest of the country the caste ridden political frame work of Tamilnadu , Caste , community and linguistic divisions play a very significant role. His die-hard fans take these questions in their stride and say , it’s the fear psychosis that Rajnikant’s political entry has created in many political parties especially the M K Stalin led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam that such things are being thrown up.

The death of former chief minister J jayalalithaa has left a huge political vacuum in the state politics which many are rushing in to fill.  After Jaya’s demise , the state has seen high political drama , which threatened to split the AIADMK vertically and the factions led by Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran trying to wrest control from O Paneerselvam faction led to a high level of disenchantment within the party. Fearing President’s rule imposition the factions patched up with a temporary truce .The ugly infighting between the AIADMK leaders and cadre however has opened up chances for a new political alternative . to make an impact/

For over two decades the BJP which has made efforts to make a dent in the Dravidian parties monopoly in state politics  sees the biggest star of Tamil Cinema becoming their trump card. Rajnikant’s meetings with BJP leaders including prime minister Narendra  Modi were seen as first signs of cozying up of the two. The open invitation of BJP President however let the cat out of the bag recently. At a function in Chennai his comments “All good people are welcome to join politics “ was perceived as a hint that Rajnikant would be joining  BJP. Amit Shah’s statement was followed by the state unit of BJP extending an open invitation to Rajnikant to join the BJP. A move to which Rajnikant has not responded to openly  but never denied.

Rajnikant has enjoyed an iconic status which none other tamil filmstar  of the present genre enjoy. Jayalalithaa was the last of the tamil super stars whose film career catapulted her political career. In a state where the bond between cinema and politics is as miscible as water and milk , the tinsel town has ruled the political arena. It was the rise of the Dravidian assertion and the anti Hindi agitation in early 1960’s that the Tamil Cinema became a dominant medium of influence on the people of the state. The strongly worded film scripts by  M Karunanidhi  were brought to life by dramatic acting prowess of late M G Ramachandran in several Tamil movies. The stories of the MGR and M Karunanidhi duo revolved around themes of social justice , equality , respect for the poor and the miseries of the down trodden. Concepts which clicked with the masses who connected as they felt strongly that they had faced oppression from the upper caste politicians  and also the moves of the Union government to impose Hindi on the Tamil state.

MGR acted in several common man roles as policeman , fisherman , rickshaw puller , coolie , unemployed youngster , steward in a hotel in his different films . These roles built a direct connect with the masses popularizing him in the state. His political entry on the anti – Hindi platform gave rise to a strong Dravidian movement which succeeded in challenging the supremacy of Delhi and the Congress. It was the advent of this movement that saw the formation of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on the very thesis of Tamil Self Esteem and Tamil Pride. The Dravidian parties on this impassioned bond have ruled the state for over 52 years after the Congress was routed in the state in 1965.

While the DMK split into AIADMK and the DMK after MGR parted ways with Karunanidhi , the Congress gradually has got decimated in the state over the decade. The BJP which has had a token presence in the state for over 20 years , has made very ambitious moves to demolish the Dravidian parties after coming to power in Delhi in 2014.

The moves however found no major takers as the BJP has suffered from a perception problem as an upper caste “north Indian” party . While the BJP may have made some progress on the basis of Hindutva agenda in regions like Nagercoil and Coimbatore which have seen several communal flare-ups in the past but is yet to make a visible dent. “ The death of Jayalalithaa has given BJP the chance , the recent bonding of AIADMK leaders with Prime Minister Modi can be seen as a strong signal that the AIADMK might ally with the BJP in future and offer support especially in Rajya Sabha to the BJP. The AIADMK is also dependent on the BJP and the Centre for its support to resolve the cauvery water issue with Karnataka ut I don’t see it going beyond that for the moment ”feels Sri Kumar a senior journalist and a political analyst .

Rajnikant also faces a similar dilemma, in fact the offer from the BJP may jeopardize his chances of making an impact if he attempts a political entry. Former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss of the PMK told Policy Pulse,” Mr Rajnikaant is a good friend of mine and a very popular star , but when it comes to the politics in my state of Tamilnadu , it has to be a Tamizhan who will rule the state”

Sources however indicate that irrespective of the flak he is facing , Rajnikant may eventually take a political plunge by July 2017 after the release of Robot 2.0 and Kaala Karikaalan in which he plays a character resembling yesteryears gangster Haji Mastan.

While he has had several rounds of interactions with the over 2000 fans associations office bearers who act as his eyes and ears on ground across the state , he is yet to disclose his plans . His statements on the meetings with fans associations however throw up several hints. At one such meeting he said ,” I can join Politics tomorrow if God wishes “ in another he advised his fans that political careers should not be about making money. Policy Pulse also learns that while Rajnikant may not join the BJP but may look at forming a regional party on an anti-corruption plank gearing up to form a network of dedicated party workers drawn from his fans associations who wield strong clouts in several sections of the society.

While the move may give the BJP a toe hold in state politics indirectly, sources also indicate that the BJP will be funding the fledgling political dreams and the entry of the super star into the political arena. BJP leaders know well that his role will become crucial for the party to eventually break into Dravidian political arena .

So even as the masses await the next two big movies starring the star in the coming months what will make bigger impact will be one launch that will make bigger news.