M.G.R, Rajini,??? (Who is next)?

Mr.M.G.Ramachandran (a.k.a M.G.R) and Mr. Rajinikanth, the two biggest names in Tamil Cinema whose influence among the Tamil movie audience is unparalled in the World Cinema history. How did they reach this stardom, was it by luck or by design or is it rocket science, or something beyond the comprehension of the common man.

Both the super star had a very poor childhood and roamed the street in search of a means to live. Both of them are non native speakers of Tamil, yet they managed to win and woe millions of Tamil audience with their aura. The profound effect of their songs or still pictures on the common man is something that can be believed only by seeing, no, no only by experience. No language in the modern world can adequately describe the trance the common man enters into, including yours truly. How did they achieve this god like following and stardom?

M.G.R burst onto the Tamil movie industry in the early 1950’s right when India got its independence. Finally after two hundred years of colonial rule the constant demand for independence was over and it was time for national rebuilding in every sense. People’s soul and morality had been crushed / manipulated by our colonial rulers. In the 200 years of independence struggle, original thinking was reduced to its marginal best and people always had to look upon either the British or the national hero’s to guide their lives. Now after gaining independence, with the British gone and the national hero’s engaged in national level country building task, people needed region specific leaders who can fill this moral void. M.G.R with his thought provoking, moral based songs perfectly filled the void, earning the name of “Vathiyar” (meaning teacher). His image management was perfect to the T. He ensured none of his on screen roles portrayed him like smoking /drinking/beating the opposite sex and he reaped rich rewards when he pioneered the way for actors entering into politics and ruling the state for 12 years continuously. No other politician has won a state election while lying in the hospital bed thousands of miles away such is the profound effect this great man.

Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, fondly known as Rajinikanth, super star to the Tamil people, was born in the state of Karnataka. He had worked his magic and influence across millions of Tamil people, more recently Japanese also, through sheer hard work and a better choice of acting roles. He came into the Tamil movie industry when the Tamil society had more or less settled and people in general were quite getting frustrated about the lack of efficiency in the government system, when the Indian GDP was mildly termed as Hindu Rate of growth in the international economic forums. His roles were basically of the ‘Angry young man’ who fought back against the ills of the system, who held sway against established zamindars, large business people etc. The youth of 1980’s and early 1990’s were readily able to identify themselves in the roles played by Rajini. They wanted to achieve something in life but were denied because of lack of opportunity, expect for those people who got admission into IIT’s and had the right last name. Rajini was the epitome of the aspirations of the common man, who broke the glass ceilings and achieved stupendous success, which was best portrayed in the movies and in reality was like finding an oasis in the desert.

So to answer our original million dollar question, who is next? Where can we find a safe answer to this? Can I even have a remote chance of predicting an answer to this question? I believe so. To carry this herculean, rocket science task, all I need to know is where to look for answers. With a hindsight knowledge why M.G.R and Rajini dominated the Tamil movie industry and extrapolating the same, I need not look further than the current Tamil society, which can provide me the answer. The modern Tamilian has dream and aspiration. Each and every one of them wants to make a socio economic progress and the best tool for it is providing the best possible education for his/her children. He /She also has realized if they work hard, sincerely there are adequate opportunities available which will give an uplift in their socio economic life. Long thing short, the modern day hero, should in fact be a common man, who has his own dreams and aspirations. And works sincerely towards achieving while facing his own share of problems thrown by life and how he outwits the social problems and achieves success. Gone are the days of cinema which revolved around revenge, love, family feud etc.

Is this there any actor who has figured this out? The answer is NO. The modern day hero’s think they can become the next super star by repeating what worked in 1980’s and 1990’s. They in fact look like Rip Van Wrinkle who has just woken up after a long sleep, hardly realizing that the world he has woken up to has evolved into a much different society. That’s why we see more than ever before big banner / big time hero’s movie failing miserably in the box offices.

There will be only one M.G.R and one Rajinikanth. History never repeats itself in the same way.