More than two decades ago, providence came knocking on Sivaji Rao's door and the bus conductor was offered an opportunity to act in a movie. Despite the role being small and villainous in nature, he pounced on it, believing that it was his ticket out of that famous Indian enclave — destitution.

But what the Tamil movie industry, its ardent viewers around the globe and the conductor-turned-actor himself did not realise then, was that it marked the beginning of an incredible and illustrious career.

Today, the conductor is in his early 50s and while most of his yesteryear co-stars have been relegated to playing elderly roles, he continues to be cast as a hero.

The title 'Superstar' precedes his name, which has been changed to Rajnikanth. His movies command full-house attendance for months and one of them was reportedly a hit in Japan as well.

His popularity has transcended mortal boundaries, he is venerated by fans who see him as the messiah who will lead them away from the clutches of poverty. Many are even prepared to lay down their lives for him.

Politics

One example to illustrate how much he is adored would be the manner in which the news of his latest movie, after a three-year hiatus, was received.

"The moment this decision (to act in a new movie) was made public, his fans all over the state celebrated like they would any other festival, bursting crackers and making merry," said one Indian entertainment website.

This fanaticism has however disabled the actor's ability to experiment and mature in his fate-decreed profession.

He has been stereotyped. An on-screen death for his character could mean real deaths for the director and script writer. Whatever the odds, the actor must be victorious, his fans would not have it otherwise.

However, his fans claimed that he was not destined for on-screen greatness alone but also in another field, one which is more in tune to reality — politics.

This once-upon-a-time bus conductor, is today, heralded, respected and feared as a potent political force in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Avoiding any direct participation, Rajini — as he is popularly known — prefers to play the role of a kingmaker.

Since his endorsement is able to alter results, it is common to see politicians wooing the actor's support when an election nears.

Unforgettable style

So how did this man propel himself from being virtually unknown into a household name, not only in India but in other parts of the world as well?

Unlike the more internationally acclaimed Bollywood heroes, Rajini is not 'tall, dark and handsome'.

He is just an ordinary looking person with just one little extraordinary feature — style.

The flipping of cigarettes into his mouth and his unorthodox manner of putting on a pair of shades are legendary.

Apart from these captivating antics, the superstar ascended to the pinnacle of success by playing, more often than not, the role of the underdog or downtrodden who conquers all odds.

This was something the impoverished masses in India could easily identify with, and in his achievements, off and on the screen, they saw a glimmer of hope.

However, things were not always smooth for the actor. Like many, he too descended into the diabolical pits that emerge with fame and fortune.

There were allegations of alcoholism and unruly behaviour but somewhere along the way he was said to have found God and a spiritual transformation took place. These days, he is known to spend months at a monastery located in the Himalayas.

Reality and fiction

Today, when one mentions his name, it attracts mixed responses. Some shower him with accolades, claiming the superstar is humble, modest and a great philanthropist.

Others simply denounce him as an overrated actor exploiting the people with a 'holier than thou' image as his characters usually have steadfast principles and values.

But fans argue that this is simply reflective of the actor's true personality.

In Malaysia, the superstar has been among the many reasons cited for the escalating violence among the working class Indian Malaysian community.

However, one analyst dismissed this reasoning as 'simplistic'. "I am sure they can tell the difference between reality and fiction."

"Furthermore, unlike the movie star who takes up arms 'to protect the meek and to ensure justice', here blood is shed over drug deals, extortion rackets and whatnot," added the analyst who wished to remain anonymous.

Blood for movie tickets

On the political front, pundits do not rule out the possibility of him becoming chief minister of Tamil Nadu since the state has a history of movie stars shifting their fame from the silver screen to the ballot boxes.

The most notable, was the late MGR, the superstar of the past who became chief minister in the 1970s and was re-elected for three consecutive terms.

Another rags-to-riches story, MGR was also backed by a fanatical fan base the majority of whom, as are the fans of the present superstar, belonged to the lower income group.

In 1987, when the actor was critically ill, it was reported that 22 people committed suicide hoping that their deaths would somehow make God spare his life. During his heyday, poor fans used to sell their blood to buy tickets for his movies.

He too preached about justice and equality and was always helping and protecting the needy in his movies. But off-screen he was said to have run a totalitarian administration.

Another movie star who became head of state was the controversial Jayalalitha who has been accused of mass corruption. She earned fame and fortune simply by being paired consistently with MGR.

In view of this, one Indian expatriate described the event of Rajini ascending the state's political throne as a 'disaster'.

'Idealistic mumbo-jumbo'

"Who is Rajini? What qualifications does he have?" thundered S Ashok, a software engineer who works for an IT firm in Kuala Lumpur.

"Running a make-believe government on-screen is easy but running an actual government is not child's play," he added.

The expatriate said that it is this mindless admiration for movie icons which fuels the degeneration of India.

"The country is in ruins, corruption is prevalent and this is the result of the people's trust in pretentious and fake individuals," said the engineer, who prefers Hollywood stars as they are more realistic and do not try to peddle any 'idealistic mumbo-jumbo'.

Another Indian national, a restaurant waiter, was ecstatic though at the possibility of Rajini becoming a state leader.

Ramu, who hails from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, said, "It would be great. It will be a blessing for us. He is a very nice man, helps the poor. He will change things and make life better for us."

On his lack of paper qualification, the waiter claims it is of no significance. "We have had the uneducated as well as the educated in power before and both robbed us blind."

Dicing with danger

According to Ramu, the emphasis now should not be upon material or intellectual competency but rather spiritual and moral qualifications.

"He is a nice man, believes in the truth and god. He has values that no education or money can give. He is a great man and will make a difference to the poor," was the rationale.

However, one political observer warned of traps that lay in wait of those foraging into the cataclysmic realm of politics.

"This Rajini person could be the saint they claim he is but one man's principles and values against a massively corrupt system is not going to change anything," he said.

The observer opined that it would be in the actor's best interest to steer clear away from politics, otherwise he would be dicing with danger.

Saint or sinner, saviour or harbinger of more sorrow, Rajini's meteoric rise is definitely worthy of mention.

Whether he would journey into the world of politics or be content with playing on the sidelines, only time will tell.

RK ANAND is a member of the malaysiakini team.