‘Politics not worth it. Please stay away’: Chiranjeevi’s advice to Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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‘Politics not worth it. Please stay away’: Chiranjeevi’s advice to Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth

Hindustan Times, Chennai | ByMC Rajan
Sep 27, 2019 10:23 PM IST

The iconic actor Chiranjeevi, who remains the reigning star of Tollywood, said he had placed hopes on Kamal Hassan making it big in the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, but it proved futile.

Telugu film star Chiranjeevi has asked Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, his friends from the tinsel towns, to keep away from politics.

Film star Chiranjeevi has asked Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, his friends from the tinsel towns, to keep away from politics.(File Photo)
Film star Chiranjeevi has asked Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, his friends from the tinsel towns, to keep away from politics.(File Photo)

In an interview to the popular Tamil weekly, ‘Ananda Vikatan’, Chiranjeevi said the world of politics has no place for people entering it with good intentions.

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“No to politics. This is the only plea to my friends Kamal and Rajini. It is not worth it,” he said.

It was his cryptic response to a question on Kamal Haasan’s more than a year-long journey into electoral politics and Rajinikanth’s announcement about launching a party and contesting all the 234 seats in the 2021 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

“Anyone can enter politics, provided one is prepared to bear the defeats, disappointments and humiliations. But, it is unsuitable for sensitive people like me,” he explained.

The iconic actor, who remains the reigning star of Tollywood, said he had placed hopes on Kamal Hassan making it big in the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, but it proved futile.

For, Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maimam (MNM) party could not win even a single seat out of the 39 it contested in Tamil Nadu. The MNM, however, had managed to garner close to 5% of vote share.

In the case of Rajinikanth, it has been more than a year since the superstar announced his political plunge but he is yet to launch his party.

Chiranjeevi, who is promoting his upcoming movie ‘Sye Ra Narasimha Reddy’ ahead of its October 2 release, admitted that it was great expectations turned sour.

“Now, everything in politics is money. We take the political plunge driven by the desire to do something good. But, the fact remains that we could not accomplish that,” Chiranjeevi said.

He had launched his own outfit Praja Rajyam in 2008 at a massive rally in Tirupati with fanfare. The party fought on all the 295 seats in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2009 and emerged victorious in 18.

Chiranjeevi had contested from two constituencies of Tirupati and his hometown Palakollu. While he won from Tirupati, he lost in Palakollu in West Godavari district. He then merged his party with the Congress in 2011 and became a Union minister.

“I was the numero uno in films and leaving that I came to politics with a lot of enthusiasm. But, I lost the elections in my own constituency (Palakollu),” he said.

“Crores of rupees was spent to with the sole aim of defeating me in my native constituency and I felt crushed. The same thing happened to my brother Pawan Kalyan,” he added.

Pawan Kalyan launched Jana Sena, which bit the dust in the last assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh. He too had high hopes but faltered at the hustings.

However, Chiranjeevi said both Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan could step into the rough and tumble of politics if they could stomach the insults and defeats as well as shaming and have indomitable courage and undying fervour to do good things for the masses.

“Enter the minefield of politics, proceed with courage and you might have your day and the future may be yours,” he said.

Rajinikanth’s supporter and former deputy mayor of Chennai, ‘Karate’ Thiagarajan, pushed aside Chiranjeevi’s comments.

“Chiranjeevi’s views are not relevant to Tamil Nadu. Rajinikanth has the overwhelming support of the masses. He is the future chief minister,” Thiagarajan said.

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