Chennai: Superstars Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan on Tuesday indicated they are open to joining hands for the betterment of the people of Tamil Nadu if the need arises.
"If Rajinikanth and I have to come together for the betterment of the state, we will," Haasan said at the Chennai Airport on Tuesday. "We (Rajini and I) can talk about our policies later.”
However, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder parried questions on whether the two would align, possibly, politically.
To a question, Haasan said he would "travel together" with Rajinikanth for Tamil Nadu's welfare but gave no indications of the two aligning politically.
More than an hour later, Rajinikanth was asked by reporters if he is open to joining hands with Haasan. "If the need arises to join hands with Kamal Haasan for the welfare of the people, then I will," he said.
While Haasan is already heading MNM, Rajinkanth has said he will launch his political party and face the next state assembly elections, due in 2021. "There is nothing new in us joining hands as we have been united for the past 44 years," Haasan said about Rajinikanth, apparently referring to their stint in cinema industry.
Speculation on whether both the superstars can come together started after Rajinikanth's speech at an event on Sunday honouring Haasan for completing 60 years in the film industry.
Rajinikanth had said, “Miracles and wonders do happen in politics. Who would have thought that (Tamil Nadu Chief Minister) Edappadi Palaniswami would have become the CM? Even after he became the CM, most people said his government would topple in 20 days or one month… some said it won’t last for more than four to five months. But due to some miracle and wonder, he is the chief minister for two years now. Miracles and wonders happened yesterday, they are happening today and they will happen tomorrow too.”
Haasan on Tuesday backed Rajinikanth over his comments aimed at Palaniswami, saying it was a "not a criticism but the reality".
"It is not a criticism, but reality, the truth," Haasan told reporters when asked about his film industry contemporary's remarks.
The AIADMK later hit back at the actor-turned-politician. In its party mouthpiece ‘Namadhu Amma’, it said, “You [Rajinikanth] would not have dreamt to become a superstar. Having begun your life as a bus conductor.” The article added that Edappadi K Palaniswami was not a reel but “real leader who has won elections and only then got the chief minister’s position”.
The AIADMK had recently lashed out at both Rajinikanth and Haasan for their political ambitions and said they would meet a fate similar to that faced by actor Sivaji Ganesan in politics. The attack came after Rajinikanth said there was space for new leadership in the state.
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