Sivaji storms in - and wow!

This story written along with the help of Niranjan for Bangalore Mirror, since I had a lot of other work to do that day. So I passed on all the data I had collected to him and he wrote the story for a joint credit.

Milk, cocnuts, a 120 ft poster … Rajni fans pull out all stops to welcome the boss

Reacting to Karnataka Rakshana Vedike’s comments over the release of Rajnikant starrer Sivaji published in Bangalore Mirror on Wednesday, Rajni fans in the city, nick-named Tamil Tigers, grunted and asked the vedike not to combine the issue with the much-debated Cauvery issue.
Expressing their ignorance about the guidelines issued by the Vedike for the release and publicity of the much-awaited Kollywood blockbuster, fans and the well- wishers of Rajni reiterated that they respect the state’s cause and will abide by the government’s stand.
Guna, President of the Murphy Town Rajnikant Fans Association said, “We too are Kannadigas and respect the state’s cause. Sivaji is purely an entertainment issue and it does not have any relation to Cauvery to the language issue.”
Despite the furore and dbate over the issue, Guna and his friends have put up a 120 feet banner near Murphy Town fish market pug marked with stills from the film.

Explaining the efforts invested in making such a big poster Guna said, “I have spent Rs 30,000 from my own pocket. It is our way of expressing our love for the star. Rajnikant is an international figure and efforts to ostracise him just for Tamil Nadu’s cause is unacceptable.”
V Harsha, President of Rajni Fans Club at Airport road said, “First we are all Indians, and then we are all Kannadigas and lastly, we are all Rajni fans. Even on the posters we have put names first in Kannada, then in English and only near the theatres are they in Tamil. Though we don’t know about the guidelines issued by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, our friends have briefed us and we are ready to follow them.”
Solar Ramesh and Rajan from Ulsoor’s Rajnikant Fan Club organized a puja on Wednesday ahead of the film’s release. More than 100 coconuts were broken by Guna and his friends in honour of the actor in Murphy town and many packets of milk were poured on the giant –sized banner.
Inspired by the boss mannerisms and make-up is Sivaji, fans have also arranged a free haircut and shave drive on Friday. The association will also distribute more than 250kg of biriyani to the poor. Besides, the Rajnikant Fans Association at the Airport road has promised to arrange free tickets on the spot for the fans in multiplexes across the city.

THE HERO’S MANY ZEROES
With over Rs 100 crore being spent on the production Sivaji is easily one of the biggest movies produced in South Asia. It’s not just the budget that is mind-boggling. A whopping 1,000 prints have been ordered for distribution across India. More than 2,900 theaters have already been booked. Sivaji will see more than 12,000 shows everyday. Across the world, the film will be released in 23 countries simultaneously. It is expected to earn over Rs 500 crore in first 50 days. The producers have paid the actor Rs 40 crore. Rs 10 crore to director Shankar and Music Director A R Rahman. The fee is much more that what Jackie Chan gets, making Rajni the indisputable superstar of South Asia. The film is expected to run for three to four years! However, in Karnataka, Sivaji will play in 10 theaters only.