Rajinikanth Clears Air on Controversial Speech: No Feud with Vijay
In July last year, fans of Rajinikanth (Thalaivar) and ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay found themselves in disagreement after Rajinikanth's speech at the audio launch event of his film Jailer. Rajinikanth shared a story about crows and eagles, sparking speculation that he was referring to Vijay, which led to tension between the two fan groups. However, Rajinikanth has now addressed the controversy, expressing disappointment at the misunderstanding.
Rajinikanth and Vijay controversy
Speaking at the audio launch of his daughter Aishwarya Rajinikanth’s movie Lal Salaam in Chennai, Rajinikanth clarified, “The story of a crow and eagle was interpreted differently. On social media, many spread rumors saying it was against Vijay. It’s so disappointing. Vijay grew up in front of my eyes.” Rajinikanth reminisced about shooting one of his older films at Vijay’s house when Vijay was just 13 years old. He recalled how SA Chandrasekar introduced Vijay to him and expressed his advice for Vijay to focus on his studies first before pursuing acting.
At the Jailer audio launch, Rajinikanth remarked, “In the world of birds, a crow disturbs everyone. An eagle, however, remains undisturbed. When a crow bothers an eagle, the eagle doesn’t react; it simply moves on to the next stage.” Rajinikanth emphasized that Vijay's success is attributed to his discipline, talent, and hard work. He clarified that Vijay's foray into politics doesn't create competition between them and urged fans not to compare them.
Clarification from Superstar Rajinikanth at the #LalSalaamAudioLaunch about the KAAKA KAZHUGU speech. pic.twitter.com/8NzNC7Psz0
— Actor Vijay Universe (@ActorVijayUniv) January 26, 2024
Rajinikanth's upcoming movie Lal Salaam is set to release on February 9, followed by Vettaiyan and Thalaivar 171. In 2023, both Rajinikanthand Vijay achieved significant success at the box office with Jailer and Leo, respectively. Despite the misunderstanding, Rajinikanth's words reflect mutual respect and admiration between the two stars, dispelling any notion of a feud.