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Actor Rajinikanth rejects claims that he avoided politics due to threats
The superstar said the comment by a functionary of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by actor Vijay, was 'opposite to the truth'
- PUBLISHED: Tue 17 Mar 2026, 10:36 AM UPDATED: Tue 17 Mar 2026, 10:44 AM
Indian superstar Rajinikanth has strongly rejected the accusation by a senior functionary of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, a political upstart in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, that he avoided entering politics following threats from the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
A coalition of parties headed by the DMK governs the state, which heads to elections in a month.
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In a statement in Tamil on X, the star of Jailer and Coolie said the comment by Aadhav Arjuna, general secretary of the TVK, led by actor Vijay, was "opposite to the truth".
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) March 17, 2026
"I condemn such baseless remarks and also appreciate those who stood by me and criticised them," Rajinikanth said.
He listed politicians, including leader of the opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, Nainar Nagendran, Union minister L Murugan, Thol. Thirumavalavan, SP Velumani, K Annamalai, Anbumani Ramadoss, John Pandian, among others, as those who criticised the remarks and backed him.
From the film fraternity, Rajinikanth appreciated director Ameer Sultan and producer G Dhananjayan for standing by him.
Rajinikanth concluded his statement by saying, "Time does not speak, it waits and delivers the answer."
What did Aadhav Arjuna say
On March 12, Arjuna said in Chennai that when Rajinikanth wanted to enter politics, he faced threats from various sections of the DMK.
Arjuna made the comments at a protest by the TVK to condemn the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, The Times of India reported.
"After MGR (the late actor MG Ramachandran), Rajinikanth was Tamil Nadu's most popular and charismatic actors who wanted to enter politics and make a difference in the system," he said.
"Didn't he later go to act in a film produced by Red Giant Movies (the film production house founded by actor-politician Udhayanidhi Stalin)?" Arjuna addressed the gathering.
Clarifying that he isn't criticising Rajinikanth, Arjuna said Vijay, who heads the TVK, has the mental strength to withstand such pressure.
Rajini's tryst with politics
An actor who has starred in more than 170 films in a career spanning five decades, Rajinikanth had long flirted with the idea of entering politics. In 1996, he had extended support to the coalition that unseated the former chief minister J Jayalalithaa from power. Over the decades, he had backed parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the DMK.
In 2017, he announced that he would enter politics and contest the 2021 elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly, only to dissolve his party a few years later.
Rajinikanth, who has wrapped up filming for Jailer 2, the sequel to his 2023 action comedy Jailer, is currently working on the tentatively-titled Thalaivar173, directed by the relative newbie Cibi Chakravarthy. His much touted reunion with veteran actor Kamal Haasan is expected to go on the floors later this year.