Rajinikanth fires back at double standards: 'If I speak, it’s a problem. If I don’t, I’m mocked'

Rajinikanth once again found himself addressing the noise around his public statements at a Wednesday event held to unveil the title of his upcoming film Dharman, where he appeared alongside Kamal Haasan and director Ashwath Marimuthu.

Speaking to the press, the actor opened up about his growing reluctance to comment publicly, saying he is often criticised whether he speaks or remains silent. The remarks come shortly after the backlash he faced following a press meet in May, where he discussed Tamil Nadu politics and actor Vijay.

At the same event, Rajinikanth also revisited how even silence is no longer a safe option in the public eye. “The moment someone says they are calling me to speak, I feel hesitant. Because whenever I speak, it becomes a problem, either for you or for me,” he said in Tamil.

He went on to highlight the irony of public expectations, adding, “If I stay quiet, they will make fun of me saying, why isn’t he speaking? Has he kept a kozhukattai (a sweet delicacy) in his mouth?”

The veteran star noted that criticism follows him regardless of his intent, saying, “If I speak, some will say, why did he speak now? Others will say he shouldn’t have spoken at all.” Reflecting on his long career in the spotlight, he added, “After many years, I have understood one thing: people who don’t like us will not like us, no matter what we do. And thinking that people who like us will like everything we do, whatever we do, is foolish. One has to be careful.”

Rajinikanth addresses Vijay speculation again

Speculation around Rajinikanth’s stance on Vijay resurfaced after Vijay’s political rise in Tamil Nadu, prompting rumours of tension. To counter this narrative, Rajinikanth had earlier clarified his position at a press conference in Chennai, stressing his personal equations and dismissing claims of envy or disagreement.

He had said, “Rajini is not a cheap or low-standard person to speak unnecessarily about anything else. I was extremely shocked when I heard that Vijay had become the Chief Minister. As soon as the chief minister won, I congratulated him. I’m not even in politics, so why would I be jealous of Vijay? Maybe if Kamal (Haasan) becomes the CM, I might get jealous. (smiles) There is a 25-year generation gap between Vijay and me. It won’t look good if we compete.”

Following Wednesday’s event, when asked whether he had wished Vijay on his birthday—after no social media post was seen—he clarified simply, “No, no. We had spoken,” confirming that he had called the actor directly.