Young Tamil actor draws fire from Rajni fans

CHENNAI: Fans of megastar Rajnikanth are up in arms against actor Jayam Ravi. The provocation: the trailer of Ravi’s latest film “Comali” has references to Rajnikanth that the fans find unpalatable.

“Boycot Comali” calls have been aired even as the film is set for release soon.

The trailer was released on Saturday and was viewed by thousands of fans of the young, popular actor who has a reputation of diversity. As of Sunday morning, one million people are recorded as having viewed it.

Ravi sports nine different looks in the film, an effort to lit up his sagging career.

There is a scene in the two-minute trailer where Ravi wakes up from a coma that lasted 16 years and asks which year it is. Comedian Yogi Babu, who plays a friend, switches on a television that shows Rajni holding a media conference in December 2017.

Rajni is seen telling the media: “My entry into politics is for sure.” Ravi’s character refuses to believe it’s from 2017 and asks: “Who are you trying to fool? This is 1996!”

Rajni in 1996 reportedly said, “If Jayalalithaa is voted back to power, even god cannot save Tamil Nadu.” The statement was seen as one of the reasons for Jayalalithaa’s defeat. Even as fans waited for Rajni’s entry into politics, he kept on extending his plan.

It was on n Dec.31, 2017 that Rajni announced that he would officially begin his political journey.

A Rajni fan group called Rajni Soldiers posted on Twiter: “Nowadays these ppl are making as hidden agenda to mock thalaivar to reduce its fame “All politics behind. Atleast if the incident true also, we can keep quiet.

“All cooked up and making fake image on thalaiavr (Rajni) among present generation# boy cot com ali@ Raj ni kan the fans pic.twiter.com/a5ejzoxgkw” Pradeep Ranganathan has directed the film which has Kajal Aggarwal in the female lead.

Ravi, an actor who has of late found difficulties selling his films, has been working hard on the scripts, sources in the production say.