Chennai: Days after the much-hyped release of Rajinikanth-starrer 'Kaala,' AIADMK senior leader and Tamil Nadu minister D Jayakumar on Saturday said a movie's success does not guarantee success in politics.
"Nobody can be accepted as a leader... only on the basis of the success of a movie," he told reporters in Chennai.
With the Tamil superstar's movie that released in over 2,000 screens worldwide on June 7 witnessing impressive openings, Jayakumar said a person was recognised only for his welfare work for the public.
"People accept a person as a leader, based on the policies and goals and for the work done by being on their side," he said, without naming anyone while answering a question over stars and their entry into politics.
"This is the yardstick and there is nothing else," he said, adding fans decide the success of a movie, which has got nothing to do with politics.
'Kaala', that shines light on the struggles of oppressed people to secure their rights, is viewed by the actor's fans as giving him a better foothold when he enters politics.
Notably, it was the AIADMK which backed Rajinikanth recently for his 'graveyard' and 'anti-socials' remark after visiting the injured in Tuticorin anti-Sterlite violence.
The actor, who had last year announced that he would float a political party, said anti-social elements had infiltrated the protest by locals demanding closure of Sterlite's copper smelter unit in the southern port town. He had also remarked that too many protests would turn Tamil Nadu into a 'graveyard.'
Violence and police firing on May 22 and 23 resulted in the deaths of 13 people.
The ruling AIADMK, apart from this issue, has been quite critical of the actor.
AIADMK mouthpiece 'Namathu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma' had days ago pointed out that the actor had praised late chief minister J Jayalalithaa for dealing with anti-social elements with an "iron fist."
"Superstar Rajinikanth has spoken frankly with conscience... he has endorsed chief minister K Palaniswami's statement that anti-social elements had infiltrated the protesters," it said, adding that the actor's remarks were 'welcome.'
DMK and other opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, however, had lashed out at Rajinikanth for his 'anti-socials' comment.
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