Stardom Files ForIts Returns

Then, Rajni’s guru Swami Satchidananda Maharaj, who was the inspiration behind the film, died and the superstar flew with the guru’s body to the US. Rajni returned only last week, bald-pated, had a meeting with the exhibitors of Baba, and won them over with an unprecedented gesture. He compensated for the losses of each of the 116 exhibitors from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. "I can’t do another film with so many people losing money. Let’s clear this first and then think about another film," he is reported to have said.

According to one distributor, actors like MGR and Raj Kapoor made a new film to compensate for a flop. But no one ever paid back in cash. But while gushing over Rajni’s "large heart and goodwill" one wonders if the I-T department has a job to do. Even today nobody is mentioning any figures. What price was Baba sold at? What is the amount that was returned? How much was accounted for? Maybe the IT top brass was looking the other way since they were personally invited by Rajni for the film’s premiere.