Rajinikanth defends daughter Aishwaryaa amid 'sanghi' remark: Controversy explained
Rajinikanth recently defended his daughter Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth's statement at the audio launch of her upcoming film, Lal Salaam. At an event on Friday, Aishwaryaa addressed those who labeled her father a "sanghi"—a term used for right-wingers in political circles—and clarified that "he is not one." Following an uproar, Rajinikanth told reporters on Monday, "My daughter never said that sanghi was a bad word. She simply questioned why her father was being branded that way when he is a spiritual person."
Here's what Aishwaryaa said at the audio launch
Aishwaryaa discussed her father being called a "sanghi." She explained, "I generally stay away from social media, but my team often tells me what's happening and shows me some posts. I used to get angry seeing them." "In recent times, many people call my father a sanghi. I didn't know what it meant." She continued, "I then asked someone what was the meaning of Sanghi, and they said that people who support a particular political party are called sanghi."
'If he was 'sanghi,' he wouldn't have done 'Lal Salaam'
Rajinikanth, who was with his daughter during the audio launch, was moved to tears after hearing her defend him against the label. Aishwaryaa stated, "I'd like to make it clear here, that Rajinikanth is not a sanghi. If he was, he wouldn't have done a film like Lal Salaam." Those unaware, Lal Salaam is Aishwaryaa's latest directorial venture, which marks her return to direction after a seven-year hiatus.
Here's everything to know about 'Lal Salaam'
Lal Salaam is a sports drama, which features Rajinikanth in an extended cameo as Moideen Bhai. Scheduled to hit theaters on February 9, the film stars Vishnu Vishal and Vikranth in lead roles. It also includes a cameo appearance by legendary Indian cricketer Kapil Dev. Notably, Aishwaryaa's last directorial was the Tamil action thriller Vai Raja Vai (2015), which also featured her ex-husband Dhanush in a cameo.
Meanwhile, look at Rajinikanth's upcoming projects
Following the success of his 2023 blockbuster film Jailer, Rajinikanth is all set to star in a range of diverse movies. This includes Vettaiyan directed by TJ Gnanavel, and Thalaivar 171, which is a much-awaited collaboration with Lokesh Kanagaraj. Additionally, fans can look forward to a reunion between Rajinikanth and Nelson Dilipkumar for Jailer 2.
