‘I know how much pleasure he gives people.’
So I wouldn’t want him to retire totally, but take it slow and give his family some time.
He is a standout amongst the most cherished motion picture stars on the planet.
She is the little girl who declined to acknowledge that her dad’s approaching shadow could characterize her reality.
Aishwaryaa R Dhanush – little girl of the unbelievable whiz Rajinikanth; spouse of the well known performing artist Dhanush – has not enabled their accomplishments to restrict her.
At 36, she is an executive, maker, content essayist, writer, a prepared artist and established artist and an UN Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India.
In this meeting, she tells B4blaze, being Rajinikanth’s little girl, how life changed when her parents became grandparents and answers the one question everyone is afraid to ask: Will Rajinikanth retire?
What did having a super-busy superstar mean to you as a child?
“My dad was not around too much when we were growing up because he was doing seven films a year, which is a lot. He was working pretty much every day of the year…”
When did the fact that your dad was a superstar start impacting you? When did you realise the actual Rajinikanth?
“Much later in our lives because my parents both — I’m sure it was a very collective decision that they had — we were not exposed to the limelight at all.”
So your mother did succeed in giving you a private life. The fact that the Internet and cell phones did not exist then must have helped.
“Oh, she really lucked out! (laughs)”
As a mother, this kind of intrusion into your private life must worry you.
“It does. It is a huge challenge.
I am yet to actually see the whole wrath of it because my kids are still young.
I am sure they would want a cell phone — my older one is already asking me when — and I’ve told him he can have one when he is in Class 11 or 12. He is not happy with that decision; he said his friends already have cell phones.
So I said, ‘You pack your bags and go be with your friends. This is how it is in this house.’
It’s a huge challenge for parents today — whether you are a celebrity parent or not, it does not matter — to bring up kids because you need to draw that line.
It’s a difficult balance because you can’t keep them totally away from it, but, at the same point, you can’t give them the whole thing…
You don’t know where to say no, you don’t know which questions to answer, you don’t know which questions not to answer…
But I do encourage asking questions because I think that’s the healthy thing to do.
When we were children, it was just, ‘This is what it is, do what you are told.’
Now, it can’t be that way because my son wants a rational explanation when he asks me a question.
I think he has the right to know what it is.
If I can explain it to him and make him understand, I think that would be the best way for him to know something.”
Would you like your dad to retire?
Retire?
Yes, at some point.
I mean, he has lost out a lot on family time so I think it’s important for him to make up as far as that is concerned.
He should work at his pace… I wouldn’t say retire because I know how much people love him and how much they like to see him on the screen.
I know how much pleasure he gives people.
So I wouldn’t want him to retire totally, but take it slow and give his family some time.
