KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Call it a case of title envy. Fans of South Indian
superstar Rajinikanth have started a petition urging Putrajaya to bestow a
datukship on the actor after the same honour was extended to Hong Kong movie
icon Datuk Jackie Chan.
The online petition was set up on website change.org and local fans are joining in to ask that their “talapathi”, Tamil for “leader of leaders”, be given the same treatment accorded to Chan and another Bollywood icon, Datuk Shah Rukh Khan.
“In recent years, datukship has been given to Shah Rukh Khan and also Jackie Chan. If this is possible, then we request to give datukship to Superstar Rajnikanth too. Thalaiva!!!!” read the petition started by fan Ravisankar Sellakkannu.
“If Jackie Chan can get, our Rajni deserve more,” a fan from Kulim in Kedah, Visnu Shanmugam, wrote on the petition page.
Another admirer, Padmanaban Ben from Ampang, wrote: “Superstar Rajinikanth has a huge fan following in Malaysia and he deserves to (get) this award.”
Despite Rajinikanth’s international appeal, however, the petition organiser has set a modest target in terms of the support that he hopes to raise.
The petition aims to collect just 500 signatures, but has already gained over 200 at the time of writing.
Movies by Rajinikanth, whose real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, are among the most-awaited in Indian cinema and regularly reach blockbuster status upon release, thanks largely to his global cult-following.
His action-packed movies often portray the 64-year-old actor as romancing heroines half his age, much to the chagrin of many younger men.
Chan received his datukship during this year’s Federal Territories Day on February 1.
He was among 71 individuals who received the Panglima Mahkota Wilayah (PMW) award that carries the title “Datuk”.
While many Internet users were amused by his award, especially as Chan attended the ceremony wearing the songkok, a Malay headgear, an equal number also expressed their frustration that the title was awarded to a foreigner, rather than a local.
“Give a datukship to people who risked their lives for others during the banjir la... Make these datukships mean something again! Just my two cents,” popular Malaysian actor and director Afdlin Shauki posted on his public Facebook page in response then.
The backlash prompted Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor to defend the conferment of the award on Chan, saying it was justified as the popular Hong Kong actor has a large fan following here.
Tengku Adnan also claimed that Chan could help to promote Malaysia, especially its capital, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
Chan is not the first foreign actor to receive a Malaysian award in recent times.
In 2008, Malacca conferred a Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) award, which carries the title “Datuk”, upon popular Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, making him the first Indian movie star to receive the award.
The Malacca chief minister at the time, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, reportedly said the decision was based on a suggestion by former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin to the Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, as a means to further promote the state and because the actor had shot a movie scene here several years ago.
Source :http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/after-jackie-chan-fans-want-datukship-for-kollywood-superstar-rajinikanth
The online petition was set up on website change.org and local fans are joining in to ask that their “talapathi”, Tamil for “leader of leaders”, be given the same treatment accorded to Chan and another Bollywood icon, Datuk Shah Rukh Khan.
“In recent years, datukship has been given to Shah Rukh Khan and also Jackie Chan. If this is possible, then we request to give datukship to Superstar Rajnikanth too. Thalaiva!!!!” read the petition started by fan Ravisankar Sellakkannu.
“If Jackie Chan can get, our Rajni deserve more,” a fan from Kulim in Kedah, Visnu Shanmugam, wrote on the petition page.
Another admirer, Padmanaban Ben from Ampang, wrote: “Superstar Rajinikanth has a huge fan following in Malaysia and he deserves to (get) this award.”
Despite Rajinikanth’s international appeal, however, the petition organiser has set a modest target in terms of the support that he hopes to raise.
The petition aims to collect just 500 signatures, but has already gained over 200 at the time of writing.
Movies by Rajinikanth, whose real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, are among the most-awaited in Indian cinema and regularly reach blockbuster status upon release, thanks largely to his global cult-following.
His action-packed movies often portray the 64-year-old actor as romancing heroines half his age, much to the chagrin of many younger men.
Chan received his datukship during this year’s Federal Territories Day on February 1.
He was among 71 individuals who received the Panglima Mahkota Wilayah (PMW) award that carries the title “Datuk”.
While many Internet users were amused by his award, especially as Chan attended the ceremony wearing the songkok, a Malay headgear, an equal number also expressed their frustration that the title was awarded to a foreigner, rather than a local.
“Give a datukship to people who risked their lives for others during the banjir la... Make these datukships mean something again! Just my two cents,” popular Malaysian actor and director Afdlin Shauki posted on his public Facebook page in response then.
The backlash prompted Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor to defend the conferment of the award on Chan, saying it was justified as the popular Hong Kong actor has a large fan following here.
Tengku Adnan also claimed that Chan could help to promote Malaysia, especially its capital, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
Chan is not the first foreign actor to receive a Malaysian award in recent times.
In 2008, Malacca conferred a Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) award, which carries the title “Datuk”, upon popular Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, making him the first Indian movie star to receive the award.
The Malacca chief minister at the time, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, reportedly said the decision was based on a suggestion by former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin to the Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, as a means to further promote the state and because the actor had shot a movie scene here several years ago.
Source :http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/after-jackie-chan-fans-want-datukship-for-kollywood-superstar-rajinikanth
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