Shah Rukh Khan, Be Like Rajinikanth; Say No to B’day Bashes

Rajinikanth leaves Tamil Nadu a day or two before his birthday every year.

A reporter from The Quint was pushed to the ground in the near-stampede outside Mannat, Shah Rukh Khan's house, while covering the birthday 'celebrations' on 2 November. She was trampled upon by SRK's fans, who turned into a mob, before one young man - also a fan - rescued her.

Also read: The Quint’s Journalist Injured in Near-Stampede Outside Mannat

While SRK is not directly responsible for the incident, the Badshah of Bollywood could learn a thing or two from 'Thalaivar' Rajinikanth’s decision to not publicly celebrate his special day.

1992 was the year of Mannan and Annamalai. It was only a year ago that Thalapathy (Mani Ratnam) was released. The level of adulation in a post-MGR, star-starved state was unimaginable. With every passing year, the scale of celebrations doubled. A movie release is just about one character; the auto driver / don, the milkman / business magnate, the worker / corporate giant. But Rajinikanth's birthday, was about ALL of these roles. The cutouts, the milk packets and the crackers therefore, wouldn't just be confined to Baby Albert Theatre and Kasi theatre. The entire state would have a mini Deepavali / Pongal.

Well, at least the fans would.

On 12 December, 1992, two of Rajinikanth's fans died while on their way back from the mega-birthday celebrations. In honour of their demise, Rajinikanth resolved to stop celebrating his birthday in Chennai, or in public from then on.

This is the legend. But in truth, it was simply a matter of crowd control.

Thalaivar’s birthdays from then on have been (comparatively) quiet affairs. The superstar’s celebrations are confined to his family. To make sure that he doesn’t succumb to the pressure of the fans outside his house, he leaves Tamil Nadu a day or two before his birthday.

In the absence of the star, Rajinikanth's fans - across his 80,000 fan clubs - hold blood donation drives, philanthropic activities, and the occasional cut-out 'pujas' and cracker fests.

While it is not an entertainer's prerogative to inspire social service, it is surely not a hard ask to ensure the safety of his adorers.

May be leaving town for his birthday isn't an option for SRK. Maybe asking his fans to do 'good' instead of waiting for him outside his house, isn't his style. But neither is allowing for a stampede right outside his house, where his fans - the very reason he exists - could get killed.

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