NEN and the IWSB Peers
This is just another reminder of the Golden Rule #1 of Stephen Covey – Begin with the end in mind.
Please see the mail trail below with regard to our own IWSB. We set out to build an institution that focused on entrepreneurship from Day One. We also said that we will make an effort to create a separate category of Business schools that are rated for their focus and follow-through in real-world entrepreneurship. Read more
Rajni - the superstar !!!!
The greatest thing of the blogworld is that I can write something as irrelevant (may be not!!) as this topic and get away. “This topic is not what is expected of you - Satya !!!”…… I hope not to hear that. 
The release and the hype around the film - Sivaji, the boss - made me curious to go and watch the movie. There were a couple of reasons that coaxed me to do it - one, that I have not ever seen a Rajni movie (that is a sacrilege for a ‘Southie’
. Two - I was actually curious to check out what really is this phenomenon called ‘Rajni’ about.
Luckily for me - I got a ticket effortlessly (Sangeet in Hyd) for Rs 50 /- for a balcony ticket. Wow- that is a steal in today’s era. Sangeet is the equivalent of Priya/Chanakya (Delhi) or New Excelsior/Maratha Mandir (Mumbai).
Now, the movie - It is a regular ‘good guy - good intent - bad guy- good looking heroine - songs/dance - ….movie’. There is nothing remarkable about the movie. I kept waiting for something remarkable to happen….something Rajni would do now that will make me think “wow - what an actor ?” “what an expression”…..”what ..whatever”…….nothing happened. NOTHING !! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING !!
I looked towards Uma and she knew what I am going to say next - “lets go home……..!” Thats what we did….walked out. visited a book shp next door as we had saved some time….and drive back home.
As I was at the wheel on the way back…….I was still pre-occupied with my experience and that juxtaposed starkly with the reality - My experience said that I just watched a movie that stars an ordinary / average actor. Nothing extra-ordinary about him. He comes nowhere close to Kamal Hasan, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh, Sivaji Ganeshan , ANR, Paresh Rawal…..that list of better actors could be into thousands before Rajni name appears there.
However, the reality that is all around is true too - THere is still no one like Rajni in this country in terms of his following. When I thought deeper, some thoughts that came to my mind - that I thought are profound statements about us, human beings !!!!
Somewhere, we (the people) are more in love of the larger persona than the specific person/professional in question (actor in the case of Rajni…). Rajni persona includes large doses of his personal life, his word of mouth in the world at large, his personal practices, etc,. etc,……….
I leave you to ponder about this and tear my hypothesis apart………I will also leave you with a few bullet points of Rajni that I have heard over the years…
1. He has remained down-to-earth inspite of his successes…… (still drives his ‘Fiat’…did you know that ???), Travels economy class on flights, etc,. etc,.
2. Has healthy personal practices - Yoga, good health habits, god fearing (goes to a temple at 5am in the morning every day….and there is a crowd of 1000 every day there….to have his darshan while he converses with his own God)
3. When his movie bombed a few years back - he called the distrubutors and returned 90% of his fee (about 17 Crores)…..I cannot think of anyone doing that !!
There are a few Rajni fans here….I know. They may add a lot more. I am merely an observer…not a fan. I am still wondering about things that make him what he is……..
Are there lessons for us as individuals / professionals / leaders from this ‘irrelevant story’…..I do not know…I am just wondering !!!
Satya