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
I too had lunch with Gods !!
I just read the lovely blog on “lunch with God” by Jolly. I too had my lunch with a bunch of Gods at CL, Jaya Nagar, Bangalore. Yes, I am speaking about my ‘working lunch’ with the Blore CL team. Don’t we say ‘Customer is God’ and ’Work is worship’ ??It was a lovely get-together for me with my Gods. While we had lots of pizzas, etc,….we also had enough food for thought. We found time to ’share’ as well as ’seek’ from each other. I did walk away richer with lots of local knowledge, updates, challenges for the team, opportunities in the market place. I too has the opportunity to share with the team what is expected of me (on most occasions) - the big picture.
That we wish to go deeper into testprep, some specifics of things to come, the updates on our schools venture ) - Ananda and IWS. Of course, 2010 did feature quite central to the sharings about the future.
Coming back to my Lunch with Gods - I walked away with a lot of reassurance that we are focused on our ‘Super God’ - the student. Our dreams, aspirations, joys, returns are inextricably linked to the ‘joy’ that we give to our Gods - the student who walks into CL.
Each of the CLite looked determined to make it happen on the ground, at Blore. I am sure……this is indeed the case at every location. I walked away wishing that the appointment extended long into the evening right upto dinner.
Look forward it that too….shortly. Another location and another bunch of Gods……..
Satya
mails / letters from students
In the context of some marketing communication with Arjun, the discussion veered around to the students’ mails to CL-ites expressing various feelings & emotions. From my experience, these range from joy to gratitude, life changing moments, acknowledging role models, etc,…… Of course, there is an occasional complaint and angst too.I am also aware that these mails are addressed to the person who personifies CL and who the student identifies with closely. I gather my own bunch of these from my interactions through the year - here and there.
I want you to help Arjun & me collect these mails / testimonials and add to the bunch that he has. Some of those that I have seen from Patiala, Hyderabad, Gwalior etc,…. are as mind-blowing as it can get. As I shared with Arjun - even a team omprising Al Ries and Alyque Padamsee cannot improve on that copy…. these are so heartfelt !!
So, please rush that one mail from a student that you have treasured. It would be valuable to us in more ways than one. Arjun is evaluating a campaign based on ‘appealing student testimonials’.
Let me close with something that I have heard recently and many time over. That CL does not believe in ads / communication that highlights results or brandishes student endorsements. Thats news to me - I was the first brand manager in this company when they hired me
here is the data -
1. The first FPS in TOI that we used and that saw the CLites at that time sleepless (it cost us Rs 1.6 Lacs) the whole of the night….. was a pure testimonial ad. It has the shape of Pegasus logo inside which in small print all the succesuful students’ names were printed. Of course, it was executed in a world class manner. Ahem !!
2. The line that made CL succes akin to ‘Dhoondte reha jaoge’ was ‘4 out of 5 IIM entrants are from Career Launcher’. Hope the old timers rememebers. it had its own strong reinforcement in the market place. We abandoned itsone where……..
Get out there and catchmarket by the collar……while we await that ‘most treasured’ mail of the past 12 months…..
Pl do not forget to put a cc to me mail id even as you send it to Mr Wadhwa. BTW, get the word around too to thsoe CLites who are yet to take to this blogspace
Satya
Getting my blog started
I wanted my blog to have the name - “Life & Times”. Tech has played some tricks (Or was it my tech-limitation ?) and the name of the blog has become ‘Life’. hmmmm….. will make do with it. After all, we know about “whats in a name”…..While I contemplate about the first piece of ‘Life’….do throw in what is up with your life - professional, Personal, career, CL, etc,…..
Satya
Two days@Lab
As I board the AP Express and prepare for a long (24 hour) sabbatical from the mad world of work, my mind rewinds the time spent with about 20 CLites at Rajhans over the past two days. Some old timers…. some brand new young guns of CL.
I feel very joyous for a variety of reasons. One - Meeting this cadre / genre of leadership under one roof after a while. Two - the interaction was very meaningful to me……my sensing says that it was of value and meaning to all….if any did not enjoy could shout at me on this forum (in front of every one ? ….. yes, that would be fun )
Some brand new CLites like Amit and Brajesh………could be the people who might throttle me for some unexpected stuff !!!! Anyway…I had my share of fun…That is paramount! Let me scoot before some one finds out where I am…….. the train is between Agra and Bhopal, I guess.