Rajinikanth, what will happen to TRPs?

Well, the media may feign surprise at the way Rajinikanth is not taking a final decision, with respect to his political launch. Will the Rajini Makkal Mandram aka RMM, forever remain just that, an apolitical body, that helps various causes across the state of Tamilnadu. That is the question most observers, and most seasoned political observers seems to be asking, so often, and so often!

But, there is another angle to the whole enigma of the man, that is Rajinikanth, an actor who refuses to take a final plunge, that could possibly change the way the political landscape behaves in this state. The political uncertainty that revolves around the actor is a very good feed for almost all the regional Tamil broadcast channels, and even some channels in then national media scape.

Just a few seconds of sound byte at the gates of his Poes garden residence, or in the airport entrance, while on the way to Mumbai or while back to Chennai, or as the latest viral pic of the man steering a Lamborghini, with his mask on - what is needed is something that trivial by the actor for the regional media to almost go on a mad frenzy, and what with almost all the established political parties, which have ruled the state, or which is ruling jumping the bandwagon, and passing eloquent observations on the man and his style, his political affiliation, his religious inclination and what not.

Even a mild move by the actor now is sufficient to set the media on a debate wild-fire, and send journalists in Chennai and across the country in a tizzy and frenzy. It doesn't matter what he does or said makes any real sense or is of consequence or otherwise - the media spends hours and days debating on almost every trivia of what he said, how he stood, what he did, and what he did not! And even worse, the plight of almost all the principal parties in the state, who are forced to take a side - are you in the side of Rajinikanth, or the opposite side, or are you and your party indifferent?!

So, whether the man takes a political plunge or not, he is already setting the agenda in the media, both in Tamilnadu and at the national level. And if at all he takes a political plunge (which he may well not), it will be the newsrooms in Chennai and Delhi that will be a wee bit disappointed, because you can earn better TRPs with an uncertain and ambiguous Rajinikanth, than Rajinikanth, leader of the xyz political party in the electoral fray!?