Rajini Praised by PM Manmohan Singh in Japan Parliament (2006)

During his official address at the Japanese Parliament (Diet), Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh surprised and delighted the audience by referring to Superstar Rajinikanth. He mentioned the tremendous popularity of the Tamil film ‘Muthu’, which was dubbed and released in Japan as ‘Odoru Maharaja’ (The Dancing Maharaja).

Dr. Singh expressed how pleased he was to learn about Rajinikanth’s huge fan following among Japanese youth. In a lighter vein, he humorously added that “Odori ASIMO”, the Japanese dancing robot (developed by Honda), was now becoming quite a hit among Indian children—highlighting a cross-cultural appreciation between the two countries.

The article also notes that Muthu, released in 1995, became a sensational hit in Japan in 1998, drawing widespread admiration for Rajinikanth and Tamil cinema. The Prime Minister’s reference to a film star in such a formal international setting was seen as a unique and humanizing gesture, earning positive response from the Japanese audience.

Rajinikanth, on hearing about the mention, conveyed his heartfelt thanks and expressed his humility and gratitude to Dr. Manmohan Singh for acknowledging him on such a prestigious platform.

Published in Dinamani – December 15, 2006