First day, First show!

It is the day I was hoping for with anticipation and desperation; the joy I had since it was first announced, is beyond words to describe. 6.00 AM and I wake up with the fullest support of my body clock which cannot fail, given the excitement that has been stored in it for a long time now. I open my eyes only to capture what is engraved on the ceiling - ah, yes! that's what I wanted to see. I roll over to face the bed only to hug as much of what is spread on it. Voila! - on the ceiling and bedspread, that's my Childhood hero posing for a photograph with his left knee and right foot on the floor, his fingers (right hand) clinching his chin - wow! He is the best!

I jump out of my bed, realizing it is time to go. Today, I will be wearing my favorite clothes, my black jacket and jeans, goggles and shoes, as an expression of my mood. With great merriment to follow, I get ready for the celebration - yes, I am set to go! I light my cigarette, turn on my ipod and board my thunder bullet - a thundering sound as I cruise my way through the narrow streets of Triplicane, not without the music meant for the hour...yes..vroom I go! "Baasha Paaru Baasha Paaru from Baasha - a thunderous number for a thunderous moment! I am at Mount Road and I find myself sing along with SPB...Ivan perukullae gantham undu, unmaithanada...ha ha ha!

Moments later, I reach where I am destined to be for the day, the day that is the true Diwali for millions across the world, the day when we rise like tides and proceed like the waves of the ocean, the day when we stand taller than the tallest of mountains, the day when we unite with a force as strong as the roots of mountain rocks, the ultimate day!

Here I am at the Albert Theatre, the stage set for the magic to happen and just outside it - men on bullock carts with life-size hoardings of the man of the hour, shouting slogans in praise parade their way on the Station Road - wow! It’s an unbelievable sight. In another corner, just beneath one of the biggest hoardings at the venue, men have gathered for a worship of their lifetime and they go in circles offering their prayers to the Legend, with a few other staunch followers atop the hoarding trying to offer their respects by bathing it with milk! Such is the exodus joy at the Albert on this auspicious day.

Content witnessing the celebration, I force myself into the thick crowds and finally manage to get into the cinema hall. All I can now hear is a constant roar of the masses while I try to vaguely remember if I had parked my bullet to safety..ah..now who cares! Here it is in front of me..what I wanted to be a part of and I am enjoying it. Minutes pass as I wait with excitement, but there is no stopping the celebrations going on!

Finally, the wait for the occasion is over, and there on the screen appears the Thalaivar* of many, the man with the most number of registered fan clubs in the world (exceeds 53000), the only star - who can pull crowds to the theatre like no other can, whose movies are always hits - even his not-so-hit ones make it bigger than hits of others, the one who has a magical pull on people that every other envies, who is worshiped as God by millions and is the ultimate Force and the only Superstar on earth!

Yes that's the Demi-God, Rajnikanth and I sit there watching him, with tears in my eyes for 2 and a half hours, with undisturbed attention despite the incessant roaring of the disciples! I come out and start feeling a mild ache in the head and realize it is because of the downpour of coins while inside, by a group of ardant fans from the balcony seats, which came straight for our heads. Ah, the pain is disappeared the very next second as I start to think of what I had experienced just then! I walk ahead in search of my bike!

PS: ‘Thalaivar’ means the 'Leader' that his fans address him with affection.

The year was 1995 when BAASHA, the movie was released. I was in my 10th class and it was the release day of the movie and also the day prior to my exams. Oops! My parents knew that I had left to my friend’s to study while I had gone to watch it ‘First Day First Show’ - a show exclusively for Fan Clubs that starts at 7.00 AM

Some of the above mentioned are imaginary viz., the bullet, the ipod and the place, though I actually commuted only by my bicycle and the place was Pondicherry. The celebrations mentioned are real!