Superstar Rajinikanth recently attended an event hosted by his brother-in-law, actor-playwright YG Mahendra. Speaking at the event, Rajini shared some of his struggles with smoking and drinking and how his wife, Latha, made him a better person. According to a report in a Tamil daily, the actor said smoking, drinking, and eating meat is a dangerous combination.
“What do I tell about YG Mahendra? He was the one who introduced me to Latha and got me married to her. I am 73 years old now, and the reason for my health is my wife,” Rajini said, and added, “When I was a bus conductor, due to the friendship of some wrong guys, I had many bad habits. I used to eat mutton twice a day. I used to drink daily, and I don’t know how many cigarettes I smoked. After coming to the cinema, with money and fame, imagine how much these would have increased.”
“Daily morning I wanted to eat mutton paya, appam, and chicken. I used to look down upon vegetarians. I used to wonder what they actually ate. Honestly, cigarettes, alcohol, and meat are a dangerous combination. Those who do all this without a limit, have not lived healthily even till 60. Many have faced so many health issues before they turned 60. There are many examples. Let’s not mention them,” he said.
He then said that the reason for his good health was his wife. “She was the one who changed me with her love. With love and the right doctors, she changed me. Thanks to YG Mahendra for that.”
Smoking cigarettes with style is one of the trademarks of Rajinikanth. He has pulled off many gimmicks with cigarettes in his films, and it is safe to say that this has influenced many of his fans over the years. However, since the film Chandramukhi (2005), he made a decision not to encourage the habit on screen. In Petta (2019) though, he is seen taking a drag from Vijay Sethupathi’s cigarettes, he goes on to say, “It’s not good for health…it’s coming from experience.” Similarly, in Kaala (2018), though he is seen drinking in a song, he later blames alcohol for being reckless, which leads to the death of his wife in the film.