I haven't quit smoking, but you should: Rajinikanth
News
oi-Prakash
By Ramchander
Chennai:
Tamil
cinema
icon
Rajnikanth,
whose
inimitable
style
of
popping
a
cigarette
into
his
mouth
earned
him
many
fans
among
the
youth,
has
urged
them
to
kick
the
habit
and
indicated
to
them
that
he
has
no
political
ambitions.
It
has
to
be
noted
that
the
actor
had
once
extended
support
to
a
DMK-led
combine
in
elections
against
AIADMK.
Addressing
a
gathering
of
his
fans
to
mark
his
birthday
after
many
years
here
on
Thursday,
he
said
his
illness
had
been
caused
by
smoking,
but
admitted
he
was
unable
to
give
it
up.
"I
haven't
quit
smoking,
but
you
should
do
so," he
said,
adding
he
recovered
from
his
kidney
ailment,
involving
extensive
medical
treatment,
only
by
God's
grace
and
the
prayers
of
his
fans.
Responding
to
fans' pleas
urging
him
to
play
a
larger
political
role,
he
said
he
would
not
be
an
effective
leader
and
had
no
plans
to
launch
a
party,
but
expressed
gratitude
to
the
Tamil
people
for
"providing
me
with
a
livelihood."
Rajinikanth
turned
62
on
Wednesday
(12-12-12).
The
actor
appeared
before
the
media
to
deliver
his
gratitude
for
the
people
and
participated
in
a
special
function,
a
day
after
his
birthday
in
YMCA
grounds
this
time.