On Election Day, prominent film actors stepped up to a different stage. Voting promptly, they sent their fans — most of whom were watching the breaking news developments on online social networks — into a tizzy.
Leading by example was ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth who caught even officials at Stella Maris College for Women unawares by turning up at the polling station before 7 a.m. to become the first voter at his booth.
Unlike previous elections, when Rajinikanth’s voting was publicised in advance and, in some instances, even generated controversy, this time the Superstar’s team managed to keep his arrival at the booth a secret.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who is also registered in the electoral rolls as a voter in Poes Garden, was scheduled to visit the polling station around 10 a.m. and most mediapersons expected Rajinikanth to turn up after that.
Film-maker and actor ‘Ulaga Nayagan’ Kamal Hassan arrived at the polling station on Eldams Road around 7.50 a.m., accompanied by actor Gouthami, to cast his vote. There were some tense moments when a few video journalists tried to get a top-angle shot of him voting. The actor threatened to leave the place without voting and eventually cast his vote after officials intervened. “I am glad I am part of the change and in building the country,” he later told mediapersons.
As has been the case in the past few elections, actor Ajith Kumar turned up at the polling station in Kottivakkam with his wife Shalini, and waited patiently in the queue. He was seen conversing with others in his trademark casual style and refusing help from the police to get ahead in the queue, opting to wait.
Actor Vijay cast his vote at a polling booth in Adyar around 10 a.m. He came to the booth alone and was able to cast his vote and leave quickly as there was hardly any queue.
Actors and brothers Suriya and Karthi arrived to vote at Hindi Prachar Sabha in T. Nagar around noon. Suriya, who seemed to be carrying some injuries sustained at a recent film shooting, was given quick access to the polling booth. The actors’ father, Sivakumar, came in to vote just a few minutes later.
By afternoon, a number of celebrities, including upcoming star Sivakarthikeyan, music directors Anirudh and Harris Jeyaraj, actor Trisha, singer Chinmayi, and later STR, uploaded photos showing their inked fingers on social networks.
These were the most retweeted photos of the day.
