Hyderabad: Superstar Rajinikanth rekindled an old connection as he met with Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav after a span of nine years. The heartwarming reunion took place in Lucknow, where the two shared an embrace. Rajinikanth, who met Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, took time to meet Akhilesh Yadav during his visit to the city.
In a video posted on X (previously known as Twitter) by newswire, Rajinikanth shared his delight about reconnecting with Akhilesh after nearly a decade. He recounted their first meeting, which occurred at a Mumbai function nine years prior. This initial encounter sparked a friendship that persisted over time through phone conversations. Rajinikanth also reminisced about a missed opportunity to meet Akhilesh five years ago during a shoot in Lucknow, making the current reunion all the more special.
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प्रख्यात फिल्म अभिनेता श्री रजनीकांत जी से आज लखनऊ स्थित सरकारी आवास पर शिष्टाचार भेंट हुई।@rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/HIByc0aOO0
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 19, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">प्रख्यात फिल्म अभिनेता श्री रजनीकांत जी से आज लखनऊ स्थित सरकारी आवास पर शिष्टाचार भेंट हुई।@rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/HIByc0aOO0
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 19, 2023प्रख्यात फिल्म अभिनेता श्री रजनीकांत जी से आज लखनऊ स्थित सरकारी आवास पर शिष्टाचार भेंट हुई।@rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/HIByc0aOO0
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) August 19, 2023
On a related note, when asked about his interaction with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Rajinikanth expressed his contentment, describing the meeting as "great" and stating that he felt positive about it. Rajinikanth further disclosed his plans to travel to Ayodhya from Lucknow, driven by a desire to seek blessings from Lord Ram. However, when questioned about the possibility of meeting Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati, the actor playfully declined.
During the meeting, Rajinikanth also paid his respects to the late Mulayam Singh, founder of the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav's father. The actor folded his hands in front of a portrait of Mulayam Singh, showcasing his deep admiration for the departed leader.
- — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 20, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 20, 2023
">— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 20, 2023
Taking to social media, Akhilesh Yadav shared heartwarming photos of his meeting with Rajinikanth. In one snapshot, the two embraced, a testament to the warmth of their friendship. Akhilesh shared that his fondness for Rajinikanth's on-screen presence during his engineering studies in Mysore remained unchanged, and the two had become friends since their first face-to-face interaction nine years prior.
Rajinikanth's visit to Lucknow was preceded by a rendezvous with Yogi Adityanath, where the actor discussed his recently released film Jailer. The film's positive reception delighted Rajinikanth, who attributed its success to divine blessings. Before his Lucknow visit, Rajinikanth had explored Ranchi, Jharkhand, visiting the renowned Chhinnamasta Temple and spending meditative moments at Yagoda Ashram. His travels also included a meeting with Jharkhand governor C P Radhakrishnan.
READ | Jailer box office collection: Rajinikanth's film to witness 59.2% jump on day 10
