What is the height of fame a human can touch, and what is the abyss the same human can fall?

All of us would have witnessed the rise and fall of several personalities, friends, relatives, and many more. Nevertheless, only a few affect us, and others we just pass through, reasoning out as their ‘fate’ or because of their ‘misdeeds’.

This type of comment or opinion, invariably based on the acts of the individual or the circumstances that led he/she had done. In the case of popular persons and luminaries these rises and falls draw huge attention from the public and the social media with their popularity at its pinnacle, kill many times, and overkill most of the time.  

But the fact remains. 

The acts and behavior of any individual only lead to the fall or rise.

He entered the filmdom at a very tender age and shot to prominence even as a child star. Later, there had been a lull in his adolescent period, but once again, he entered the film world through a very capable and popular director. He almost played the role of a Godfather to this young man. He too, developed great skills in acting and reached the pinnacle. Times don’t remain the same. At one point, for many, the top position turns unstable and jittery; sliding down to either mediocrity or below that, is unavoidable. With the experience and popularity, sane people opt for a gracious exit from the scenario to use their talents, if remaining, in some other form, or else just remain quiet and watch. 

However, the person I mention here is different from the rest of the crowd. He never failed to project himself as a supreme intellectual with his knowledge in every field from pin to aeroplane, and also used to boast openly. 

His own films at one stage started sliding down, and he opted for the next move to be in the news. Yes. He entered politics; Indian politics, and that too Tamil Nadu politics. The reasons are obvious. Tamil Nadu is known for its awesome and unique fetish and feverish mania for film stars and their glamour. No wonder he opted to start his own party with scathing remarks about the powerful ruling party. He contested the elections, but alas, was defeated royally. His cinema glam didn’t work for him there. 

So what was his next move? To walk away from politics or try to concentrate more on cinema, which was his bread and butter. 

No. 

He made a shameless, shocking move by joining the party hitherto, he was abusing, criticising, and contesting against. 

He didn’t stop at that. He licked the boot of the rulers, their wards, and the cronies better than those who were already slaves to the party high command and his family. 

He invented meaner ways to appease them, singing paeons of the leader and his wards, acted in films made by them, speaking unabashed nonsense which couldn’t be understood even by hardcore fans. By then his choice of films also turned from worse to worst. His gibberish eulogy of the ruling kings touched the nadir of slavery and absurdity. He proved earlier that he was a man of different moods and principles, and now he made it more virulent and vociferous. 

Well. He was rewarded with honorable post in our country’s strange democracy; a member of coveted Rajya Sabha. There also he made a mockery of freedom of expression through his speech, which could hardly be understood by the party in which he is now, and his ardent film fans. 

His personal life turned out to be more miserable with three failed marriages, and his progeny are just insignificant. His former wives never utter even one word about him today, as they may be shuddering with the thoughts of the life they had with him. 

But, this popular actor turned politician has no qualms about anything. He continues with his shameful, illogical, incoherent drivels ad nauseum. 

You want to name him? Well, you know whom I am referring to. So, concluding my essay with his name will be just superfluous. Nevertheless, his life is a clear testimony of ‘Historical Rise and Fall of a Star.’