Lenin Bharathi calls Rajinikanth ‘fake philanthropist’ after his gift to sanitation worker, slams ‘so called generosity’

Director Lenin Bharathi took to his social media to slam Rajinikanth after he gifted a gold chain to a Chennai sanitation worker. Here's what he said.

Recently, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth won hearts when he met a Chennai sanitation worker, Padma, at his Poes Garden home and gifted her a gold chain. While the moment his team shared online won hearts, director Lenin Bharathi called the star a ‘fake philanthropist’ for not standing up for workers’ rights. (Also Read: Rajinikanth gifts gold chain to Chennai sanitation worker who returned lost gold to rightful owner)

Lenin Bharathi called out Rajinikanth for nor supporting sanitation workers in their plight.

Lenin Bharathi slams Rajinikanth, calls him ‘fake’

Lenin posted one of the pictures shared by Rajinikanth’s team, showing him hugging a happy Padma, dressed in her worker uniform, on X (formerly Twitter). Posting the picture, the filmmaker wrote in Tamil, “Where were you, @rajinikanth, all those times when the sanitation workers were protesting for their rights at the entrance of the Ripon Building? Will you identify them only by their uniforms to showcase your so-called generosity, you fake philanthropist?” The Ripon Building is the seat and headquarters of the Greater Chennai Corporation in Chennai.

For the unversed, Rajinikanth met Padma at his home on Tuesday and gifted her a gold chain. She works as a sanitation worker in T Nagar, where she found an unclaimed pouch containing 45 sovereigns of gold ornaments. She immediately informed her superiors and handed the gold over to the police station, ensuring it reached the rightful owners. Rajinikanth had called her home to laud her for it.

Fans come to Rajinikanth’s defence

As Lenin’s post gained traction, many Rajinikanth’s fans came to his defence while others believed the filmmaker was right. An X user wrote, “Trying too hard to find mistakes on others, is not a great habit sir.” Another defended, “That should be done by the government or politicians. It's not his job.” One Redditor criticised, “As always, we are expecting a movie star to be a saviour and beacon of hope.”

Others, however, seemed to side with Lenin, with a Redditor writing, “Bro Lenin is not asking Rajini to call out the government. He's just exposing his fakeness as a philanthropist.” Another wrote, “Bro made a photoshoot with the context of showing his generosity to a sanitary worker, where actual sanitary workers rights are at question.” One X user even called it a “very valid take.”

For the unversed, Lenin directed the 2018 film Merku Thodarchi Malai, which Vijay Sethupathi produced. The film revolves around the life and times of a group of landless workers living along the foothills of the Western Ghats in India. He also wrote the screenplay for the 2013 film Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer. Last seen in Coolie, Rajinikanth will soon star in Jailer 2.