Ex-DPM turns 'Boss' to lure Indian votes

In a bid to secure Indian votes, opposition stalwart Anwar Ibrahim is riding on the popularity and fame of another superstar - Rajnikanth.

Rajnikanth or Rajni as he is popularly known to his fans is the superstar of the Tamil cinema and one of the region's highest paid actors.

Last year, Rajnikanth starred in the magnum opus 'Sivaji the Boss' which ran to packed cinemas around the world, including Malaysia.

In the movie, the actor plays a rich computer whiz who returns to India after spending many years abroad making a fortune.

His ambition to start up a free university and hospital is met by stiff resistance and the hero faces corrupt government officials at every turn.

A fed-up Rajinikanth then resolves to fight the corrupt system with force and the vigilante assumes the title 'Boss'.

The Malaysian Boss

Thousands of kilometres away, in the bustling parliamentary constituency of Lembah Pantai, familiar posters of the 'Boss' are now reappearing.

While the hero is clad in the same red-striped shirt, leather jacket and sports the same belt with the shiny buckle, there is however one significant difference.

It is not Rajinikanth's face but that of Anwar in dark glasses flashing a smile which adorns the poster. Below is the caption: 'Sivaji the Boss'.

At the bottom of the poster, it is revealed that the family saga is written by the boss' wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, produced by Anwar himself and directed by his daughter Nurul Izzah.

Nurul Izzah, whom the poster also refers to as 'Nurul Izzah Sivaji' is the PKR candidate for Lembah Pantai.

The poster further states that the movie will open in Lembah Pantai tomorrow on polling day. Others in the cast are Bukit Travers, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar Baru, Lucky Garden, Kawasan University, Pantai Baharu, Kg Hj Abdullah Hukum, Bukit Kerinchi, Pantai Dalam, Petaling Lama, Petaling Selatan, Taman Sri Sentosa, Kg Bahagia and Kg Bohol.

'Fighting the corrupt system'

Nurul Izzah, an election debutant, will be taking on Barisan Nasional (BN) heavyweight Shahrizat Abdul Jalil in the elections.

Lembah Pantai has 56,650 voters. Of this, the Malays comprise 54.5% Chinese 27.0%, Indians 18.2% and others 0.3%.

In the last polls Shahrizat defeated her PKR challenger by more than 15,000 votes.

This time around, PKR is hoping to rope in the Indian votes following the wave of discontent which swept across the community in the wake of the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

Following the rally, pundits predicted that the community - once a strong supporter of BN - might turn its back on the ruling coalition in this polls.

Anwar had recently told his Indian audience at a ceramah that he was like 'Sivaji the Boss' fighting against the corrupt system.