‘My daddy is… number one’: Shruti Haasan when asked to pick between Rajini and Kamal

It’s just a matter of a few more hours before Thalaivar Rajini’s Coolie unleashes its magic in theatres worldwide. Records are expected to tumble, with many projecting it as the legendary superstar’s shot at the coveted ₹1000 crore club — a milestone he is yet to achieve in his illustrious career. Apart from Rajinikanth, the movie also assembles a powerhouse of talents including Shruti Haasan, Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, Upendra Rao, and Soubin Shahir.

Interestingly, Coolie will clash at release with Hrithik’s and Jr. NTR’s much-hyped War 2. Cinephiles are eagerly looking forward to what could potentially be the biggest showdown at the Indian box office this year so far.

Shifting the attention, what has kept the internet abuzz is Shruti Haasan’s candid revelation at one of the promotional events for Coolie.

When the young actor was asked to pick between her father Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth — two of the biggest names in Tamil cinema — Shruti quickly responded, “See, my daddy is always my number one. I absolutely adore appa.”

Talking further, she stated, “Talking about Rajini sir, one can feel his aura in the very first encounter — I mean, he is an absolute powerhouse. I am a Thalaivar fan now… see, that’s how I balance it,” she chuckled.

In the interaction, recalling the shoot for Coolie, Shruti Haasan said, “There was this close-up shot and I could see Rajini sir’s face in its entirety, and yeah, I realised the ‘legend’ he is.” She shared her admiration for the champion of the masses.

Shruti’s confession is yet another example of the personal biases that can emerge in the film industry across generations — but more than that, it unfolds as a case of fandom, admiration, and unconditional respect: an actor’s honour to her industry seniors above everything else.