Chennai, April 19 (IANS): Tamil film star Ajith Kumar was the first denizen of the silver screen to show up for voting on Friday. He arrived at his nearest polling booth at Thiruvanmiyur in Chennai 30 minutes before voting began and patiently waited for the door to open.

Others were not far behind. When mega star Rajinikanth arrived to cast his vote at Stella Maris College in Chennai, he was briefly mobbed, but then he went about completing the formalities unhindered.

Speaking to the media after voting, Rajinikanth stressed on the "civic duty" of all citizens to exercise their democratic right. He said no one gains anything if people abstain from voting. "There is respect and dignity in voting," Rajinikanth said. "It is our duty to vote. So, please cast your vote."

The mega star's now-estranged son-in-law, Dhanush, also cast his vote around 8 a.m. at St Francis Xavier School on TTK Road.

Among the other early voters were the actors Sarath Kumar, who came with his wife Radhika, Sivakathikeyan and Gowtham Karthik, acclaimed music director Ilayaraja, who showed up at T. Nagar, and the directors Verrimaaran and Sundar C.