Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai

Chennai, Aug 31: Bestselling author Amish Tripathi recently experienced what he described as “one of the high points” of his life when he met none other than Superstar Rajinikanth.

The occasion was the cover reveal of Amish’s upcoming book The Chola Tigers, which was unveiled at a private ceremony in Chennai this July, with Rajinikanth himself doing the honours.

For Amish, the event was deeply personal and nostalgic. He recalled his childhood days in Tamil Nadu, where he studied at Lawrence School, Ooty, in the 1980s along with his brothers. “Those years made me the Rajinikanth fan I am today,” Amish said, reminiscing about his school-time fascination with the superstar’s films.

Sharing a vivid memory, Amish recalled, “I became a Rajinikanth fan actually in my time out there. The first time I saw a Rajinikanth movie was in Tamil without subtitles – it didn’t matter. There was this scene where a van full of gundas is speeding, suddenly a foot appears, kicks the van, and it goes flying back. The camera pans in and there’s Rajinikanth... and everyone goes wooooow! Man, I loved it.”

Fast forward to July 2025, Amish finally met his idol — and the moment surpassed his expectations. “He’s actually a role model because he’s so humble. When we drove in, we assumed we’d have time, but he was waiting at the gate! He’s Rajinikanth! I was scrambling for my jacket, and he just said, relax, relax,” Amish shared.

The emotional highpoint came when Rajinikanth told him he had read the Shiva Trilogy. “I told him, sir, I’ve been a fan of yours forever. And then he says, ‘Amish ji...’ I was like, you are Rajinikanth ji, please don’t call me Amish ji! He said he really loved my books. God! My life is made,” Amish expressed with delight.