In an interview that was conducted right after the release of Enthiran, K Balachander asked some tough questions to Rajinikanth, who was at his candid best. Indian cinema owes a lot to iconic filmmaker K Balachander, who would have turned 102 today. The veteran director is one of the reasons we have two Academy Award winners in India. It was Balachander who launched AR Rahman in Tamil with his production venture, Roja. He was also the one who launched MM Keeravaani in Tamil, who went on to become a popular composer later in both Kollywood and Telugu cinema. It doesn’t end there. Both Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, the two superstars of Tamil cinema, are even now referred to as the ‘products of KB’. Balachander not only introduced them, but he was also a mentor figure who influenced both in their formative years. He was the last director who could address both stars without ‘sir’ or other suffixes of respect.

Rajinikanth and Balachander’s equation was on full display at an event in 2010. “Sari da!” the filmmaker tells Rajinikanth before asking him a series of questions on the stage of a special event conducted by the Tamil Nadu Film Directors Association to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

At the outset, Balachander tells Rajinikanth that he would treat him as his mentee like old times and not to expect the respect that new directors are giving him. He then goes on to ask some tough questions to Rajini, which wouldn’t have been possible for any other interviewee. Sample this: KB asks, “How many cigarettes do you smoke in a day?” Rajinikanth, who is visibly embarrassed, says, “I have cut it down.” “Please stop it altogether. I used to smoke as well. You have seen me with it on the sets too. But I stopped. You also do it,” KB replies.