Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (MS)

Udupi, Apr 3: Popular Tamil cine star Rajinikanth, who is bestowed with the renowned Dhada Saheb Phalke award recently has unique relations with the district of Udupi.

Rajinikanth and his friends were in financial difficulty when they went to Chennai in 1975. Naryana Patil of Herga in the district, who was working in Woodlands hotel, had helped Rajinikanth and his friends. As the Woodlands hotel was nearby the Madras Film Institute, Rajinikanth, Dilip, directors Sathish and Ravindranath used to visit the hotel frequently. As Patil was speaking in Kannada, they became familiar with him. Rajinikanth and his team had shared their difficulties with Narayana Patil. Narayana got them a room on rent and also helped them to have food.

The friendship between Rajinikanth and his team with Narayana Patil was so close that they used to address Narayana Patil as 'Daddy'. Patil came back to his native Herga in 1991. In 1994, actor Sathish had called Patil over the phone and had asked him to come to Chennai.

Patil died in 2018. Four months prior to his death, Vittal, PA of Rajinikanth had inquired about Patil over the phone. This information was shared by Pradeep, son of Narayana Patil, who runs an auto rickshaw in Manipal.

Pradeep, son of late Narayana Patil said, "Rajinikanth used to address my father as Narayana Rao. I saw in the media of Rajinikanth remembering my father when he was bestowed with the Dada Saheb Phalke award. That gave me immense joy."

Narayana Patil had been to Chennai in 1994. Rajinikanth asked him in what way he can help and also inquired about the monthly expenses of Patil and his wife. Patil said that Rs 2,000 is enough for the couple. Rajinikanth immediately put Rs 1.4 lac in FD in Karnataka Bank. Rajinikanth also told Patil that his movie 'Valli' is being released and he wants to share the profit from that with all his friends. But Patil did not go to Chennai after 1994.

Rajinikanth gave a photograph of Raghavendra Swamy in memory of his movie made on Swamy which was released just then. The photo is still kept in the Herga house of late Narayana Patil.