Rajinikanth attends Jayalalithaa's swearing in as Tamil Nadu chief minister at Madras University. (Press Trust of India)
Superstar Rajinikanth's presence at J Jayalalithaa's oath ceremony in Chennai today was seen as more than neighbourly goodwill.
Jayalalithaa's oath-taking as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for the fifth time was witnessed by a handful of stars, including Rajinikanth, who stays very close to her Poes Garden residence.
Nearly two decades ago, this would have been unimaginable.
In 1996, Rajinikanth had famously declared, "Even God can't save Tamil Nadu if Jayalalithaa is elected to power". The DMK, the archrival of Jayalalithaa's AIADMK, won the election that year. The superstar later made up with Jayalalithaa and she attended his daughter's wedding in Chennai in 2004.
Rajinikanth's assessment of Jayalalithaa took a 180-degree turn in 2006, when he praised her as "the reincarnation of (goddess) ashtalakshmi."
Sources in AIADMK said the 63-year-old star's presence today was part of the blitz that the party had organized to highlight their leader's comeback after what they call a big legal victory.
Rajinikanth has never co-starred in any film with Jayalalithaa even though both are among the biggest stars of South Indian cinema.
The 67-year-old Jayalalithaa was in the middle of her fourth term when a Bangalore court convicted her in September last year in a corruption case and she had to resign.
Earlier this month, the Karnataka High Court quashed her conviction and acquitted her of corruption charges, clearing the way for her return as chief minister.