Rajinikanth In US For Medical Check-Up. But Don't Worry, He's 'Absolutely Fine'

New Delhi: Rajinikanth has flown out to US with his elder daughter Aishwaryaa for a routine medical check-up, reported news agency IANS. The megastar flew out from Chennai on Wednesday. "Rajini sir left to the US with his daughter Aishwaryaa last night (Wednesday). He has gone for a regular medical check-up. They will be back in mid-July," IANS quoted a source as saying. However, when asked about the 66-year-old megastar, the source said Rajinikanth is "absolutely fine". Rajinikanth appears to have scheduled the medical check-up in the interval between his first and the second leg of the shooting schedule for Kaala Karikaalan, his film with Pa Ranjith. Kaala Karikaalan marks the second collaboration between the director and Rajinikanth after 2016 blockbuster Kabali, which was also a gangster drama.

Rajinikanth has been in and out of the hospital since the summer of 2011. In 2011, Rajinikanth was also admitted to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital for six weeks for kidney-related ailments and respiratory infection. Rajinikanth was shifted to the Singapore hospital after being advised by doctors following a check-up in Chennai the same year. After his recovery, he returned to Chennai in July and was welcomed back with the fanfare only a star of Rajinikanth's status would receive.

Ahead of Kabali hit screens in 2016, Rajinikanth was advised complete rest for a week after he went through a rigorous schedule for the film's promotional duties. Rajinikanth was advised rest after he went for a routine check-up following his return from Malaysia, where the film was being shot. Next on Rajinikanth's roster was 2.0, which also stars Akshay Kumar. Having completed 2.0, Rajinikanth got himself busy with the new Pa Ranjith film's Mumbai schedule.

In Kaala Karikaalan, Rajinikanth features as the protagonist in the role of a slum-lord-turned-gangster. Earlier this month, he wrapped his portion of the shoot in Mumbai while his film continued with an extended schedule. However, the rest of the cast and crew of Kaala Karikaalan finishes shooting in Mumbai today. They will now continue filming in a special set which has been created to look like Mumbai's Dharavi, one of the largest slums of the world. Rajinikanth will join them in July.

While in Mumbai, Rajinikanth's team had a difficult time keeping the onlookers in check during the shoots. "Most of the Mumbai portion was shot outdoors and the team had a tough time managing the crowd. They were always at the risk of a shot or pictures from the shoot being leaked," a source had told IANS.

Both of Rajinikanth's films - 2.0 and Kaala Karikaalan - are scheduled to release next year with the Shankar-directed movie arriving in theatres in January.

(With IANS inputs)