An article in Shiv Sena mouthpiece, Saamna said, "several actors, who live in Mumbai achieve fame and glory. But when it comes to taking a firm stand on the issue of Marathi or regional pride, many of them including film star Amitabh Bachchan backtrack."

Sena article said that Amitabh Bachchan should take a cue from Rajnikanth and learn something from him who is doing so much for Tamil Nadu.

"But Rajnikanth is one of the rare persons who has been true to the culture of Maharashtra. This is because he has taken side of the state which has made him big," the article said.

The reference points to the fact that Rajnikant was born in Maharashtra, grew up in Karnataka but became a superstar in Tamil Nadu.