Rajinikanth recalls how late actor-friend Sarath Babu advised him to quit smoking, 'would even snatch away the stub'

Veteran actor Rajinikanth on Tuesday recalled the friendship he shared with late actor Sarath Babu who passed away in Hyderabad on Monday while undergoing treatment for multiple organ failure.

The 72-year-old actor paid a tribute to his friend and recalled the advice he got from him regarding his smoking habit.

The actor remembered how the late star would advise him against smoking and would even snatch the stud away and put it out if he spotted Rajinikanth smoking. And for his friend, Rajinikanth mindfully won’t smoke around him.


The 'Kabali' star said he knew Sarath Babu since before he joined the film industry and the two were were good friends.

"I have never seen him getting serious or angry. You all know that all the films I acted with him are very big hits -- Mullum Malarum, Muthu, Annamalai and Velaikkaran. He had great love and affection for me...he would always regret about me smoking, will ask me to quit it for a long life. If he would see me smoking, he would snatch the cigarette and put it out. So, I won't smoke before him," Rajinikanth told reporters, as quoted by PTI.

Further in the interview, the actor recalled how Babu would give an exception to him and mentioned the time when he tired to calm Rajinikanth down by getting a cigarette when an important scene in 'Annamalai' did not materalise as needed.

"In Annamalai, there is this important scene of challenging (Rajinikanth taking on Sarath Babu after their friendship turns sour) and took lot of retakes as the emotions did not come out properly. He got me a cigarette and after that I felt relaxed and the take was approved. He always advised me about good health but he is no more now," Rajinikanth added.

Apart from Rajinikanth, a number of Tamil cinema personalities including actors Surya, Karthi and Suhasini also paid tributes to Sarath Babu.