Superstar Rajinikanth poses with Bear Grylls in Bandipur

Actor Rajinikanth on Tuesday shot for the new episode of Discovery Channel’s Man Vs Wild with host Bear Grylls. The latter posted a picture with Rajinikanth on Wednesday.

Sharing the picture, he wrote: “After our episode with Prime Minister @NarendraModi of India helped create a bit of TV history, (3.6 billion impressions), Bollywood superstar @Rajinikanth joins me next, as he makes his TV debut on our new show #IntoTheWildWithBearGrylls on @DiscoveryIN. #ThalaivaOnDiscovery.” The picture shows Rajinikanth and Bear standing together, with arms around each other.

After our episode with Prime Minister @NarendraModi of India helped create a bit of TV history, (3.6 billion impressions), superstar @Rajinikanth joins me next, as he makes his TV debut on our new show #IntoTheWildWithBearGrylls on @DiscoveryIN. #ThalaivaOnDiscovery pic.twitter.com/WKscCDjPZc

— Bear Grylls (@BearGrylls) January 29, 2020

It was later reported that Rajinikanth had got injured during the shoot at the Bandipur National Park, a tiger reserve in Karnataka. However, an IANS report said that while the actor suffered a few scratches, he wasn’t injured as such. Quoting T Balachandra, the reserve’s director and conservator of forests, on Tuesday, it said, “It is all false. As per the screenplay, there was a shot in which Rajinikanth had to fall, so while getting down from the rope, he just fell down and everybody rushed. It was all in the screenplay.” Later, Rajnikanth got up, completed the shoot and left for Chennai, Balachandra added. 

“He was fine. That shot was from the Mysuru airport,” Balachandra said, referring to a video that went viral, showing Rajinikanth walking to the airport in Mysuru.

“We gave permission for 6-8 hours to Discovery Channel to shoot in Bandipur Tiger Reserve,” said Balachandra. 

#ManVsWild @rajinikanth leaves for shoot in Bandipur Reserve Forest. #BearGrylls pic.twitter.com/BWFA7umh6B

— bharathnt (@bharath1) January 28, 2020

He said the one-day shoot began at 11 am on Tuesday and ended by 4 pm. “They paid as per the norms. Per day they have to pay a documentary fees, vehicle fee, and others. For four days, they paid Rs 10 lakh,” Balachandra said. Balachandra added that Rajinikanth spent five hours in the forest and will not return as his shoot was only for one day.