Periyar row: Rajini won't say sorry, Swamy battle-ready, Dravidian fury, more

Rajinikanth is holding firm in the face of a swarm of criticism for comments he recently made about EV Ramasamy, a Dravidian icon better known as Periyar. The actor-politician said last week that a 1971 Salem rally held by Periyar featured unclothed effigies of Ram and Sita that had been garlanded with footwear. He made the remarks at an event organised by Cho Ramaswamy's Thuglak magazine, and said the late editor had criticised the rally.

Dravidian groups, including arch-rivals AIADMK and DMK, are unhappy. The Kollywood star has refused to apologise.