On Saturday, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, received actor Rajnikanth at his residence in Lucknow. Several social media users have referred to Rajinikanth and Yogi Adityanath’s encounter as “shocking” and “cringeworthy” in a video of Rajinikanth touching Yogi Adityanath’s feet after greeting him.

Rajinikanth had arrived in Lucknow on Friday for the screening of his film Jailer. Numerous social media sites displayed pictures and videos of Rajinikanth’s conversation with Yogi Adityanath on Saturday.

The actor presented the UP CM a bouquet after greeting him with a Namaste and touched his feet when he got out of the car. They then posed for pictures together.

“The biggest facepalm and cringefest video of the month,” wrote a Twitter or X user. Another one wrote, “This man (Rajinikanth) is a shame to Tamil Nadu. Spirituality has never been about losing self respect!” A tweet also read, “What a fall!! 72-year-old Rajinikanth touching the feet of 51-year-old Yogi Adityanath…” A person also wrote, “This is shocking!”

Rajinikanth also met Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow at his residence. Rajinikanth told waiting media persons that he was meeting him after nine years. Akhilesh also shared pictures on his social media accounts with the cine star. Akhilesh wrote in Hindi, along with the photos, “When hearts meet, people embrace. During my engineering studies in Mysore, the happiness I used to feel seeing Rajinikanth ji on the screen is still intact”.

Rajinikanth told in a statement to reporters, “I met Akhilesh Yadav nine years ago at a ceremony in Mumbai, and we have been friends ever since. We speak on the phone”.

Rajinikanth’s response when questioned about his meeting with Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was, “Bohut badhiya, accha laga (It was great, I felt good).”

Earlier, Rajinikanth also visited Ranchi, Jharkhand. He visited the famous Chhinnamasta Temple on Friday and offered prayers. He spent an hour meditating at Yagoda Ashram in Ranchi and also met Jharkhand governor C P Radhakrishnan.