Rajinikanth emotionally recalls good friend Sarath Babu's advise to him to quit smoking

Chennai: Tamil film Superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday emotionally recalled his very good friend and actor Sarath Babu's advise to him to quit smoking.

Paying rich tributes to his good friend and actor Sarath Babu after paying his last respects to his body at his T.Nagar residence here, Rajini said, if he sees me smoking he (Sarath) would snatch away the cigarette from him and threw it off.

Hence, I would not smoke before him, Rajini recalled, while talking to reporters at the residence of Sarath Babu, where his body was brought from Hyderabad today morning for last rites.

"He had great love and affection for me...he would always regret my smoking and ask me to quit it for living a long life", Rajini recalled.

Narrating an incident when Sarath gave an exception to his smoking during the shooting of an important scene in the film 'Annamalai', Rajini said Sarath had calmed him down by getting a cigarette as the important scene in "Annamalai" did not come out as expected.

"In Annamalai, there is this important scene about a challenge (Rajinikanth taking on Sarath Babu after their friendship turns sour) that took a 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," Rajini said. (UNI)