Chennai, Aug 4 (IANS) Sections of Tamil filmdom defended 'superstar' Rajnikant Monday for his 'brave endeavour to build bridges with Karnataka'.

In separate statements, directors Bharti Raja, Ameer, P. Vasu and Seeman, producer Kalaipuli G. Sekharan and distributor KRG praised Rajnikant for helping distributors recover their cost through the release of 'Kuselan' in Karnataka.

'Nobody has the right to criticize Rajnikant because no one defended him when his effigies were burnt for supporting Tamils on the Hogenekkal Water Supply issue. Those who are deriding the star are doing so only because they envy his high fees,' Raja said.

'Rajnikant has tried to address the problems of all Tamils. Some of them live in Karnataka and need water too,' director Seeman, known for his radical views, said.

The thespian was criticized by a vast section of the Tamil film industry for buckling under pressure from Karnataka.

Meanwhile, the latest release 'Kuselan' has had a lukewarm response not only in Tamil Nadu but also in Karnataka, reports said.