Rajinikanth Biography

Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, born on December 12, 1950, is a famous Indian actor known by his professional name Rajinikanth. He mainly works in Tamil movies. Throughout his career of more than five decades, he has acted in 169 films, including ones in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and Malayalam. He is widely recognized as one of the most successful and beloved actors in the history of Indian cinema.

Rajinikanth is known for his unique style and quirks in movies, which have earned him a massive international fan base and a devoted following. In recognition of his contributions to Indian cinema, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan in 2000, Padma Vibhushan in 2016, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2019, which is the highest honor in the field of cinema in India.

Rajinikanth Original Name

Many people in the South recognize him by his single-stage name, Rajinikanth. However, his actual name is “Shivaji Rao.” Despite being born into a Marathi family in Bangalore, Karnataka, on December 12, 1950, he mainly works in the Tamil film industry. Interestingly, he hasn’t acted in any Marathi movies.

Rajinikanth: Personal Life

Rajinikanth was born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in a Marathi family in Karnataka, India. His ancestors come from the village of NachiKuppam in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu. He was the fourth child of his parents, Jijabai and Ramojirao Gaekwad, who was a police officer. Sadly, he lost his mother when he was just eight years old. He went to school at the Acharya Paathshala in Basavanagudi, Bangalore, and later at the Vivekananda Balaka Sangha.

At the age of 31, Rajinikanth married Latha Parthasarathy, who is the sister of actor Y. G. Mahendran’s wife. They got married on February 26, 1981, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. Together, they have two daughters named Aishwarya Rajinikanth and Soundarya Rajinikanth.

Rajinikanth Career

In his early days, he began participating in traditional Kannada stage plays, which were offered by the playwright Topi Muniappa. During this time, he came across an advertisement for acting courses at the Madras Film Institute. Despite his family’s lack of support, a colleague named Raj Bahadur not only encouraged him but also provided financial assistance. While at the institute, he caught the attention of the Tamil director K Balachander, who advised him to learn Tamil, a suggestion that Rajini promptly followed.

First Movie

In the early stages of his career, he made a brief appearance in a Tamil movie, “Apoorva Raagangal (1975),” lasting only fifteen minutes. He sported a beard and beedi for this role, and his appearance hinted at a life-threatening illness. It was unimaginable at the time that this man would one day become a major figure in Kollywood.

More Movies as a Villain

Rajinikanth took on negative roles in numerous Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada movies. These roles often portrayed him as a womanizer or in other negative characterizations. He typically played supporting or antagonistic roles, often alongside Kamal Hassan, who was the hero. It was Kamal Hassan who eventually advised him to debut as a lead actor if he wanted to be recognized as one.

Transition to Positive Roles

Although Rajini regards director K Balachandar as his “Guru,” it was director S P Muthuraman who gave him the opportunity to play a positive role in “Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri (1977).” In this film, he started as a villain in the first half but transformed into a refined character later. The success of this movie led to another melodrama directed by S.P.Muthuraman, “Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979),” which Rajini initially doubted due to his emotionless, mannerism-less, and tearful performance. However, this movie turned out to be a box office hit and earned him a good reputation among female fans. These two films marked a turning point in his career.

Hrithik Roshan Biography

Known for His Unique Style

Rajini is renowned not only for his acting but also for his distinctive style and mannerisms. His way of holding a cigarette in his mouth, adjusting his hair with his hands, and his unique walking style have all contributed to his iconic image.

Contemplation of Retirement

At the peak of his career and popularity, Rajini experienced a great deal of stress and pressure. At one point, he even contemplated retiring from acting, which came as a shock to his fans. However, with the intervention of Kamal Hassan, Balachandar, and other well-wishers, he was persuaded to continue his career.

Second Phase

In his second phase, he starred in the movie “Billa (1980),” directed by K Balaji, which was a massive success and marked his transition to a full-fledged actor. He went on to act in several films like “Pokkiri Raja (1982),” “Thanikkattu Raja (1982),” “Naan Mahaan Alla (1984),” “Moondru Mugam (1982),” and “Netri Kann (1981).” Among these, “Netri Kann,” directed by K Balachandar, was a significant milestone in Rajini’s career.

Blockbuster Rajinikanth

Rajini’s cinematic journey can be divided into three phases. In the first phase, he primarily played negative roles. In the second phase, he ventured into positive roles with a hint of negativity. In the third and current phase, he has become the king of Kollywood with his heroic movies earning crores and crores at the box office. He is a trendsetter in Kollywood, with films like “Annamalai (1992),” “Baasha (1995),” “Arunachalam (1997),” “Ejamaan (1993),” and “Padayappa (1999)” surpassing regional film expectations. The movie “Muthu (1995)” even gained him international fans due to its unbeatable songs. It’s now widely accepted that only Rajinikanth can break the records set by his own films. His movies from recent decades, such as “Padayappa (1999),” “Chandramukhi (2005),” “Sivaji (2007),” and “Enthiran (2010),” further validate this statement.

Rajini’s Bollywood and Hollywood Ventures

Apart from Kollywood, Rajinikanth appeared in a few Hindi movies, although his primary focus remained in the South. He had limited Bollywood roles in films like “Andha Kanoon (1983),” “ChaalBaaz (1989),” and “Hum (1991).” He also briefly ventured into Hollywood with the movie “Bloodstone (1988),” which turned out to be his only Hollywood film.

Rajinikanth Movies

Check all the Rajinikanth movies List. Rajinikanth Upcoming Movie are Lal Salaam in Jan 2024 and Thalaivar 170 in JUne 2024

Rajinikanth Net Worth

Rajinikanth: Political Career

In 1995, there were rumors that Rajinikanth might join politics. However, he decided not to because he thought it would create a lot of confusion, and he wouldn’t be able to meet people’s expectations. He even said that if J. Jayalalithaa’s party won the 1996 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, it would be a big problem for the state.

Instead, Rajinikanth strongly supported the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Tamil Maanila Congress alliance in that election and urged the people of Tamil Nadu and his fans to vote for them. This alliance won the election, and he continued to support them in the 1996 and 1998 Indian general elections.

In 2004, Rajinikanth mentioned that he would personally vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Indian general election but wouldn’t actively support any political group. However, the BJP didn’t win any seats in Tamil Nadu during that election.

In 2017, Rajinikanth canceled a trip to Sri Lanka after Tamil Nadu politicians advised him to do so. This decision received criticism from BJP leaders. Additionally, in June 2017, a BJP leader named Subramanian Swamy accused Rajinikanth of being illiterate and unsuitable for politics. Swamy also alleged financial misconduct by Rajinikanth, claiming to have evidence that could harm Rajinikanth’s political ambitions.

Despite all this, some political analysts believed that Rajinikanth missed his chance to make a significant impact in 2019, unlike in 1996 when he was very popular.

Then, on December 31, 2017, Rajinikanth surprised everyone by announcing his entry into politics. He confirmed that he intended to run in all 234 constituencies in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. He also said that if his party couldn’t keep its promises within three years of coming to power, they would resign. However, in July 2021, he dissolved his organization, Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM), and stated that he had no plans to enter politics in the future.