Rajinikanth Version 2.0 @66. Happy Birthday Thalaiva
One of the greatest actors Indian cinema has ever produced, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth continues to remain larger than life to his fans as he turns 65. The actor, who has been busy filming 2.0, has requested his fans to call off all plans made to ring in his birthday.
NDTV toasts Rajini sir with a pictorial journey through his life as he turns a year older.
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One of the greatest actors Indian cinema has ever produced, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth continues to remain larger than life to his fans as he turns 65. The actor, who has been busy filming 2.0, has requested his fans to call off all plans made to ring in his birthday.
NDTV toasts Rajini sir with a pictorial journey through his life as he turns a year older. -
The cash-strapped Gaekwads struggled financially when Rajinikanth was young. He earned an income in several small jobs in Bangalore and Chennai, including as a coolie, before ending up as a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Service. He also appeared in local stage plays, most notably as Duryodhan.
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While working as a bus conductor, his charisma and style were noted by passengers who suggested he become an actor. A friend helped him out financially and Rajinikanth joined the Madras Film Institute in 1974. The Kannada-speaking Rajinikanth also learnt to speak Tamil, a move that was to pay rich dividends.
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The rich dividends started with Rajinikanth's very first film which was in Tamil. He was cast in a supporting role, debuting as an abusive husband in Apoorva Raagangal in 1975. The film was directed by K Balachander, who Rajinikanth refers to as his 'guru' or 'mentor'.
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The following year, Rajinikanth acted in his first Kannada film, Katha Sangama, directed by Puttanna Kanagal. Though Rajinikanth considers director K Balachander his mentor, it was director S P Muthuraman who actually revamped Rajinikanth's image. Muthuraman next cast him in the experimental Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1977) as a villain in the first half of the film and a protagonist in the second.
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These films were the turning points in Rajinikanth's career; he changed from an actor who merely enthralled the audience to one who could also evoke emotions. Between 1975 and 1977, he was also frequently cast as the villain with Kamal Haasan playing the hero in movies like 16 Vayadhinilae, Moondru Mudichu and Avargal.
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Then came a phase when Rajinikanth abruptly chose to quit acting, but then was coaxed back by family, friends and fans. He continued acting with the blockbuster Tamil film Billa (1980), which was a remake of Big B's superhit film Don (1978). With its phenomenal success, Rajinikanth was accepted as a full-fledged hero. Billa was followed by a row of hits, namely Murattu Kaalai (1980), Pokkiri Raja (1982), Thanikattu Raja (1982), Naan Mahaan Alla (1984), Pudukavithai (1982) and Moondru Mugam (1983).
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Rajinikanth made his Bollywood debut with Andha Kanoon (1983) but the film didn't do well at the box office. Despite his Bollywood debacle, he was seen in several Hindi films including Chaalbaaz (1989), Uttar Dakshin (1987), Geraftaar (1985) and the famous Hum (1991) opposite Amitabh Bachchan.
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Next came the 2010 blockbuster Enthiran opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film, made at a whopping cost of Rs 200 crore, collected Rs 117 crore in the first seven days, even surpassing the first-week collection of Bollywood's highest grosser Dabangg (Rs 82 crore) in 2010.
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Rajinikanth also received Tamil Nadu State Film Awards in the Best Actor category for his roles in Muthu (1995), Padayappa (1999), Chandramukhi (2005), and Sivaji (2007).
He also received numerous awards from Cinema Express and Filmfans' Association for his on-screen performances and off-screen contributions. -
Rajinikanth was 31 when he married Latha on February 26, 1981, in Tirupati. The couple have two daughters. Elder daughter Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth is married to actor Dhanush and made her debut as a director with 3.
Rajinikanth's younger daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth works in the film industry as a director, producer and graphic designer. She also directed Kochadaiiyaan which starred her father in the lead role. -
After his illness, Rajinikanth made his first public appearance in 2012 to watch actor and dramatist Y G Mahendran's play in Chennai. Since his illness, Rajinikanth has kept a low-profile and, as revealed by elder daughter Aishwaryaa, spent his time with his grandsons Yathra and Linga.
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Rajinikanth is currently prepping for 2.0, which is the sequel to Enthiran. Rajinijkanth reprises the role of Dr Vaseegaran who has a new nemesis, Dr Richard, played by Akshay Kumar. Amy Jackson and Sudhanshu Pandey also feature in the Shankar-directed film slated to release on Diwali, next year.
