Rajinikanth born 12 December 1950 as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning motion picture Apoorva Raagangal (1975), directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor.
After a brief phase of portraying antagonistic characters in Tamil films, he gradually rose to become an established film actor. Within a few years of his career, he was claimed to be the superstar of Tamil cinema and has since continued to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of India. His mannerisms and stylized delivery of dialogue in films contribute to his mass popularity and appeal. While working in other regional film industries of India, he also appeared in the cinemas of other nations, including in that of the United States. After being paid 26 crore (US$5.9 million) for his role in Sivaji (2007), he became the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan. Other than acting, Rajinikanth also worked as a producer and screenwriter. Apart from his film career, he is also a philanthropist, spiritualist and serves as an influence in Dravidian politics.
After a brief phase of portraying antagonistic characters in Tamil films, he gradually rose to become an established film actor. Within a few years of his career, he was claimed to be the superstar of Tamil cinema and has since continued to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of India. His mannerisms and stylized delivery of dialogue in films contribute to his mass popularity and appeal. While working in other regional film industries of India, he also appeared in the cinemas of other nations, including in that of the United States. After being paid 26 crore (US$5.9 million) for his role in Sivaji (2007), he became the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan. Other than acting, Rajinikanth also worked as a producer and screenwriter. Apart from his film career, he is also a philanthropist, spiritualist and serves as an influence in Dravidian politics.
He was bestowed the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in the year 2000 for his contribution to Indian cinema.He was named one of the most influential persons in South Asia by Asiaweek. He was also named by Forbes India as the most influential Indian of the year 2010.
Rajinikanth (Tamil: ரஜினிகாந்த்; born 12 December 1950 as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad) is an Indian film actor, media personality, and cultural icon. He made his debut as an actor in the National Film Award-winning motion picture Apoorva Raagangal (1975), directed by K. Balachander, whom the actor considers his mentor.
After a brief phase of portraying antagonistic characters in Tamil films, he gradually rose to become an established film actor. Within a few years of his career, he was claimed to be the superstar of Tamil cinema and has since continued to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of India.[2] His mannerisms and stylized delivery of dialogue in films contribute to his mass popularity and appeal.[2] While working in other regional film industries of India, he also appeared in the cinemas of other nations, including in that of the United States. After being paid 26 crore (US$5.9 million) for his role in Sivaji (2007), he became the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan.[3][4] Other than acting, Rajinikanth also worked as a producer and screenwriter. Apart from his film career, he is also a philanthropist, spiritualist and serves as an influence in Dravidian politics.
He was bestowed the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in the year 2000 for his contribution to Indian cinema. He was named one of the most influential persons in South Asia by Asiaweek. He was also named by Forbes India as the most influential Indian of the year 2010.
After a brief phase of portraying antagonistic characters in Tamil films, he gradually rose to become an established film actor. Within a few years of his career, he was claimed to be the superstar of Tamil cinema and has since continued to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of India.[2] His mannerisms and stylized delivery of dialogue in films contribute to his mass popularity and appeal.[2] While working in other regional film industries of India, he also appeared in the cinemas of other nations, including in that of the United States. After being paid 26 crore (US$5.9 million) for his role in Sivaji (2007), he became the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan.[3][4] Other than acting, Rajinikanth also worked as a producer and screenwriter. Apart from his film career, he is also a philanthropist, spiritualist and serves as an influence in Dravidian politics.
He was bestowed the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in the year 2000 for his contribution to Indian cinema. He was named one of the most influential persons in South Asia by Asiaweek. He was also named by Forbes India as the most influential Indian of the year 2010.
Early life
Rajinikanth was born as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad in a Maharashtrian family, to mother Jijabai and father Ramoji Rao Gaekwad, on December 12, 1950 in the Indian city of Bangalore in Mysore State, which was the name of present-day Karnataka.[1] He was the youngest of four siblings and has two brothers and a sister. After the death of his mother at his age of 5, he struggled with an impoverished lifestyle during his childhood. During that time, he often did odd jobs as a coolie in his community. He attended the Government Model Primary School at Gavipuram, Bangalore where he had his elementary education in Kannada.
Between 1966 and 1973 he worked in many places in Chennai and Bangalore. He performed various jobs before joining the then Bangalore Transport Service (BTS) as a bus conductor in Bangalore. He began to take part in stage plays after Kannada playwright and director Topi Muniappa offered him a chance to act in mythological moral plays, out of which the most notable role performed by him was that of the villainous Duryodhana. In 1973, his friend and co-worker Raj Bahadur motivated him to join the Madras Film Institute and also financially supported him for two years during his studies. His performance in a stage play eventually caught the eye of film director K. Balachander. The director advised him to learn to speak Tamil, a recommendation that Rajinikanth quickly followed and which proved to be extremely useful in his career.
Between 1966 and 1973 he worked in many places in Chennai and Bangalore. He performed various jobs before joining the then Bangalore Transport Service (BTS) as a bus conductor in Bangalore. He began to take part in stage plays after Kannada playwright and director Topi Muniappa offered him a chance to act in mythological moral plays, out of which the most notable role performed by him was that of the villainous Duryodhana. In 1973, his friend and co-worker Raj Bahadur motivated him to join the Madras Film Institute and also financially supported him for two years during his studies. His performance in a stage play eventually caught the eye of film director K. Balachander. The director advised him to learn to speak Tamil, a recommendation that Rajinikanth quickly followed and which proved to be extremely useful in his career.
Early work: 1975-1977
In 1975, Rajinikanth began his career in Tamil cinema through Apoorva Raagangal.[16] Starring Kamal Haasan, the film was directed by K. Balachander, who gave Rajinikanth a relatively small role as an abusive husband of Srividya. The film went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil at the following year's ceremony. His second film, a Kannada film, Katha Sangama, was directed by Puttanna Kanagal and released in 1976. His next film Anthuleni Katha, a Telugu film directed by K. Balachander which was a remake of his own Tamil film Aval Oru Thodar Kathai (1974), had Rajinikanth playing a more pivotal role. In the following years, he continued to perform a variety of negative roles: a sadistic husband of Sujatha in Avargal, a womaniser in Moondru Mudichu, and a lust-filled village rowdy in P. Bharathiraja's 16 Vayadhinile. In 1977, he accepted his first-ever lead role in the Telugu film Chilakamma Cheppindi. Though Rajinikanth always refers to K. Balachander as his mentor,[ it was S. P. Muthuraman who revamped his image. Muthuraman first experimented with him in a positive role in Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1977), as a failed lover in the first half of the film and a protagonist in the second half. The duo went on to work in 25 films till the 1990s.
Breakthrough: 1978-1989
The 1978 film Bairavi was the first Tamil film to cast him as a main hero. Later, Mullum Malarum won him critical acclaim. The success of Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri prompted Muthuraman to make a mushy melodrama with Rajinikanth as a hero sacrificing everything for his siblings in Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979). Following this, he made his Malayalam film-debut through Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum. In the same year, he acted in Dharma Yuddam, in which he played a mentally ill person taking revenge for his parents' death. He also shared the screen with N. T. Rama Rao in his 50th film Tiger. Some of the popular films that also released during this period are the youthful entertainer Ninaithale Inikkum, Priya, and the Telugu film Amma Evarikkaina Amma.
By the end of 1970s, he became a popular actor in the South Indian cinema. During this phase of his career, Rajinikanth abruptly chose to quit acting, but was coaxed back. He made a comeback with the Tamil film Billa, which was a remake of the Bollywood film Don (1978). It had Rajinikanth playing dual roles and eventually became his first ever commercial success.[30] His pairing with Sridevi continued in Johnny where he was once again cast in a double role. In 1981, he appeared in Garjanai which was shot simultaneuosly in Kannada and Malayalam, making it his last film in those two languages till date. He also starred in Murattu Kaalai which was a commercial success.[ In K. Balachander’s first home production, Netrikan, he performed dual roles as a womanising father and a responsible son. He acted in Thillu Mullu directed by K. Balachander, which was Rajinikanth's first full-length comedy. He agreed to it solely due to the strong suggestion by his mentor that he should do non-commercial roles, to break the stereotyped action-hero mould by which he was getting famous at the time. In 1982, he starred in Pokkiri Raja and Thanikattu Raja. Moondru Mugam had Rajinikanth playing three roles for the first time.
In 1983, he starred in his first Bollywood film, Andha Kanoon, alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. The film went on to become one of the highest grossing films of that time. His 1984 film, Naan Mahaan Alla, was directed by Muthuraman and produced by K. Balachander. He acted in his first cameo role in the film Anbulla Rajinikanth. He played a triple role in John Jani Janardhan. His performance in Nallavanuku Nallavan earned him a Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award. In his 100th movie, Sri Raghavendra (1985), he played the Hindu saint Raghavendra Swami.
In the second half of the 1980's, Rajinikanth continued his presence in Tamil cinema with films like Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985), Padikkathavan (1985), Mr. Bharath (1986), Velaikaran (1987), Guru Sishyan (1988) and Dharmathin Thalaivan (1988). In 1988, he made his only English film appearance in Bloodstone, directed by Dwight Little. Rajinikanth finished the decade with films including Rajadhi Raja, Siva, Raja Chinna Roja, Mappillai and Athisaya Piravi, while also starring in a few Bollywood productions. Raja Chinna Roja was the first Indian film to use animated characters with actors.
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