SUPERSTAR’S SIX DECADES

Birth and childhood…

Rajinikanth was born in a Maharashtrian family to mother Jigabai and father Ramoji Rao Gaikwad on 12/12/1949. His real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. He lost his mother at the age of 5 and led a destitute life. He attended Acharya Patasala for his elementary studies.

As a teenager…

He did coolie jobs during the second decade of his life to survive and had his higher education at the Ramakrishna Mission in Bangalore. This was when he shuttled between Chennai and Bangalore for doing odd jobs.

The role called Abaswaram…

He worked as a conductor in the third decade of his life Bangalore Transport Service. This was also the time when he came to Chennai and his friend Raj Bahadur persuaded him to join the Madras Film Institute. The doors of Tamil cinema opened in 1975 when he started his acting career in Apoorva Raagangal. His name in that movie was Abaswaram. He acted mainly in negative characters during his early days in Tamil cinema.

Quitting cinema…
After debuting as a solo hero in Bairavi, he never looked back. The fourth decade saw him climbing the ladder with movies like Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai. Rajini almost quit acting at this time when he was coaxed back and started a new chapter with Billa. Johnny, Murattu Kaalai, Pokkiri Raja, Thanikattu Raja, Naan Mahaan Alla and Moondru Mugam followed. He became a household name with movies like Padikkathavan, Thee, Velaikaran, Dharmathin Thalaivan and Mr. Bharath. Sri Ragavendra was his 100th movie which was released in 1985.

The Superstar saga…

The next decade saw Rajini attaining the status of Superstar. With movies like Thalapathy, Mannan, Annamalai, Veera, Badsha, Muthu, and Padayappa, he achieved what many others could only dream. He became the mass-favorite and was even called "Trendiest heartthrob in Japan replacing Hollywood's Leonardo DiCaprio" in 1999.

The Golden era…

After rumors and speculations of his entry into politics, Rajini ended all rumors by acting in Chandramukhi. Shivaji - the Boss happened. Endhiran created records in many ways and still continues to do so.

We wish the Superstar many more golden decades of healthy life!