Bus Conductor To Superstar, How Rajinikanth Became A 'Demi-God' To Millions Of Fans Across Globe
Here's how Rajinikanth became the biggest Indian superstar and a demi-god to millions of his fans across the globe. His rags-to-riches story is inspiring.
It's Thalaivaar's birthday today. The superstar who is celebrated across the world by his millions of ardent fans as a demi-god has turned 73 today. The man holds a very strong fan base. When his films are released, it's an even bigger festival than Diwali and Holi in India. Not just us, even celebrities like Vicky Kaushal--who recently revealed he was star-struck after meeting him at the India VS New Zealand World Cup 2023 semi-finale match--are in awe of the actor. How did he become so popular?
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On Rajinikanth's 73rd birthday, here's his rags-to-riches story!
He had no filmy background, no six-pack abs, and no hero-like face. He did some odd jobs before making it big in the industry. From bus conductor and coolie to even working as a carpenter, here's how Rajinikanth became the biggest Indian superstar and a demi-god to millions of his fans across the globe.
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Rajinikanth's Jailer has hit the screens today and fans are celebrating the release of the movie like it is the biggest festival in the world. Not just in India, the enthusiasm of his fans abroad is also high. A Japanese man has travelled to India to watch the first-day first show of his movie. In the US, his fans made a big banner and poured 25 liters of milk on it. Offices in India have declared a holiday and have given free tickets to employees to go watch the film.
For his fans, Rajinikanth is not just a name, but an emotion! But how did he achieve all this?
K Balachander had seen something in his eyes when he predicted, "This boy has fire in his eyes. He will be a phenomenon someday." Who would have thought his words will come true so soon?
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For those who don't know, Rajinikanth who is fondly called Thaliavar by his fans, was born in a middle-class family. He comes from a humble background. His father was a Police constable and his mother was a homemaker. He was born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad named after Maratha Empire king Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Rajinikanth lost his mother at the age of 9.
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The years of struggle
He struggled a lot in his younger years. He was the youngest among the siblings. He took up several odd jobs initially. From working as a coolie to a carpenter, he has done it all. He then landed a job at Bangalore Transport Service (BTS), where he worked as a bus conductor. But his charm was always appealing to the masses.
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He took up odd jobs
He was the people's favourite bus conductor. There was something about his aura that everyone loved. If reports are to be believed, people would skip many buses to be on the bus of this charming conductor. He was only earning around 750 rupees as a salary.
But, as they say, destiny had a bright future written for him, he was drawn to theatre and began acting in plays. When he saw the advertisement for Madras Film Institute, he enrolled himself. His parents didn't support him for this, so he took financial help from his friend.
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Fun fact: He is still friends with him and owes his success to him.
After he won Dadasaheb Phalke Award, he thanked his friend. "I am extremely happy to receive this prestigious award and my heartfelt thanks to the central government for honouring me with the Dadasaheb Phalke award. I dedicate this award to my mentor and guru K Balachander sir. At this moment, I remember him with gratitude. And my brother Satyanarayana Gaikwad, who is like my father, for teaching me great values and inculcating spirituality in me. Also, my thanks to my friend and colleague, Raj Bahadur, who was a bus transport driver. When I was the bus conductor, he was the one who identified the actor in me and encouraged me to join cinema."
Like other actors he also thanks his parents, Guru, fans and families but what makes the difference is still he mentioning his friend Raj Bahadur and thanking him
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Talent makes a man but Attitude matters @rajinikanth ??#DadasahebSuperstarRAJINI #Annaatthe pic.twitter.com/J9330TFFAE
And then, just like a scene from the film, Tamil film director K Balachander noticed him performing one of the plays and he knew he was seeing a superstar.
He gave him his first acting break and since then, there has been no looking back!
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He didn't get a full-fledged role in the movie. In the Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal (1975), he played the small role of the ex-husband of the female lead played by Srividya. But his aura and charm made audiences sit back and notice his talent. "Newcomer Rajinikanth is dignified and impressive", a review from The Hindu read.
He then played small roles in a couple of movies before landing a prominent role in the 1976 movie Moondru Mudichu.
His style of flipping the cigarette in the film made him popular among the audience.
He made his debut in a lead role in Chilakamma Cheppindi in 1977. He was the popular villain back then. This is the time when Kamal Haasan was making his place as the hero, while Rajinikanth was seen as the angry young man.
However, SP Muthuraman gave him a positive role in Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri (1977). Rajinikanth didn't disappoint his fans at all. The movie was successful and it brought them together to do 24 more films till the 1990s.
In 1978, Rajinikanth did 20 films in a year across Tamil, Telugu and Kannada languages.
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The story of his first house
It is after that he accomplished his dream and finally bought a house in Chennai. This is the moment when he realised he had achieved something. He went to his newly bought house, sat at the compound with a drink in his hand and celebrated the day remembering all his hard work and days of struggle.
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During the 70s and 80s, he did many films to prove his acting talent and became one man army show. He delivered a string of commercial successes and established himself as one of the bankable stars of the industry.
Do you know he appeared in an English movie in 1988? In Bloodstone, directed by Dwight Little, he played an English-speaking Indian taxi driver.
In the 90s, he got into Bollywood as well and shared screen space with Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna.
After the grand success of Annamalai, he addressed the debate over his huge remuneration. "I am told that I am asking huge paycheck. If I am demanding a hefty remuneration it is because I know my market. If you suffer losses I would definitely compensate for the loss. If you get profit, please don't share it with me, but please let me honestly know how much you made which will make me happy."
Over the years, his films have earned his ardent fan following across the world.
He is not just a superstar today, he is a phenomenon.
Rajinikanth is 72 years old and his mass appeal is only growing with every movie.
For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Garima Satija leads the Entertainment vertical of Indiatimes. A storyteller at heart who enjoys the thrill of writing, she is sometimes found daydreaming about living the lives of movie characters. Also, she hates talking about herself in the third person.
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