Rajinikanth turns 74: Thalaivar¡¯s journey from a bus conductor to a cultural icon is truly inspiring

Rajinikanth, who turns 74 on Thursday (December 12, is one of the biggest names in Indian cinema. The mass hero enjoys a strong fan following because of his striking screen presence and stunning performances. Moreover, he has given Tamil cinema some of its most iconic characters and proved that he is second to none. Ahead of his special day, here is a look at his inspiring journey.

The initial years were challenging

Rajinikanth, who was named Shivaji Rao Gaekwad by his parents, is the son of a police constable and hails from a family that has its roots in Pune. He did not have an easy childhood as his mother, a home-maker, died when he was just nine years old.

His family also faced some financial challenges during his formative years. He managed to complete his primary education despite these challenges and soon started working as a coolie to support his family. After a few initial struggles, he eventually took up a job as a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Service. His struggles during these years prepared him for the journey ahead.

Following his heart and facing the camera

Rajinikanth was synonymous with style even during his days as a conductor and often handed out tickets in the most innovative ways possible. This interest in being a ¡®performer¡¯ encouraged him to join the Madras Film Institute. This proved to be a life-changing decision for him as K Balachander, a prominent filmmaker, noticed him and eventually launched him with Apoorva Raagangal (1975).

The romantic drama featured him in a negative role and opened new avenues for him. KB also asked him to learn Tamil and adopt a new screen name to avoid being confused with Sivaji Ganesan. He followed the advice and adopted the name Rajinikanth. Thereafter, he essayed negative roles in films such as Avargal and Moondru Mudichu, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

A star is born

The 1980s saw Rajinikanth emerge as a bankable star with his work in actioners as Billa, Thee, and Polladhavan. These films gave him the chance to transform into an ¡®angry young man¡¯ on the screen and redefine the meaning of style with his gimmicks. Naan Mahaan Alla too proved to be a memorable release for him as it helped him continue to woo the masses with his swag. The film was a remake of Vishwanath and saw him step into the shoes of Shatrughan Sinha. He also experimented with his reel image when he played the lead role in K Balachander ¡®s comedy-drama Thillu Mullu.

In the 1980s, Rajinikanth also ventured into Bollywood with Andhaa Kaanoon (1983), which set the cash registers ringing and became popular because of its stylish action scenes. He consequently made an impact in Bollywood with films such as Geraftaar, Chaalbaaz, and Hum. He also essayed a triple role in John Jani Janardhan (1984), which did well at the box office. Despite carving a niche in Bollywood, Rajini chose to concentrate on his Kollywood career, a decision that paid off in the long run.

Rajini mania runs wild

Rajinikanth consolidated his standing in the 1990s with his performance in Baashha (1995). The film featured him as a don and gave him ample scope to woo the audience with his punch dialogues and mannerisms. It is regarded as one of the finest mass films of all time. Muthu was another game-changer for Rajinikanth as it did exceptionally well in Japan and opened new avenues for Tamil cinema. Padayappa was another memorable release during this time. The film resonated with the masses because of Rajinikanth's intense scenes with Ramya Krishnan. and the timeless ¡®Yen Vazhi¡­¡¯ dialogue.

Setbacks and bouncing back

The 2000s started on a bad note for ¡®Thalaivar¡¯ as Baba (2002) bombed at the box office and failed to impress critics. This was a personal setback for Rajinikanth as well as he himself had written the story. The film's failure forced him to take a sabbatical and many thought this was the end of the road for him. However, being a fighter he bounced back stronger with Chandramukhi (2005). The film, a remake of Manichitrathazhu, set the box office on fire. Moreover, Thalaivar¡¯s portrayal of a king and the ¡®laka laka laka¡¯ sequence thrilled the audience to bits.

Sivaji (2007) and Enthiran (2010) helped Rajinikanth prove once again that he was the undisputed ¡®Boss¡¯ of Kollywood. Enthiran, in particular, was a landmark release as it grossed over Rs 100 crore at the box office, setting a benchmark for the industry.

Defying failure to scale new heights

After this, Rajinikanth again suffered a few setbacks when Lingaa (2014) and Kochadaiiyaan were not able to rake in the moolah at the box office. Similarly, Kabali and Kaala did not quite cater to the masses. Rajinikanth quickly put these setbacks behind him with 2.0, which collected Rs 800 crore at the box office and emerged as the highest-grossing Tamil film of all time.

Karthik Subbaraj's Petta and the Nelson-directed Jailer too proved to be memorable releases for him as they marked his first collaboration with new filmmakers, who managed to portray him in a different light.

The road ahead looks exciting

Interestingly, Rajinikanth has no plans of slowing down anything soon. He will soon be seen in Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The film features him in the role of a gangster and is set against the backdrop of gold smuggling. He also has Jailer 2 in his kitty.

All in all, Rajinikanth still remains everyone¡¯s favourite ¡®Superstar¡¯ and his reign his far from over. Happy birthday, Thalaivar.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.