Rajinikanth Biography – Life Story of the Superstar Rajini

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RAJINIKANTH…The name needs no introduction.Popularly known as the “Superstar” and “Thaliva” is one of the biggest and most revered actors India has ever produced.He works mainly in Tamil films and the man is a revolution for the Southern film Industry.His aura has put Southern cinema on a global stage and his fame exceeds many of famous Bollywood personalities.Today his name is enough to make a movie a grand success.Apart from Tamil films, he has also worked in many Bollywood movies (especially in the early phase of his career) and some Hollywood flicks.But it is in the Southern industry where he truly achieved his stardom.He is also a producer and a screenwriter,Such is his impact in the field of cinema that government has bestowed various awards on him.He received Padma Bhushan award in 2010 and Padma Vibhushan in 2016.

NAME– Rajinikanth

Real Name-Shivaji Rao Gaekwad

Birth date-12 December 1950 (age 65)

Nationality– Indian

Occupation– Actor, Producer and screenwriter

Years Active-1975- present

Spouse– Latha

Children– Aishwarya and Soundarya

PERSONAL LIFE

Rajinikanth’s real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad.He was born in a Marathi family.His ancestors are from Maharashtra.His mother’s name was Ramabai and his father was Ramoji Rao Gaekwad, a police constable.He spoke in Marathi at home and outside he conversed in Kannada.He has two elder brothers and an elder sister.After his father retired from work  in 1956, the family moved to Hanumantha Nagar.Rajinikanth was around nine years when his mother died.

He married Latha Rangachari on 26th February 1981 in Tirupati,Andhra Pradesh.She once interviewed him for her college magazine.She runs a school, The ASHRAM.He has two daughters named Aishwarya and Soundarya.Dhanush, a well-known Southern actor is his son in law.Aishwarya married him.

EDUCATION

Rajinikanth had his primary education from “Gavipuram Government Kannada Model Primary School”.he was a naughty child who had a great interest in sports.He then attended the Ramakrishna Math, which is a Hindu monastery.There he studied about Vedas, traditions and history.This lead him to become spiritual.He also started acting in plays.His interest in theater began to grow.He played the role of Eklavya’s friend in one play and received appreciation for it.After sixth class, he attended the Acharya Pathasala Public School where he finished his schooling.He continued his interest in theater there.

STYLES OF RAJINIKANTH

One thing that defines Rajinikanth and makes him unique from others is his larger than life style onscreen.His eye-catching styles made him a popular household name.Many Bollywood actors imitate his iconic styles in their movies.It is he, the trendsetter of these crazy styles and stunts that we see today in Indian cinema.Let us read about some of his crazy on screen traits.

FLIPPING SHADES

A true Rajinikanth fan will never wear their glasses like ordinary people do.Rajini sir has devised his own special way of doing it.He flips his shades from his waist level and they roll in the air a few times before they stick perfectly where they need to be.It’s like Rajini doesn’t wear shades..the shades wear Rajini. ok I admit, it was a bad joke.But this style is totally cool.

DON’T SMOKE CIGARETTE UNLESS YOU DO IT IN RAJINI STYLE

Now this trademark of Rajinikanth appears in many of his movies like his shades.Cigarette rolls in the air and finds it’s rightful place by itself.He first performed this trick when he was around 18 to impress his seniors at the school.He wanted to join their gang.It has been very popular among youth.

He took it to another level when he lights the cigarette by firing from his pistol.That is something only Rajini sir can do and only he should do.

Cigarette Style of Superstar Rajinikanth

CHEWING GUM POPPING TRICK

He doesn’t even eat chewing gums like we normal people do.He flips it like a coin for toss and the very next moment, it’s in his mouth.Rajinikanth is the winner every time.

Chewing Style Of Rajinikanth

SALUTE IT LIKE THALAIVA

Remember the scene in Padayappa when Rajini greets Ramya with his extraordinary salute style?He waves his hand in a circular motion and gives her a grand Rajini salute.

MEL THUNDU

Flipping is in his blood.He even wears his thundu in style.He flips it into folds and it obliges by fitting itself on his shoulders.

EARLY STRUGGLE

Rajinikanth’s economic condition was not very good.Due to this, he had to take up various jobs to support his family.He started from nothing.He worked as a carpenter and a coolie.He also worked as a bus conductor in BTS (Bangalore Transport Service).He got the opportunity to work in various plays.He joined Madras Film Institute to pursue his career in acting.His colleague and friend, Raj Bahadur financially supported him.During his stint at the academy,K L Balachander, a Tamil film director noticed Rajinikanth.Rajinikanth considers him as his mentor.

EARLY CAREER

In his early career, Rajinikanth mostly played negative characters who often troubles women.Rajinikanth’s first ever movie was “Apoorva Raagangal” in 1975 which was a Tamil film.He was in a supportive role.He played the role of an abusive husband.His performance was critically acclaimed.The movie won 3 National awards.His next film was “Katha Sangama” in which he played a villainous role of a rapist.He followed it up with “Anthuleni Katha”, “Moondru Mudichu”, “Baalu Jenu”, “Avargal”,  and “16 Vayadhinile”.In most of these movies, he played an evil character.His first ever lead role came in the movie “Chilakamma Cheppindi” in 1977.

Rajinikanth played a positive role for the first time in the movie “Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri” (1977), whose director was S.P Muthuraman.He is the one who transformed his image.The movie was a grand success.He continued to play supporting roles in movies that year.In “Gayathri” he played the role of a pornographer who secretly films the intimate scenes between him and his wife and in “Galate Samsara” he played a married man who develops an extra material affair.

1978-89 (THE DECADE OF RAJINIKANTH)

Rajinikanth’s stature was increasing day by day.His mannerism and dialogue delivery was captivating the audience.He was becoming a phenomenon.The fate of a movie now depends on Rajinikanth alone and he was fast approaching the stardom.In the year 1978, he acted in 20 movies.He started the year with “Shankar Salim Simon”.His next were “Khiladi Kittu”, ” Annadammula Savaal” and “Aayiram Jenmangal”.In his 25th release,  “Maathu Tappada Maga”, Rajinikanth played an antagonist.His next release,  “Bairavi” marked the birth of superstar Rajinikanth.A distributor made a cut out of Rajinikanth over 35 feet for the promotion of the movie and it began a trend from there on.In “Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu” he showed his emotional side to the audience.He played the role of a man who sacrificed his love for his friend.Rajinikanth won the award for the best actor for his next release “Mullum Malarum”.He announces himself in Malayalam cinema through the movie  “Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum”.”Tiger” was  Rajinikanth’s 50th movie.

By 1980, he was touching the heights of fame and glory but suddenly he sent shockwaves among his fans by deciding to quit.He later came back in grand style with “Billa”,1978.It was the remake of the popular Hindi movie “Don”.It was his first commercial success.He played a double role again in “Johnny”.His next release “Garjanai” was simultaneously shot in Kannada and Malayalam.To break his image of action hero, he did  “Thillu Mullu”, which was a comedy.In 1981, Rajinikanth did another remake of Amitabh Bachchan film “Thee”.

It was the year 1983 which marked Rajinikanth’s (now a superstar in South) entry into Bollywood.He debuted in Bollywood with “Andha Kanoon” alongside Sri Devi and  Amitabh Bachchan.It proved to be another commercial success.He then played a triple role in  “John Jani Janardhan”.He won another best Tamil actor award for his film ” Nallavanuku Nallavan“.He continued to be a part of Hindi cinema in a Rajesh Khanna’s film “Bewafai” as a villain which prooved to be a great hit.His other films include ” Rajadhi Raja“,  Mappillai, Siva etc.He also acted in a lone American movie named “Bloodstone”.

COMMERCIAL SUPERSTAR

By now Rajinikanth was the commercial superstar.His popularity was crossing boundaries.His presence in a movie was enough for the success of a film.He did many films like “Panakkaran”, “Dharmadorai”, “Thalapathi”,”Annamalai” etc which did a decent business on box-office.He worked in a Bollywood film “Hum” in 1991 alongside Amitabh Bachchan.In 1995 came “Badshah”, which took the superstardom of Rajinikanth to next level.It was a blockbuster and received alike by fans and critics.It turned Rajinikanth from a popular actor into a God-like figure.It was now said that only a Rajinikanth film can break his own records.His movie “Muthu” was so successful that the makers decided to dub it in Japanese.It was a huge hit and Rajini found a new fan base in Japan.” Padayappa” marked his 150th movie and is one of the biggest films of his career.Rajinikanth did “Baba”in 2002 which did not do a good business on box office.Rajinikanth himself covered the losses endured by the distributors.But just one flop was not going to stop the Thalaiva.Rajini returned with a bang through “Chandramukhi”, which was a supernatural thriller.It was another blockbuster and set the record for longest running Tamil film.They dubbed it in German and Turkish language.For his next movie”Sivaji”, he received Rs. 26 crore which made him the second highest paid actor in Asia.In 2010 came “Enthiran” for which Rajini received Rs 45 crore.It was the most expensive Indian movie of that time and end up as second highest grossing Indian movie.Rajinikanth then starred in India’s first motion capture film, “Kochadaiiyaan“.His recent movies are “Linga” and “Kabali”.

FUTURE

Currently, Rajinikanth is busy in the shooting of 2.0 which is the sequel to “Enthiran”.

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