Rajinikanth is one of India’s most influential actors. He is mainly known for his work in Tamil films. “Thalaiva” is a Padma Vibhushan and Padam Bhushan award winner and has a huge fan following across the globe. His dialogue style, his style, his action scenes, they all left a mark on the film industry. Let’s take a deep dive into the life of this iconic Indian superstar.
Biography/Wiki
Superstar Rajinikanth was born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad on December 12, 1950 in Bangalore, Mysore, India (now Karnataka). The 73-year-old (as of 2023) actor is one of the highest-paid and successful actors in B-town. Rajnikanth is a versatile actor, producer, screenwriter and philanthropist. He has his own story of struggle. His life has embarked on a journey from a Bengaluru transport service ticket collector to a popular actor. Rajinikanth, who is of Maratha origin and has roots in Tamil Nadu, has done films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English, Malayalam and Bengali. His contribution to Bollywood took the film industry to the next level. He is a very humble, simple and down to earth person. 
appearance
Rajinikanth had a charismatic personality. He is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 75 kilograms. The actor has dark brown eyes and gray hair that is partially bald. 
Family, Extramarital Affairs, Wives and Religion
Rajinikanth was born into a Kshatriya Maratha family, but his ancestors were also Tamil. His father Ramojirao Gaekwad is a policeman and his mother Jijabai is a housewife.
Rajinikanth’s parents
He was a very naughty child when he was a child. When she was 8 years old, her mother passed away and Ragini was raised by her brother and father.
Rajinikanth childhood photos
He has 3 siblings: 2 brothers, Satyanarayana Rao and Nageshwara Rao, and 1 sister, Aswath Balubhai.
Rajinikanth and his brother Satyanarayana Rao
When a group of girls came for an interview with Rajini, he fell in love with Latha Parthasarathy (now his wife) and proposed to her on the same day. They got married on February 26, 1981 in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.
Rajinikanth and his wife
The two have two daughters, Aishwarya Rajinikanth and Soundarya Rajinikanth.
Rajinikanth and his family
Before meeting Rasha, he was in a relationship with actress Silk Smitha.
Rajinikanth and Silk Smitha
Swami Satchidananda, the founder of Integral Yoga, was his spiritual guide.
Profession
Rajinikanth received his education from Acharya Paathshala and Vivekananda Balaka Sangha School, Basavanagudi, Bangalore. Before becoming an actor, he worked as a carpenter and a coolie to make a living. He became a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Services Corporation. With the financial support of his friend Raj Bahadur, Rajinikanth joined the Madras Film Institute. While Ragini was performing in a stage play at the Madras Film Institute, he met director K Balachander, who offered him a role in a Tamil film.
Rajinikanth and K Balachander
Ragini was not fluent in Tamil, but he quickly mastered the language. In 1975, Rajinikanth made his first Tamil film, Apoorva Raagangal, with actor Kamal Haasan.
Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan in Apoorva Raagangal
He was recognized only for his villain roles in the first two years of his career until 1977, when he played a key role in the Telugu film Chilakamma Cheppindi. In 1980, he made the film Billa (a remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don, 1978), which became his first commercial success.
Rajinikanth’s film ‘Beela’
He played the role of the Hindu saint “Raghavendra Swami” in the movie “Sri Raghavendra”, which was his 100th film. In 1988, Rajinikanth made Bloodstone, an Indian-American action-adventure film.
Rajinikanth in the movie Bloodstone
His film Raaja Chinna Roja (1989) became the first Tamil animated film.
Rajinikanth in Raaja Chinna Roja
Thalapathi (1991) is his only film to be released on U/A certificate. The film “Enthiran (Science Fiction)” starring Rajinikanth was first offered to Kamal Hassan. In 2012, he was named the most influential Indian by Forbes India. In 2011, he made a cameo appearance in the movie “Ra.One” starring Shah Rukh Khan. Mina is the only actress to have worked with him both as a child actor and as a leading lady.
Rajinikanth and Meena
money factor
- He owns a marriage palace in Chennai, Raghavendra Mandapam Marriage Palace
Raghavendra Mandapam Marriage Hall of Rajinikanth
- Car series: Premier Padmini Fiat, Chevrolet Tavera, Toyota Innova, Ambassador, Honda Civic, Lamborghini Urus, BMW X7
Rajinikanth drives Lamborghini Urus
- Bicycle series: Suzuki Hayabusa, Suzuki Intruder M1800 RZ
- Remuneration: 400-450 million rupees/film
Awards and Honors
- 2014: Indian Cinema Personality of the Year Award
Rajinikanth wins Indian Film Personality of the Year award
- 2016: Padma Vibhushan
Rajinikanth meets Padma Vibhushan
- 2021: 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award. After winning the award on October 25, 2021, the actor dedicated the award to his mentor K Balachander, his brother Sathyanarayana Rao Gaikwad and his bus driver friend Raj Bahadur. In a brief speech, he thanked the central government for the honor. He said,
Good morning to all the distinguished Vice President, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Dr. L Murugan, all distinguished guests on stage and award winners. I am extremely happy to receive this prestigious award and thank the central government for it. “
Rajinikanth receives prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award
dispute
- In 2014, his Bollywood film “Main Hoon Rajinikanth” received a stay order from the Madras High Court, after which the title of his film was changed to “Main Hoon Part-Time Killer”.
- In 2015, the Madras High Court issued a legal notice to Rajinikanth seeking action against director Kasthuri Raja on the request of a financier. Kasturi Raja is the father of actor Dhanush and a relative of Rajinikanth. Since Kasturi Raja took money from financier Rajini using his name without his consent, the financier wants justice through Rajinikanth’s side.
Kasthuri Raja and Dhanush
- In 2017, Lyca Productions announced that Rajinikanth would launch a housing program for displaced Tamils in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, under his charity ‘Gnanam Foundation’, supporting Tamil protests against Rajinikanth.
favorite thing
- His favorite dish is Masala Dosa.
- Thalaiva’s favorite actors are Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Sylvester Stallone, and his favorite actresses are Rekha, Hema Malini.
- The Kannada film Veera Kesari is his favorite film.
- Rajinikanth admires the work of musician Ilayaraja.
- His favorite color is black.
- He is an avid reader and his favorite books are Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan and T. Janakiraman’s Amma Vanthal.
- Lee Kuan Yew (former Prime Minister of Singapore) is Rajini’s favorite politician.
- Rajini’s favorite social activist is Anna Hazare.
- He likes to play cricket.
fact
- Rajinikanth gave up his smoking habit, but he drank.
- During his school days, Rajinikanth wanted to join a gang but as his senior, the gang members did not accept him. To impress them, he practiced throwing cigarettes, which later became his famous cigarette throwing style.
- Since 1995, he has traveled to the Himalayas after filming a movie.
- He doesn’t see anyone after nine o’clock in the evening.
- Ragini is known for being punctual and reaches the shooting locations early.
- In South India, people worship him and consider him to be their God.
People worship Rajinikanth
In 2023, a man named Karthi built a temple in his home to honor the legendary actor. Karti admired Rajinikanth so much that he installed a 250-kg idol of Rajinikanth in the temple to express his deep respect and admiration for him.
Temple built by one of Rajinikanth’s fans in Madurai, Tamil Nadu
- Every year, his birthday (December 12) is celebrated by his fans as “World Style Day” or “International Style Day”.
- In 2007, he became the highest-paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan with a salary of 260 million rupees for the movie “Sivaji”.
- When his films “Baba” (2002) and “Kuseram” (2008) bombed at the box office, Rajinikanth paid the price for the loss to the film’s distributors.
- Rajinikanth is the first Indian actor to dabble in all 4 formats of filmmaking i.e. black and white, colours, animation and 3D.
Rajinikanth movies in 4 formats
- In 2023, Rajinikanth became India’s highest-paid actor again with the release of the film Jailor. According to sources, he was paid Rs. Producer Kalanidhi Maran spent Rs 210 crore to star in the film; remuneration included Rs. As a part of this film, he earned Rs 100 crore.
Message comes, envelope handed to superstar by Kalanidhi Maran #rajinikanth Contains a check of 1⃣0⃣0⃣ cr issued by City Union Bank, Mandaveli Branch, Chennai.
This is a #jailer The profit sharing check was higher than the amount paid… pic.twitter.com/I6TF6p4SvL
— Manobala Vijayabalan (@ManobalaV) August 31, 2023
- In September 2023, Rajinikanth received a BMW X7 as a gift from Kalanithi Maran as a token of gratitude for the success of the film Jailer. Kalanithi brought a BMW X7 and a BMW i7 EV to Rajinikanth’s home and asked him to choose one. Rajinikanth finally chose the BMW X7.
Rajinikanth after receiving a BMW X7 as a gift from Kalanithi Maran
social work
- Rajinikanth fasted twice in his life in protest. The first time was in 2002, against the Karnataka government’s decision not to release water from the Kaveri River to Tamil Nadu, and the second time in 2008; demanding that the Sri Lankan government end the civil war and grant rights to the Tamils in Sri Lanka .
- He supported social activist Anna Hazare in her anti-corruption movement and gave him his marriage palace ‘Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam’ so that Anna could perform all social activities easily.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education