Advertisement

Updated February 7th, 2021 at 20:23 IST

Do you know Rajinikanth began his career with Kannada plays? Here's more about Thalaiva

Rajinikanth reportedly gained notice by playing the part of Duryodhana in a Kannada play. Here're some of the more lesser-known Rajnikanth trivia for his fans.

Reported by: Valentina Notts
Rajinikanth
| Image:self
Advertisement

Rajinikanth, or Thalaiva as he is more popularly known, did not have the easiest start to his career. The superstar who enjoys a ‘God-like’ status among his fans, started his way up right from the bottom of the rug. He worked many odd jobs before joining film school where he got noticed for his talent. The Padma Bhushan recipient has worked the jobs of a coolie, carpenter and bus conductor for the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, as revealed in Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography.

Also read: Rajinikanth Aide Arjunamurthy To Launch Own Party For Tamil Nadu Polls; Seeks Blessings 

It was his friend and fellow bus conductor, Raj Bahadur who encouraged him and helped him join the Madras Film Institute, the biography elucidated. It was at the institute, where Rajinikanth was acting as Duryodhana in a mythological Kannada play, that director K Balachander noticed him. Balachander saw the potential in Rajinikanth and asked him to learn Tamil to become a part of the film industry. This was the start of Rajinikanth’s career as an actor on the big screen.

Some interesting and lesser-known Rajinikanth trivia

Rajinikanth started his career in the film industry with a lot of negative roles. His first commercial hit was Billa which was a remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don. Throughout his career, Rajinikanth has acted in a lot of remakes on Bachchan’s movies. Some of the remakes he has been a part of are Deewar, Amar Akbar Anthony, Laawaris and Don to name a few.

Also read: Rajinikanth 'pained' By Insistence Of Fans, Reaffirms He'll Never Take Political Plunge

To speak about his personal life, Rajinikanth’s wife is 8 years younger than he is. Latha Rangachari met the superstar when she had gone to interview him for her college magazine. The attraction the two have, as said on many occasions, was instantaneous. The couple tied the knot in 1981 and have two daughters, Aishwarya and Soundarya, the biography read.

His role in the hit film, Shivaji, earned him 27 crores in 2007. This marked the actor as the second-highest-paid actor in Asia, second to only Jackie Chan. If a movie that he acts in tanks at the box-office, Rajinikanth reportedly ensures that he returns all the money he has taken to the distributors.

Also read: S Gurumurthy Refuses To Rule Out Rajinikanth's Political Plunge; Hints At 2025

Rajinikanth enjoys a status parallel to almost no star in India. His fans have erected posters and statues of him, and these are worshipped with almost religious fervour. There are fan-clubs dedicated to the actor and his fans congregate to watch Rajinikanth's movies together. Rajinikanth was the first Indian actor to gain prominence among the Japanese audience. The two biographies on his life and career, The Name is Rajinikanth (2008) by Gayathri Sreekanth and Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography (2012) by Naman Ramachandran, give all the details on the actor.

Also read: Rajinikanth Fan Club Instructs His Followers To Skip Event Protesting His Political Exit

 

Advertisement

Published February 7th, 2021 at 20:23 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo