Superstar Rajinikanth, often known as “Thalaiva,” is an internationally recognized figure. This iconic actor has fans of all ages, from young children to senior citizens.

© BCCL

Later, he became one of the top-paid actors in the business, and his work inspired people all over the globe. Fans worldwide adore Rajinikanth for his charismatic on-screen persona, grandiose portrayals of characters, and unassuming off-screen demeanor. Many of his devotees even go so far as to call him God.

Below, we’ve collected some of the awardee’s lesser-known but nonetheless fascinating trivia:

1. First, in Apoorva Raagangal (1975), directed by K. Balachander, Rajinikanth made his movie debut. The film featured Kamal Haasan and Srividya, premiered on August 15, 1975. Popularly known as Thalaiva, he has dominated the Tamil film business for 45 years and will retire on August 15, 2020.

© Apoorva Raagangal

2. It is unknown to a large number of people that Rajinikanth hailed from a poor family. Prior to beginning his career in the film industry, Rajinikanth held a variety of jobs, including that of a coolie, carpenter, and bus conductor.

 

3. Hold on, if you are a loyal admirer, you must be familiar with his real name, don’t you? It’s true that Rajinikanth isn’t the actor’s birth name. The real name of Rajinikanth is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. He was given the name Chhatrapati Shivaji, after the valiant warrior king of the Maratha people. Marathi and Kannada were his first languages when he was a child.

4. It is interesting to note that later on in his career, Rajinikanth attended the Madras Film Institute to acquire a diploma in acting and also learned Tamil while he was there.

5. Rajini’s personal life is highlighted by the fact that he is married to Latha Rangachari, who is eight years his junior. When Latha arrived to interview him for her college magazine, that’s how the two first connected. 1981 was the year that they tied the knot. Currently, Latha is the principal of a school in Chennai known as “The Ashram,” and she and her husband have two daughters named Aishwarya and Soundarya. The actor Dhanush from the film Raanjhanaa is Aishwarya’s husband.

© Twitter/@soundaryaarajni

6. Were you aware that he first appeared in the story as an antagonist? The 70-year-old actor spent the first two years of his career playing only negative roles. These roles included those of an abusive husband, a rapist, a womaniser, a pornographer, and an adulterer. It wasn’t until 1977 that he was given the opportunity to play a positive role for the first time in the film Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri, which is an evergreen classic film.

7. Rajinikanth has starred in not one or two, but eleven Tamil remakes of Amitabh Bachchan films, some of which went on to become superhits. These films include Deewar, Amar Akbar Anthony, Laawaris, and Don, among others.

8. It is interesting to note that he is also the second highest paid actor in Asia, behind only Jackie Chan, as he received a staggering sum of Rs 26 crore in 2007 for his role in the blockbuster movie Shivaji.

9. His older daughter, Aishwarya, recently tied the knot with the actor Dhanush. The marriage of his younger daughter Soundarya to Vishagan Vanangamudi, an actor and businessman, took place recently.

© Filmfare

10. Rajinikanth has a significant amount of devoted followers all around the world. As of now, the superstar has 5.9 million followers all over the world on the social media platform Twitter.

In addition, Rajinikanth is a devout devotee of the Hindu religion and a firm believer in the importance of spirituality in one’s life. Both yoga and meditation are part of his routine. In addition, his fan clubs hold blood donation camps, eye donation camps, and food distribution events for the less fortunate around the time of his birthdays each year.

For those who are unaware, Rajinikanth has appeared in more than 170 films during the course of his career spanning more than 40 years.

“Rajnikanth, the superstar of Indian cinema, has a plethora of interesting facts that make him an enigmatic personality. From his humble beginnings as a bus conductor to his larger-than-life on-screen persona, he has won the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. What’s your favorite fact about Rajnikanth? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let’s celebrate the legend together!”