Rajinikanth Born: India's Biggest Superstar Arrives

He was a bus conductor in Bangalore before he became a movie star. Rajinikanth, born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad on December 12, 1950, in a Marathi-speaking family in Bangalore, worked routes through the city while saving money for acting school. He enrolled at the Madras Film Institute in 1973 and was noticed by director K. Balachander, who cast him in a Tamil film in 1975. He began as a villain. His dark skin, unconventional looks, and intense screen presence made him a natural for antagonist roles in an industry that traditionally cast fair-skinned actors as heroes. By the early 1980s, he had transitioned to leading roles, and by the end of the decade he was the biggest star in Tamil cinema. His appeal defied the usual categories of stardom. He was not conventionally handsome, could not dance particularly well by Bollywood standards, and his acting style relied on exaggerated mannerisms, coin-flipping gestures, and sunglasses tricks that would have seemed absurd from anyone else. On him they became iconic. His films routinely broke box office records across South India and earned massive followings in Japan, where his flamboyant style resonated with audiences accustomed to stylized performance. His first appearances in theaters receive standing ovations from audiences who have already seen the film multiple times. No other actor in the world generates that particular response. The Tamil Nadu government awarded him the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, among India's highest civilian honors. His political influence in Tamil Nadu is enormous: his endorsement can shift millions of votes. He has been expected to enter politics formally for over twenty years. His fans remain ready.