Rajnikanth

Shivaji Rao Gaekwad (born on December 12 1949) is a popular Tamil film actor. His screen name is Rajinikanth.

Early life

Rajinikanth was born in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu as fourth child in the Marathi family of Ramabai and Ramoji Rao. He lost his mother at the age of five. He had his schooling at the Acharya Patasala in Bangalore and then at the Vivekananda Balak Sangh, a unit of the Ramakrishna Mission.

Before starting his career in the film industry, he served as a bus conductor for Karnataka State Transport Corporation in Bangalore. It was during this time that he nurtured his acting interests.

Acting career

A friend helped him to join the Madras Film institute and Rajinikanth completed basic acting course in 1974 at the age of 25.

First, he played supporting roles, beginning as a cancer patient in Apoorva Raagangal (1975), directed by K. Balachander, who assigned him his stage name Rajinikanth. After several villainous roles, his first positive role was Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1979), in which Rajinikanth played a failed lover in the first half and a do-gooder in the second.

After several hits in the Eighties, he played a Hindu saint in his 100th movie, Sri Raghavendra. Many others followed, among them dramas, comedies, and, at the end of the eighties, action-oriented family entertainers like Velaikkaran and Manidhan.

Several movies during his Nineties were successful, like Muthu or Badsha. At 53, his Baba released amid fanfare. Although the film grossed enough to cover its budget, it was viewed as a miserable showing and fell short of market expectations accumulating heavy losses for the distributors. Rajinikanth himself returned the losses back to the distributors who had immense faith in him. The whole affair cost him dear in terms of repute of making a comeback. Hit hard by the turnout for that movie, he was reluctant to accept any new offers until he was satisfied the script was a sure seler.

And then came along his next release, the successful Chandramukhi, a remake of the Malayalam movie Manichitrathazhu. His next movie, Sivaji, directed by S. Shankar, will be released in 2007.

Apart from Tamil, Rajinikanth has acted in over 160 movies, including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Bengali and all remakes of Tamil Movies. He has also acted as extra in a low-budget Hollywood movie (Bloodstone in 1988).

Rajinikanth was awarded the Padma Bhushan award in the year 2000 and was rated as one of the most influential persons in South Asia by Asiaweek. He has 3,000 fan clubs with around 100,000 fans.

Personal Life

Rajinikanth married his wife Latha on 26 February 1981. The wedding took place in the holy temple at Tirupathi. He has two daughters, Aishwarya and Soundarya. Aishwarya married actor Dhanush on 18 November 2004. The marriage was not approved by Rajini initially which led to intense media speculation forcing him eventually to accept the improper match half-heartedly.

Rajinikanth has claimed tutelage from Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Sri Raghavendra. Rajinikanth frequently makes pilgrimages to shrines in the Himalayas and Rishikesh.

Politics

In 1996, Rajinikanth supported the DMK-TMC-party during their election and helped them to defeat the ruling AIADMK party in the Tamilnadu assembly elections. But in the subsequent elections in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2004 his political clout has waned dramatically. For the 2006 Tamilnadu Assembly Elections, he refrained from vocally supporting any one particular party though he is ideologically closer to NDA front headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Filmography

Noughts

2006 - The Boss
2005 - Chandramukhi songs trailer
2005 - Chandramukhi (Telugu) songs
2002 - Baba songs

Nineties

1999 - Padayappa songs
1998 - Aandavan - Tamil dubbed version of Aatank Hi Aatank
1997 - Arunachalam songs
1995 - Badsha songs
1995 - Pedarayudu (Telugu) (guest) songs
1995 - Aatank Hi Aatank (Hindi) (guest)
1995 - Muthu songs
1995 - Bhagyadevta (Bengali) (guest)
1994 - Veera songs
1993 - Insaniyat Ke Devta (Hindi) (guest)
1993 - Ejamaan songs
1993 - Uzhaippali songs
1993 - Valli (guest) songs
1992 - Mannan songs
1992 - Tyagi (Hindi) (guest)
1992 - Annamalai songs
1992 - Pandiyan songs
1991 - Dharmadurai songs
1991 - Hum (Hindi) songs
1991 - Farishtay (Hindi) (guest)
1991 - Khoon Ka Karz (Hindi) (guest)
1991 - Phool Bane Angaray (Hindi) (guest)
1991 - Naattukku Oru Nallavan
1991 - Dalapathi songs
1991 - Dalapathi (Telugu) songs
1990 - Panakkaran songs
1990 - Adhisaya Piravi songs

Eighties

1989 - Rajadhi Raja songs
1989 - Siva songs
1989 - Raja Chinna Roja
1989 - Mappillai songs
1989 - Bhrashtachar (Hindi) (guest)
1989 - Chaalbaaz (Hindi) (guest) songs
1988 - Tamacha (Hindi) (guest)
1988 - Guru Sishyan songs
1988 - Dharmathin Thalaivan songs
1988 - Blood Stone (English)
1988 - Kodi Parakudhu songs
1987 - Velaikaaran songs
1987 - Insaff Kaun Karega (Hindi) (guest)
1987 - Oorkkaavalan songs
1987 - Manidhan songs
1987 - Uttar Dakshan (Hindi) (guest)
1986 - Mr Baarath songs
1986 - Nann Adimai Illai
1986 - Jeevana Poratam (Telugu)
1986 - Viduthalai
1986 - Bhagawan Dada (Hindi) (guest)
1986 - Asli Naqli (Hindi) (guest)
1986 - Dosti Dhushman (Hindi) (guest)
1986 - Maaveeran songs
1985 - Naan Sigappu Manidhan songs
1985 - Mahaguru (Hindi) (guest)
1985 - Un Kannil Neer Vazhindal
1985 - Wafadaar (Hindi) (guest)
1985 - Shri Ragavendhra
1985 - Bewafai (Hindi) (guest)
1985 - Padikkadhavan songs
1984 - Meri Adaalat (Hindi) (guest)
1984 - Naan Mahaan Alla songs
1984 - Thambikku Endha Ooru songs
1984 - Kai Kodukkum Kai
1984 - Ethe Naasaval (Telugu)
1984 - Anbulla Rajinikanth songs
1984 - Gangvaa (Hindi) (guest)
1984 - Nallavanuku Nallavan songs
1984 - John Jani Janardhan (Hindi) (guest)
1983 - Paayum Puli songs
1983 - Thudikkum Karangal songs
1983 - Andhaa Kaanoon (Hindi) (guest)
1983 - Thaai Veedu songs
1983 - Sivappu Suriyan
1983 - Jeet Hamaari (Hindi) (guest)
1983 - Adutha Varisu songs
1983 - Thanga Magan songs
1982 - Pokkiri Raja songs
1982 - Thanikkattu Raja songs
1982 - Ranga songs
1982 - Pudhukkavidhai
1982 - Engeyo Ketta Kural
1982 - Moondru Mugam songs
1981 - Thee
1981 - Kazhugu
1981 - Thillu Mullu songs
1981 - Garjanai
1981 - Garjanam (Malayalam)
1981 - Netrikkan songs
1981 - Garjane (Kannada)
1981 - Raanuva Veeran
1980 - Billa songs
1980 - Ram Robert Rahim (Telugu)
1980 - Anbukku Naan Adimai
1980 - Kaali songs
1980 - Mayadari Krishnudu (Telugu)
1980 - Naan Potta Saval
1980 - Johnny songs
1980 - Kaali (Telugu)
1980 - Ellam Un Kairasi
1980 - Polladhavan songs
1980 - Murattu Kaalai songs

Seventies

1979 - Priya (Kannada)
1979 - Kuppathu Raja
1979 - Iddaru Asadhyule (Telugu)
1979 - Alauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum (Malayalam) (guest)
1979 - Ninaithale Inikkum
1979 - Andhamaina Anubhavam (Telugu)
1979 - Alavudinum Arputha Vilakkum (guest)
1979 - Dharma Yuddam songs
1979 - Naan Vazhavaippen (guest)
1979 - Tiger (Telugu)
1979 - Aarilirundhu Arubathu Varai songs
1979 - Annai Or Aalayam songs
1979 - Amma Evarikkaina Amma (guest)
1978 - Shankar Salim Simon
1978 - Killad Kittu (Kannada) (guest)
1978 - Annadammula Savaal (Telugu) (guest)
1978 - Aayiram Janmangal (guest)
1978 - Maathu Tappadamaga (Kannada) (guest)
1978 - Maangudi Minor
1978 - Bairavi (debut as solo-hero)
1978 - Ilamai Oonjaladukiradhu
1978 - Sadhurangam (guest)
1978 - Vanakkathukuriya Kadhaliye
1978 - Vayasu Pilichindi (Telugu)
1978 - Mullum Malarum songs
1978 - Iraivan Kodutha Varam
1978 - Thappida Thala (Kannada)
1978 - Thappu Thalangal
1978 - Aval Appadithan (guest)
1978 - Thaai Meedhu Sathiyam (guest)
1978 - En Kelvikku Enna Badhil
1978 - Justice Gopinath (guest)
1978 - Priya songs
1977 - Avargal
1977 - Kavikkuyil (guest)
1977 - Raghupathi Raghavan Rajaram (guest)
1977 - Chilakamma Cheppindi (Telugu) (guest)
1977 - Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri
1977 - Ondu Premada Kathe (Kannada)
1977 - 16 Vayadhiniley
1977 - Sahodara Saval (Kannada)
1977 - Aadu Puli Attam
1977 - Gaayathri
1977 - Kumkuma Rakshe (Kannada) (guest)
1977 - Aaru Pushpangal (guest)
1977 - Tholireyi Gadichindi (Telugu) (guest)
1977 - Aame Katha (Telugu) (guest)
1977 - Galatta Samsara (Kannada) (guest)
1976 - Katha Sangama (Kanada) (guest)
1976 - Anthuleni Katha (Telugu) (guest)
1976 - Moondru Mudichu
1976 - Baalu Jenu (Kannada) (guest)
1975 - Apoorva Raagangal (guest)

External links

Rajinikanth | ラジニカーント | ரஜினிகாந்த்

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