# Rajinikanth (ரஜினிகாந்த்)
**Rajinikanth** (ரஜினிகாந்த்; born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, 1950) is an Indian film actor whose mannerisms and stylized line delivery made him one of the leading stars of [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema), where fans know him as "Thalaivar" (leader) and "Superstar"[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). The Library of Congress registers him as Rajin̲ikānt, born 1950 in [Karnataka](https://www.edgepedia.org/karnataka), with the real name Shivaji Rao Gaekward, and lists variant credits including Rajnikanth, Rajinikant, Rajni Kanth, and Rajani[2](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n84109545.html). Over a career of roughly fifty years he has appeared in more than 170 films across Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and [Kannada cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/kannada-cinema)[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, 1950, Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Karnataka, into a Maharashtrian family[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265); IMDb gives 1949, per the Library of Congress record[2](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n84109545.html) |
| Screen name | Given by director K. Balachander in 1972, after a character in Balachander's film *Major Chandrakanth*[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/My-name-is-Rajinikanth/article16790384.ece1) |
| Debut | 1975: a minor role in the Kannada *Katha Sangama*, then a villain role in the Tamil *Apoorva Raagangal*[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265) |
| Output | More than 170 films across Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada cinema[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265) |
| Reported pay | Reportedly ₹550 million (₹55 crore) for *Sivaji* (2007), described as Asia's highest-paid actor after Jackie Chan at the time[4](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/rajinikath-behind-a-blockbuster-life/article35578263.ece) |
| Honours | Padma Bhushan (2000), Padma Vibhushan (2016), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2020)[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265) |
| Fan following | Organized in approximately 50,000 fan clubs[5](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o) |
## Early life and background
Rajinikanth grew up in poverty in Bengaluru, one of four children of a police constable[5](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o). After dropping out of college, he worked first as a coolie, or porter, and then as a bus conductor on the Bangalore Transport Service[5](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o). On route 10A he earned his first fans for his stylized ticket-tearing and mannerisms, flipping his sunglasses, twirling his cigarettes, and mouthing popular Rajkumar dialogues[4](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/rajinikath-behind-a-blockbuster-life/article35578263.ece).
A friend, noticing his passion for theater, pooled funds to send him to the Madras Film Institute, the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce's state-run film school in Chennai[5](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o) • [4](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/rajinikath-behind-a-blockbuster-life/article35578263.ece). There the director [K. Balachander](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-balachander) noticed him, and in 1972 gave the aspiring actor the screen name "Rajinikanth", inspired by a character from Balachander's earlier film *Major Chandrakanth*; the name was conferred on March 27, the day of Holi[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/My-name-is-Rajinikanth/article16790384.ece1). Balachander's only advice, by one account, was to learn Tamil[6](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/dadasaheb-phalke-award-for-rajinikanth-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/article34262905.ece).
## Film career, 1975–1989: from villain to superstar
He made his debut in 1975 under the stage name Rajinikanth, playing a minor role in [Puttanna Kanagal](https://www.edgepedia.org/puttanna-kanagal)'s Kannada film *Katha Sangama*, and broke through the same year as a villain in Balachander's Tamil film *Apoorva Raagangal*[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). His early acclaimed roles were anti-heroes and villains, in *Apoorva Raagangal*, *Moondru Mudichu*, and *Pathinaru Vayathinile*[5](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o). In *Moondru Mudichu* (1976) he played the antagonist to [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan)'s protagonist, the start of a successful early partnership[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). Two credible sources frame the debut differently: Britannica and the BBC place *Katha Sangama* first, while [The Hindu](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hindu)'s Phalke retrospective describes *Apoorva Raagangal* (1975) as his debut film; both were released in 1975, and the discrepancy is unresolved[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265) • [6](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/dadasaheb-phalke-award-for-rajinikanth-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/article34262905.ece).
**From 1978 onwards**, he worked in multiple shifts across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema), shooting during the day and traveling at night between locations[4](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/rajinikath-behind-a-blockbuster-life/article35578263.ece). *Billa* (1980), a remake of [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan)'s *Don*, was his first blockbuster, and *Murattu Kaalai* (1980) cemented his action-superstar image; he won the Filmfare Award for best actor (Tamil) for *Nallavanukku Nallavan* (1984)[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). He entered Hindi cinema in 1983 with *Andhaa Kanoon*[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265).
## Film career, 1990–2025: the superstar era
The landmark Tamil releases of his mature career include *Thalapathi* (1991), *Baashha* (1995), *Padayappa* (1999), *Sivaji* (2007), and *Enthiran* (2010), in which he played both the robot Chitti and its creator Dr. Vaseegaran[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). *Sivaji* and *Enthiran* broke box-office records[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). In 2018 he starred in *2.0*, produced on an estimated budget of ₹5.7 billion (₹570 crore), again playing Chitti the robot[4](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/rajinikath-behind-a-blockbuster-life/article35578263.ece).
**Recent results have been mixed.** *Kochadaiiyaan* (2014), *Kaala* (2018), *Darbar* (2020), and *Vettaiyan* (2024) underperformed, while *Lingaa* (2014), *Kabali* (2016), *Petta* (2019), and *Jailer* (2023) succeeded[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). *Vettaiyan* (2024), costarring Amitabh Bachchan, "failed to do well" by Britannica's assessment[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). *Coolie*, costarring [Nagarjuna](https://www.edgepedia.org/nagarjuna) with an [Aamir Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/aamir-khan) cameo, released in August 2025[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). His 1999 hit *Padayappa* was re-released on December 12, 2025, in honor of his 75th birthday, and his 2026 lineup includes a sequel to *Jailer*; a sequel to *Padayappa*, titled *Neelambari*, is also in the works[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265).
## Screen persona and fan culture
His signature gestures, twirling sunglasses, tossing cigarettes, and lighting a match in style, compensated in his early years for a lack of formal training, until he became comfortable on camera[6](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/dadasaheb-phalke-award-for-rajinikanth-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/article34262905.ece). The persona was assembled from borrowed influences: the screen gait and laughter of [Sivaji Ganesan](https://www.edgepedia.org/sivaji-ganesan), cigarette-tossing from [Shatrughan Sinha](https://www.edgepedia.org/shatrughan-sinha), menace from Amitabh Bachchan, and humility from Rajkumar, addressing his fans as God[6](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/dadasaheb-phalke-award-for-rajinikanth-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/article34262905.ece). *Mullum Malarum* and *Aval Appadithan* established his emoting abilities, and *Murattu Kaalai*, according to pundits, underlined his moniker as the Superstar[6](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/dadasaheb-phalke-award-for-rajinikanth-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/article34262905.ece).
The fan following is organized in approximately 50,000 fan clubs, and 2025 marked roughly fifty years of his film career[5](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o). The Tamil-language BBC feature "ரஜினி 50" describes how his films have turned theaters into temples and fans into devotees[7](https://www.bbc.com/tamil/articles/cvg4vywxgjdo).
## Contemporaries
His early career ran alongside Kamal Haasan's, with Rajinikanth playing the antagonist to Haasan's protagonist in *Moondru Mudichu* (1976)[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). With Amitabh Bachchan he formed a lifelong friendship, co-starring in Hindi films including *Hum* (1991), and reuniting on screen in *Vettaiyan* (2024)[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). His 1975 debut also opened the way for other Kannada actors, including Mohan, Arjun Sarja, and [Prakash Raj](https://www.edgepedia.org/prakash-raj), into Tamil cinema[6](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/dadasaheb-phalke-award-for-rajinikanth-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/article34262905.ece).
## Honours and recognition
He received the [Padma Bhushan](https://www.edgepedia.org/padma-bhushan) in 2000, the Padma Vibhushan in 2016, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2020 for his contributions to Indian film, in addition to multiple Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for best actor[1](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265). The BBC describes the Phalke Award as India's highest cinematic honor and the Padma Vibhushan as the second-highest civilian award[5](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o).
## Reception and literature
The principal full-length biography is Naman Ramachandran's *Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography*, published by Viking, New Delhi, in 2012[8](https://search.worldcat.org/title/825198202). Penguin Random House India, which publishes the book, describes it as recounting Rajini's career in meticulous detail, tracing his cinematic journey from *Apoorva Raagangal* (1975) to *Kochadaiyaan* (2013)[9](https://www.penguin.co.in/book/rajinikanth/).
## References
1. [Rajinikanth, Britannica Academic](https://kids.britannica.com/scholars/article/Rajinikanth/599265)
2. [Rajin̲ikānt, 1950- , Library of Congress Name Authority Record](https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n84109545.html)
3. [My name is Rajinikanth, The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/My-name-is-Rajinikanth/article16790384.ece1)
4. [Rajinikanth: Behind a blockbuster life, The Hindu BusinessLine](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/read/rajinikath-behind-a-blockbuster-life/article35578263.ece)
5. [Coolie: 50 Years of Rajinikanth, India's bus conductor turned superstar, BBC News](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgln14jz1n1o)
6. [Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Rajinikanth: The man, the myth, the legend, The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/dadasaheb-phalke-award-for-rajinikanth-the-man-the-myth-the-legend/article34262905.ece)
7. [ரஜினி 50: பேருந்து நடத்துநராக இருந்த ரஜினி திரையுலகில் சூப்பர் ஸ்டாராக உயர்ந்தது எப்படி?, BBC News தமிழ்](https://www.bbc.com/tamil/articles/cvg4vywxgjdo)
8. [Rajinikanth: the definitive biography (Naman Ramachandran, Viking, 2012), WorldCat](https://search.worldcat.org/title/825198202)
9. [Rajinikanth, Penguin Random House India](https://www.penguin.co.in/book/rajinikanth/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Tamil film actors › Surnames R to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
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