Rajinikanth, born Shivaji Rao Gaikwad on December 12, 1950, in a Marathi family in Bangalore, had a challenging childhood. He lost his mother at a young age and grew up in poverty. Despite these hardships, he took on responsibilities early, working as a coolie and later as a bus conductor for Bangalore Transport Services to support his family.
Dream of Becoming an Actor
While working as a conductor, Rajinikanth never gave up on his childhood dream of becoming an actor. He started participating in stage shows alongside his job. His big break came when he saw an advertisement for a film institute offering courses in acting. Though his family initially didn’t support the idea due to financial struggles, Rajinikanth’s friend Raj Bahadur helped him get admitted to an acting institute, marking the start of his film career.
Early Acting Career
Rajinikanth began his acting career in Kannada theatre, where his portrayal of Duryodhana in the Mahabharata earned him widespread praise. He had also learned Tamil before venturing into the Tamil film industry, debuting in the 1975 film Apoorva Raagangal, which also featured Kamal Haasan.
Success in Tamil, Telugu, and Bollywood
Rajinikanth’s career skyrocketed as he became a celebrated actor in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi films. His Bollywood debut was with Andha Kanoon, followed by successful films such as Bhagwan Dada, Aatank Hi Aatank, and Chaalbaaz. In South India, his breakthrough came with Apoorva Raagangal, and he went on to star in hits like Billu, Muthu, Basha, Shivaji, and Enthiran.
Contemplating Politics
Though Rajinikanth briefly considered entering politics, he ultimately decided against it, citing health concerns in December of the previous year. Despite this, Kamal Haasan has continued to encourage him to join politics and even met Rajinikanth recently to seek his support for his political party.
