Today’s Hindustan Times front page, created with OTTplay, became “Rajinikanth Times”, complete with a reimagined masthead. We continue that tribute with an immersive look at 50 years of the Superstar’s cinema and cultural impact.
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THERE ARE SOME FIGURES IN CINEMA who become more than performers — they become a part of how we grow, how we speak, how we believe. For many of us across India, Rajinikanth has been exactly that. His films have travelled with us from childhood to adulthood, offering not just entertainment but a kind of compass: reminders that courage matters, that goodness has power, and that style can be its own language.
What has always struck me, though, is how the impact extends far beyond the screen. Rajinikanth’s humility, dignity, and spiritual grounding have shaped generations just as surely as his iconic roles have. His journey — from everyday beginnings to an extraordinary legacy — is a story that continues to inspire millions.
As he completes 50 remarkable years in cinema, we are honoured to celebrate him with this special edition. It’s a tribute to the memories he’s given us, and to the magic still ahead. — Avinash Mudaliar, CEO & Co-Founder, OTTplay |
In The Beginning, There was Shivaji
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Veteran journalist Vaasanthi Sundaram offers a rare look at the moment when Shivaji Rao first stepped into the frame...and Rajinikanth was born.
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SHIVAJI was worried that the shoot (for his very first film, Apoorva Raagangal) would not start on a Thursday. He had come to believe that Thursday was an auspicious day for him. There was nothing to show that it always worked, but he had come to know that it was an auspicious day for Saint Raghavendra, whom he had come to revere. He cursed himself for being so superstitious but he couldn’t shake it off. For the first two days, he didn’t have any scenes to shoot since Kamal Haasan, the lead actor, was shooting his scenes then. So rather than hang around on set, he would go outside, sit and smoke. When (director) Balachander came to know this, he shouted at Shivaji: ‘Don’t you want to learn?’ Experienced actors were a treasure trove of knowledge and watching them at work was a way to learn the craft. Balachander’s volatile temper was well known. But the master had a point. It was indeed a treat to watch Kamal Haasan in action. Shivaji marvelled at his skill. He put all of himself into the role, into the moment. He made you believe it was real. Kamal had all that a hero needed: looks, talent, and experience. No wonder he was already a big star though he was much younger than Shivaji. But he had had an early start, as a child artist at the age of six. A sense of diffidence gripped Shivaji. How would he survive amidst such talent? |
There was a problem with his name, too. Sivaji Ganesan was a famous name in Tamil cinema. He was known for his ability to take on a variety of roles and had a big fan following. Balachander decided that Shivaji needed a new name. He chose the name Rajinikanth — the name of a character from a film he had directed ( Major Chandrakanth, 1966). It was a strange feeling to have a new name. That important rechristening happened on an auspicious day: it was Holi, the festival of colours and joy. On that full moon day, a star was born. For Shivaji, it was even more significant because it was a Thursday, and his first shoot had been scheduled for that day. The date was 27 March 1975. For many years after, Shivaji made it a point to meet Balachander on Holi to pay his respects. Continue reading... |
The Friendship That Shaped a Legend
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Naman Ramachandran on the bond, generosity, and artistic kinship that helped define Rajinikanth’s rise.
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‘IN THE BEGINNING, in 1975, just how big a star Kamal Haasan was, today’s generation does not know,’ says Rajinikanth. ‘He was an even bigger star in 1975 than he is now. Old or young, a new artiste had never shaken all of India like he did. I had just entered the cinema industry then. Apoorva Raagangal, Moondru Mudichu, Avargal, these were all my guru K Balachander’s films — I became a hero with these three films. After that the films that came, big films like 16 Vayathinile, Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu, Aadu Puli Attam, Aval Appadithan — these were all hit films. For those films, if Kamal had said, “Don’t cast Rajini”, nobody would have taken me. I got Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu solely on Kamal’s recommendation. So I acted in all these films and then, after I became a big actor, one day Kamal called me and said, “Rajini, only if you act alone will you get your own space. If you say no, the cinema world will use us, and you won’t be able to grow.” I listened to all that he said. After that I worked on my own. Then, after I became a big man, Kamal called me again one day and said, “Rajini, you have to be cautious in Tamil cinema. I have seen from a young age—MGR and Sivaji, though they had no rivalry between them, the cinema industry separated them. And because the industry separated them, their fans also separated. That shouldn’t happen with us. The producers and directors I work with, you should work with them too.” I don’t know how to thank him.’ |
Rajinikanth adds, ‘In other industries, people like Mammootty, Mohan Lal, Venkatesh, Chiranjeevi, Amitabh Bachchan and even Dilip Kumar look at me and are amazed how I managed to make a name for myself as an actor in an industry where Kamal Haasan exists. The reason is simple. I grew as an actor just by watching Kamal Haasan acting. I had the good fortune of being able to observe Kamal Haasan from close quarters. During the shooting of Avargal I was sitting outside when K Balachander noticed this and got angry. He sent word for me to return to the set and asked me, “Did you go outside to smoke? Kamal is acting; observe him. Only then will your acting get even better.” From that time, when Kamal acted I wouldn’t go anywhere; I would just sit there and watch. This is the honest truth.’‘ The fact that I made a name in an industry where Kamal exists is nothing great,’ says Rajinikanth. ‘All I did was change my route. I didn’t go down his route. Whatever he touched, I didn’t. If I had tried to do what he did, that would have been it for me. I just used my intelligence, that’s all.’ Continue reading... |
The Humility Behind the Hype
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The core of the Superstar's longevity lies not merely in those star-studded, larger-than-life outings, but in an interior world shaped by humility, an unusual lack of ego, and self-awareness, writes Neelima Menon.
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HOW DOES ONE DEFINE the Rajinikanth phenomenon? It refuses easy summarisation. For some, it is his elemental swagger — the flick of a cigarette, the whirl of sunglasses, the unmistakable gait that became cinematic folklore. For others, it is the aura: that indescribable charge he brings to the screen, a presence that has outlived generations and trends. But what often slips through the cracks is the man behind that smokescreen. The Rajinikanth who walks into public events with balding hair streaked with grey, and ordinary clothes. The man who refuses to romanticise this appearance as “simplicity,” once telling a television anchor, with characteristic candour, that he still drives a BMW, flies first-class, stays in luxury hotels, and lives in an expensive bungalow — so what exactly is simple about any of that? And yet, this is precisely where the core of his longevity lies: not merely in those star-studded, larger-than-life outings, but in an interior world shaped by humility, an unusual lack of ego, and a self-awareness that few superstars are willing to reveal. Rajinikanth knows the limits of image, the fragility of fame, and the power of acknowledging one’s own contradictions. Continue reading... |
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