Rajinikanth
| Personal Details | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 December 1950 Bangalore, Mysore State, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Career & Education | |
| Occupation | Actor, Film Producer, Screenwriter |
| Education | Madras Film Institute |
| Alma Mater | Madras Film Institute |
| Institution | Indian film industry |
| Known For | Work in Tamil cinema and contributions to Indian cinema; Padma Vibhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipient |
| Years Active | 1975–present |
| Recognition & Links | |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan (2000); Padma Vibhushan (2016); Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2019); Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year (2014) |
| Website | Official Website |
Rajinikanth (born 12 December 1950), whose birth name is Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, is an Indian actor, film producer, and screenwriter who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. With a career spanning more than five decades, he has appeared in films in several Indian languages and has become one of the most prominent figures in Indian popular cinema. He has received major national honours including the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award."Legendary actor Rajinikanth to be conferred with Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 November 2019.
Early life
Rajinikanth was born Shivaji Rao Gaikwad on 12 December 1950 in Bangalore, then part of Mysore State, India. He was born into a Marathi-speaking family. Before entering the film industry, he worked a number of jobs, including as a bus conductor with the Karnataka State Transport Corporation in Bangalore. During this period, he developed an interest in acting and participated in stage performances."Legendary actor Rajinikanth to be conferred with Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 November 2019.
Rajinikanth later joined the Madras Film Institute to receive formal training in acting. A stage performance brought him to the attention of filmmaker K. Balachander, who encouraged him to learn Tamil and subsequently gave him an early opportunity in cinema."Rajinikanth, The Boss: His Journey From Bus Conductor To 2.0". NDTV.
Film career
Rajinikanth made his film debut in the Kannada film Katha Sangama. He subsequently appeared in K. Balachander's Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal in 1975, playing a supporting role. The film marked the beginning of a long association with Tamil cinema and with Balachander, one of the influential filmmakers of the period."Legendary actor Rajinikanth to be conferred with Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 November 2019.
During the early part of his career, Rajinikanth frequently appeared in supporting and antagonist roles. Films such as Moondru Mudichu, Avargal and 16 Vayathinile helped establish him as a distinctive screen performer. His roles gradually expanded from supporting and negative characters to leading roles.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Rajinikanth became a leading actor in Tamil cinema. His films combined action, drama, comedy and elements of popular entertainment. Among the notable films from his career are Billa, Muthu, Baasha, Arunachalam, Padayappa and Sivaji. His performances and distinctive screen mannerisms became strongly associated with his public image."Legendary actor Rajinikanth to be conferred with Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 November 2019.
Work in other languages
Although Rajinikanth is primarily associated with Tamil cinema, he has worked in several Indian film industries. His filmography includes Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali-language productions. He also appeared in the 1988 English-language film Bloodstone. The Government of India has described his career as extending across more than 170 films and several Indian languages."Legendary actor Rajinikanth to be conferred with Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 November 2019.
His Hindi-language films include Andhaa Kaanoon, Hum, ChaalBaaz, Geraftaar and Kabali-era crossover work that contributed to his recognition outside Tamil-speaking audiences. His later films also reached audiences internationally through dubbed and subtitled releases.
Major films
Rajinikanth has appeared in numerous commercially successful and critically discussed films throughout his career. Some of his widely recognized works include:
- Billa (1980)
- Muthu (1995)
- Baasha (1995)
- Arunachalam (1997)
- Padayappa (1999)
- Sivaji (2007)
- Enthiran (2010)
- Kabali (2016)
- 2.0 (2018)
- Petta (2019)
- Darbar (2020)
- Jailer (2023)
Enthiran, directed by S. Shankar, featured Rajinikanth in dual roles and was among the major productions of Indian cinema at the time of its release. He later starred in 2.0, a science-fiction action film and a sequel to Enthiran."Legendary actor Rajinikanth to be conferred with Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 November 2019.
Recognition and awards
Rajinikanth has received several of India's major civilian and cinema honours. In 2000, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to Indian cinema. In 2016, he received the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, in the field of art and cinema."Padma Awards 2016". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 25 January 2016.
At the International Film Festival of India in 2014, Rajinikanth received the Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year. In 2019, the Government of India selected him for the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the country's highest cinema honour, for the year 2019. The award recognized his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter."Rajinikanth to be honoured with 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 1 April 2021.
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was formally presented to Rajinikanth at the 67th National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi on 25 October 2021."Rajnikant honoured with Dada Saheb Phalke Award". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 25 October 2021.
Acting style and public image
Rajinikanth is known for a distinctive screen style that incorporates stylized gestures, dialogue delivery and physical mannerisms. His performances have frequently combined action with elements of comedy and drama. His popularity has extended beyond Tamil-speaking audiences, with his films receiving releases and dubbed versions across India and in international markets.
The Government of India has described him as an actor whose career has spanned more than five decades and whose work has reached audiences across generations. His career is also notable for his transition from supporting and antagonist roles to leading roles in mainstream Indian cinema."Legendary actor Rajinikanth to be conferred with Icon of Golden Jubilee of IFFI". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2 November 2019.
Personal life
Rajinikanth married Latha Rangachari in 1981. They have two daughters, Aishwarya and Soundarya. Both daughters have been involved in creative and film-related work. Rajinikanth has generally maintained a distinction between his public film career and his private family life.
Later career
Rajinikanth has continued to work in Tamil cinema after receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. His later filmography includes Petta, Darbar, Annaatthe and Jailer. His continued appearances have kept him among the established leading figures of Indian popular cinema.
His career has also included work as a producer and screenwriter in addition to acting. The Government of India specifically cited his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter when announcing the Dadasaheb Phalke Award."Rajinikanth to be honoured with 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 1 April 2021.
See also
- Tamil cinema
- Indian cinema
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- Padma Vibhushan
- National Film Awards
- K. Balachander
- Kamal Haasan
References
External links
- Biographies
- 1950 births
- Living people
- Indian male actors
- Indian film actors
- Tamil male actors
- Indian film producers
- Indian screenwriters
- Tamil cinema
- Kannada cinema
- Hindi cinema
- Telugu cinema
- Recipients of the Padma Bhushan
- Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients
- Indian male screenwriters
- People from Bengaluru
- 20th-century Indian male actors
- 21st-century Indian male actors