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10 things you probably didn't know about Rajinikanth
Think you know everything about THE Superstar of our times? Take a look!
After much speculation and delay, Superstar Rajinikanth's newest film Kochadaiyaan is up for release.
Consider yourself the living legend's greatest fan?
Bet you didn't know these lesser-known aspects of his life. Take a look!
A stalwart emerges
The moniker Superstar, that is now widely associated with Rajinikanth's name, was first used on the big screen in the opening credits of his 1992 film Annamalai.
Directed by Suresh Krishna, the film went on to become a huge hit and was followed by two more collaborations between Krishna and Rajini -- Veera and Baasha.
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The anxious star
Rajinikanth never attends his film's public screenings.
Even now, after so many films and innumerable years of experience, Rajinikanth can never sit through a premiere of his film calmly.
With anxiety writ large on his face, he is like a newcomer on the eve of his maiden release.
Because, to him, every film is equally important.
Brand Rajini
Rajinikanth's devoted and highly enterprising wife Latha Rangachari is said to be behind the carefully built brand Rajini.
Industry insiders reveal that although the Superstar had never lent his name to products and campaigns, it was Latha who leveraged his image by roping in advertisers like Pepsi, Hindustan Lever, India Cements and Asian Paints for in-film promotion.
Smoking skills
Famous for flipping a cigarette and catching it in his lips in many of his blockbuster films, Rajinikanth quit smoking and urged his fans to do so too after he suffered from smoking-related health issues.
The living legend subsequently decided to refrain from smoking on screen too.
Birthday blues
Rajinikanth, who hadn't celebrated his birthday in Chennai in almost 20 years, made an exception in 2012.
He agreed to participate in an event organised by his fans, and opened up about his reasons for spending his birthday out of the city.
Turns out, 22 years ago, three of his fans died in an accident on their way back from his birthday celebrations in Chennai.
'This is the reason why I get out of the city on my birthday,' Rajini revealed to the gathered crowd.
The moniker that stuck
K Balachander, who gave Rajini his first acting break, christened him Rajinikanth because there could be only one 'Sivaji' (as we all know, Rajini's original name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad) in the south Indian film industry and that was the senior actor Sivaji Ganesan.
The name literally means 'colour of night'; it was a comment on the colour of Shivaji Rao's skin.
Old pals
One of the oldest friends Rajinikanth has is Raj Badhar, a retired bus driver who used to work with the Superstar during his days as a bus conductor.
Bahadur helped Rajini financially when he left his KSRTC job to learn acting at the Madras Film institute.
He still calls the actor by his original name and did a cameo in his 1993 Tamil film Valli.
The special route
The routes Rajini worked on as a bus conductor were 10 and 10 A from Srinagara to Majestick in Bangalore.
The special route
During her pregnancy, Rajinikanth's mother Ramabai's face had an almost effervescent glow, something that was noticed by the women occupying the neighbouring beds.
The baby was named Shivaji after the revered Maratha warrior who enjoys an almost divine status amongst the Maharashtrian community.
The legend's screen idol
Rajinikanth counts Sivaji Ganesan as his screen idol.
'I watched him, I imitated him. He is the reason I am in the cinema industry,’ he once said about the late legend.