Birthday of Superstar Rajanikanth (Happy birthday Thalaivar)
Rajinikanth, born on December 12, 1950, is more, much more than a top-ranking actor. He’s a legend, a cultural icon unlike any other, an idol to the masses who worship him and call him ‘Thalaivar’. Even as Rajini turns 64, we turn the spotlight on the phenomenon that is Rajinikanth. Who would’ve thought the brooding man who made a quiet entry as an antagonist in K Balachander’s 1975 film, ‘Apoorva Raagangal’, would go on to become a veritable demigod of cinema, reigning supreme for three decades and more! Or, that a one-time bus conductor in Bangalore would be one of the highest paid Indian film actors of all time! That’s Rajinikanth for you. A man who’s lived the rags-to-riches story, becoming not only a fantastic entertainer, but a superhero to his fans who are legion. Humble beginnings Before he took on the screen name Rajinikanth, he was Shivajirao Gaekwad, child of a lower middle class family, who lost his mother when he was just 9. The young Shivajirao attended the Gavipuram g