Although we may casually refer to various celebrities as superstars, only one person’s name and image come to mind when we hear the word “Superstar.” And that’s none other than Rajinikanth. One of the most successful and popular Indian actors worldwide, he is known for his stylised mannerisms and the enticing way he delivers one-liners. In a career that turned 50 this year, the Coolie star has worked in various languages, including Hindi and Telugu, but predominantly Tamil.
Born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad on December 12, 1950, in a Marathi family in Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Rajinikanth, who turned 75 on Friday, reportedly lost his mother at the age of nine. After completing his education, Shivaji began taking up odd jobs to support his financially struggling family. Although he worked as a coolie and a carpenter, it’s his stint as a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Service that is most prominently featured in inspirational stories about him, which recount how he rose from a humble background to achieve global success.
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While all of this may seem like part of a glorious, illustrious journey now, it wasn’t the same when he was actually living through those experiences. In fact, Shivaji Rao almost did not pursue his acting dream back in the 1970s and was certain that the government job of a bus conductor was ideal for his future. If not for one of his closest friends’ persistent badgering, he may not have started running behind his dream, and we would never have been able to relish the Rajinism.
Although he was interested in acting, Rajinikanth was scared to pursue it professionally, since he needed a stable job to survive. This was the 1970s when he worked as a bus conductor. During this time, he became close friends with a man named Raj Bahadur, who then worked as a driver for the Bangalore Transport Service on route 10A, between Majestic and Srinagar. Their mutual love for art brought them together, and they often watched films and plays in their free time. Shivaji also acted in plays, and Raj soon recognised the immense talent in his friend.
Rajinikanth with Raj Bahadur. (Express file photo)
‘Who will leave a government job?’
“The response he got from the audience, particularly when he played Duryodhana and Yechhama Nayaka, the Kannada warrior, was impressive. It was then that I thought he should start acting in movies. But Shivaji was not keen,” Bahadur told The Hindu in 2007. Although Raj urged Shivaji to join the Madras Film Institute (formerly known as the Adyar Film Institute, and now called the Tamil Nadu Government MGR Film and Television Institute), the latter was fearful.
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“He was hesitant to give up his job and join the institute as he was worried about money. ‘Who will leave a government job?’ he asked me. But I assured him that I would take care of all his financial needs and made him join the institute,” he added. This wasn’t an empty promise. Raj walked the talk and gave most of his salary to Shivaji for two years while the latter was pursuing an acting course at the institute.
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‘Rajinikanth carried luggage on shoulders for 50 paise’
“Shivaji was once very poor… extremely poor. He used to carry luggage on his shoulders for 50 paise. He struggled a lot, and he doesn’t want to forget it,” Raj shared during a conversation with The Federal earlier this year. Even now, the two of them share a close bond. When he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award — India’s highest honour in the field of cinema — in 2019, Rajinikanth didn’t have to think twice about who all he should dedicate it to. Along with his mentor K Balachander, who gave him his debut film Apoorva Raagangal (1975), and his brother Sathyanarayana Rao, Rajinikanth also remembered Raj on the occasion and thanked him for encouraging him.
Rajinikanth received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2019. (Express archive photo)
In response, Raj Bahadur told the media, “It was not necessary for him to take my name while he was receiving the prestigious award. It shows his integrity, humbleness and the fact that he did not forget his journey. He never forgets his friends as they were the one who encouraged him. Even if he meets his relatives, he makes it a point to meet his friends whenever he comes to Bengaluru.”
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