Filmmaker-producer Soundarya Rajinikanth didn’t follow the footsteps of her father Rajinikanth to become an actor. Instead, she chose to work behind the lens in the film industry. In a recent interview with Galatta Plus, she revealed that it was actually her dad’s advice that set her on this path. She also opened up about her relationship with her father, offering rare insights into growing up in the shadow of Indian cinema’s most iconic figure.
During the candid conversation, Soundarya shared, “With all the experience appa has, was he for my sister or me coming in front of the camera? Not entirely, because what he felt was that the life of a female lead in cinema, at least where Indian cinema is concerned, is a face. When you see heroes today, their time playing the lead is a lot longer than what a woman has.”
The filmmaker-producer continued, “I think at that time, he didn’t want us to have that face and then not have it later. He was looking out for our emotional well being. And my sister and me, we didn’t want it that much. I had some interesting offers when I was much younger. I took my dad’s advice seriously, and being a creative person, I would rather be behind the camera than in front of it.”
‘I never thought my dad was a normal person’
When asked about her earliest memories of understanding her father’s stardom, Soundarya was unequivocal. “Do I ever remember a time when I thought my dad was a normal person? No. Not at all,” she said. “I always remember him being this larger than life person and people celebrating him.”
She recalled Thalapathi as the first film she watched in a theatre as a child. “I have vivid memories of people and the screaming,” she said.
One of the most striking observations Soundarya shared was about her father’s comfort with his natural appearance. “I have never seen another person so comfortable with the way he looks,” she said. “With the exception of Rajinikanth, nobody else is so comfortable saying ‘this is how I am in real life and this is how I’m in the movies, deal with it.’ He’s so stylish, no matter what he does. I’m more of a fan than a daughter at times.”
She explained how he made peace with ageing gracefully. “When he started losing his hair, he made peace with it. He’s very comfortable, very happy right now.”
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On Coolie: ‘I wanted more of him’
Addressing the reception of Rajinikanth’s recent release Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Soundarya offered an honest assessment as a fan. “The last 10 minutes stood out for me. I loved the de-aging part, that really worked. But as a Thalaivar fan, I wanted more of him in that film,” she said. “Did I like it? Yeah. But did I think it was one of my top Appa favourites? Maybe not.”
Without hesitation, Soundarya named Thalapathi as the definitive Rajinikanth film. “Any day. Everybody shut down, nobody can say anything, mic drop,” she declared. She also listed Basha, Shivaji, and Padayappa among his finest work, describing Padayappa as “the funniest film according to me.”
Kochadaiiyaan: Immortalising the Superstar
Reflecting on her directorial venture Kochadaiiyaan, Soundarya revealed her deeper motivation behind the motion-capture animated film. “I wanted to immortalize my dad,” she said. “With this technology, you can go on making films with a person. I wanted his image, his body, his face, everything to be there.”
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When asked about the much-anticipated reunion of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan on screen, Soundarya had a fascinating pitch. “If I had to creatively contribute, I’d say it should be about their journeys, what Rajinikanth did to Kamal Haasan and what Kamal Haasan did to Rajinikanth,” she said. “They love each other and have such mutual respect. But before they became friends, what was it? I think that will be very interesting.”
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