Rajinikanth Birthday Special: 5 Reasons Why People Call The Annaatthe Actor ‘Thalaiva’

Superstar Rajinikanth turned 70 today, and he will be celebrating his birthday with his family and close friends. On his birthday, fans have been sharing the Common Display Picture aka CDP of the Chandramukhi actor on social media. Born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in a Marathi family from Bengaluru, the actor has struggled a lot to make his mark in the world. Before pursuing acting, Rajinikanth has worked as a bus conductor in Bangalore Transport Service.

Rajinikanth has been actively working in the film industry for 45 years now. After working in over 150 films in various languages, the superstar has made his place in his fans' hearts, as they call him 'Thalaiva' (Leader). But do you know why Rajini fans call him Thalaiva? Here's why:

Versatility

Versatility

Usually, newcomers enter the film industry with positive roles, however, Rajinikanth is an exception. In 1975, he made his debut as a villain with Tamil film Apoorva Raagangal, directed by K Balachander. His performance as an abusive husband had caught everyone's attention. After working in several Tamil films as the antagonist, Rajinikanth had featured in 1977's Telugu film Chilakamma Cheppindi as a lead actor. Since then, he didn't look back, impressing audiences with his versatile performances.

God-Like Status In Tamil Nadu

God-Like Status In Tamil Nadu

Rajinikanth has predominantly worked in Tamil film industry. In 1995, the superstar received a god-like status after the release of blockbuster film Baashha. Directed by Suresh Krissna, the action-drama is loosely based on the Hindi film, Hum (1991), in which Rajinikanth played a pivotal role. Impressed with the film's story and the Annaamalai actor's performance, fans in Tamil Nadu gave him a ‘god-like' status. Notably, Baashha is considered as one of the most successful films of the Thalaiva's career, as it had run for almost 15 months in theatres.

Pioneer Of 100 Crore Club

Pioneer Of 100 Crore Club

Nowadays, if a film earns more than Rs 100 crore, it is considered as a hit at the box office. But did you know, it was Rajinikanth who started the 100-crore Club in the Indian film industry? For the unversed, Shankar's directorial venture Sivaji (2007) turned out to be the biggest box office success of that year. Reportedly, it was the first Indian film to enter the 100-crore Club. Apart from that, Rajinikanth had become the highest-paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan at that time, for receiving Rs 26 crore as remuneration for Sivaji.

Philanthropy

Philanthropy

Rajinikanth is widely known as one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema. Apart from his unique style and solid dialogue delivery, he is also known for his philanthropic work. In 2002, the actor had kept a day-long fast to show his displeasure over the Karnataka Government's decision of not releasing Kaveri River water into Tamil Nadu. He had even donated 10 million towards a plan to interlink Indian rivers for the betterment of people.

Success Story

Success Story

As we all know, Rajinikanth has indeed worked very hard to become a superstar in Indian film industry. Right from working as a bus conductor to ruling the box office with his performances, Thalaiva is an inspiration for many people. Considering his success story, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) included a chapter titled ‘From Bus Conductor to Superstar' in the book ‘Learning to Communicate'. Reportedly, Rajinikanth is the only actor to be featured in CBSE syllabus.

On the professional front, Rajinikanth will soon be resuming the shoot of his next Annaatthe, directed by Siva. He will also be making a big announcement about his political party on December 31, 2020.

Also Read : Annaatthe: Rajinikanth's Team To Resume Shooting From December 15, Confirms Director SivaAlso Read : Annaatthe: Rajinikanth's Team To Resume Shooting From December 15, Confirms Director Siva

Filmibeat wishes Thalaiva happy birthday!

Also Read : Rajinikanth Turns 70: Mahesh Babu To Mohanlal; South Celebs Wish The Superstar On His BirthdayAlso Read : Rajinikanth Turns 70: Mahesh Babu To Mohanlal; South Celebs Wish The Superstar On His Birthday

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