Rajinikanth

Rajinikanth Quick Facts

Rajinikanth Career in Numbers

As of September 2026, Rajinikanth has acted in more than 170 films. Counts vary depending on whether guest appearances and films made simultaneously in two languages are counted separately.

Early Life and Family

Rajinikanth was born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad on 12 December 1950 in Bangalore, into a Marathi-speaking family. His father, Ramoji Rao Gaekwad, was a police constable, and his mother, Jijabai, died when he was about nine years old. He is the youngest of four children, with two elder brothers, Satyanarayana Rao and Nageshwara Rao, and a sister, Aswath Balubhai.

He studied at Gavipuram Government Kannada Model Primary School and Acharya Pathasala in Bangalore, and developed an interest in stage plays as a student.

From Bus Conductor to Film Institute

After school, he took several jobs, including as a carpenter and a coolie, before becoming a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Service. His style of issuing tickets and whistling became well known to passengers. Encouraged by his friend Raj Bahadur, he joined the Madras Film Institute in 1973 to study acting.

Rajinikanth Career Journey

Discovery and Debut (1975–1977)

Director K. Balachander noticed him at the institute and cast him in Apoorva Raagangal (1975). Balachander also gave him the screen name “Rajinikanth”. In early films such as Moondru Mudichu (1976), Avargal (1977) and 16 Vayathinile (1977), he usually played villains or negative characters, and his stylish mannerisms quickly caught audiences’ attention.

Becoming “Superstar” (1978–1980)

Bairavi (1978) was his first film as a solo hero, and its publicity first called him “Superstar”. The same year, J. Mahendran’s Mullum Malarum earned him critical praise. Billa (1980), a remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don, was a huge hit and set him up as an action star.

The 1980s: Mass Hero

Through the 1980s he acted in a large number of Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. Hits such as Murattu Kaalai (1980), Thillu Mullu (1981), Moondru Mugam (1982), Padikkadavan (1985) and Mr. Bharath (1986) made him the biggest draw in Tamil cinema. He also appeared in Hindi films such as Andhaa Kaanoon (1983) and Hum (1991) with Amitabh Bachchan, and in the Hollywood film Bloodstone (1988).

The 1990s: Thalapathi, Baashha and Muthu

Mani Ratnam’s Thalapathi (1991), with Mammootty, is still counted among his finest performances. Annaamalai (1992) and Baashha (1995), in which he played a gentle auto driver hiding a violent past as a Mumbai don, took his stardom to a new level. Muthu (1995) was released in Japan in 1998 and built him a large Japanese fan base, and Padayappa (1999) closed the decade as another blockbuster.

The 2000s: Chandramukhi and Sivaji

After Baba (2002) failed commercially, he returned with Chandramukhi (2005), a horror comedy that ran for more than 800 days in one Chennai theatre. Shankar’s Sivaji (2007) was among the most expensive Tamil films of its time and a major hit.

The 2010s: Enthiran, Kabali and 2.0

Shankar’s science-fiction film Enthiran (2010), in which he played both a scientist and a robot, was a massive success. Pa. Ranjith’s Kabali (2016) and Kaala (2018) gave him older, politically charged characters. 2.0 (2018), the sequel to Enthiran, was made on a very large budget and was a big hit, and Karthik Subbaraj’s Petta (2019) was a nostalgic crowd-pleaser.

Recent Years: Jailer, Vettaiyan and Coolie (2023–2026)

Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer (2023), in which he played retired jailer Muthuvel Pandian, was one of the biggest hits of his career. He followed it with an extended cameo in his daughter Aishwarya’s Lal Salaam (2024), T. J. Gnanavel’s Vettaiyan (2024) with Amitabh Bachchan, and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie (2025). He completed shooting Jailer 2 in 2026.

Rajinikanth Movies: Key Filmography

Rajinikanth’s Screen Style

Rajinikanth’s screen style is part of his identity: tossing a cigarette into his mouth, flipping sunglasses, twirling a coin and delivering short punch lines. Fans celebrate his releases with early-morning shows, giant cut-outs and milk poured over posters, and some companies in Tamil Nadu have declared holidays on his release days.

His popularity in Japan after Muthu led to the nickname “Dancing Maharaja”, from the film’s Japanese title. Online, “Rajinikanth jokes” that exaggerate his on-screen powers have become a pop-culture tribute of their own.

Rajinikanth and Politics

Rajinikanth has spoken on Tamil Nadu politics at various times. In 1996 he publicly backed the DMK–Tamil Maanila Congress alliance. On 31 December 2017 he announced he would enter politics and contest all 234 Assembly seats in the next state election, and his fan clubs were reorganised as Rajini Makkal Mandram.

In December 2020, citing his health, he said he would not launch a party. On 12 July 2021 he dissolved Rajini Makkal Mandram and said he had no plans to enter politics in the future. He has never contested an election.

Rajinikanth Awards and Achievements

Major Honours

Film Awards

He has also won six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, including Best Actor honours for films such as Muthu, Padayappa, Chandramukhi and Sivaji.

Rajinikanth Lifestyle

Rajinikanth is known for living simply away from the camera. He often appears in public without a wig or make-up, in a plain white shirt and dhoti, and fans admire him for not hiding his age.

He is deeply spiritual. He is a devotee of Sri Raghavendra Swami, whose life he portrayed in his 100th film, Sri Raghavendrar (1985), and he regularly goes on retreats to the Himalayas, including Rishikesh and Babaji’s cave. He is also known for speaking openly about his early struggles and his days as a bus conductor.

Rajinikanth Personal Life

Rajinikanth married Latha Rangachari on 26 February 1981 in Tirupati. Latha Rajinikanth runs The Ashram school in Chennai. They have two daughters: Aishwarya Rajinikanth, a director who made 3, Vai Raja Vai and Lal Salaam, and Soundarya Rajinikanth, a producer and director who made the animated film Kochadaiiyaan. He has four grandsons. The family lives in Poes Garden, Chennai.

Rajinikanth Net Worth

Rajinikanth is widely reported to be one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema, and his income comes mainly from film remuneration. Numbers published by celebrity-wealth websites have not been confirmed by Rajinikanth or his team.

Estimated Net Worth: Approximately ₹430–500 crore.

Net worth figures are estimates based on publicly reported information, such as media reports, published rich lists and election affidavits. They are not audited financial statements and may not account for liabilities, family holdings or changes in asset values.

Rajinikanth Social Media

• X (Twitter): @rajinikanth

He joined Twitter in 2014 and uses the account sparingly, mainly for greetings, condolences and messages to fans.

Lesser-Known Facts About Rajinikanth

• His real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, and his mother tongue is Marathi.
• K. Balachander gave him the screen name “Rajinikanth”, taken from a character in his film Major Chandrakanth.
• He worked as a bus conductor in Bangalore before joining film school.
• His 100th film, Sri Raghavendrar (1985), was about the saint he follows.
• He acted in a Hollywood film, Bloodstone (1988).
• Muthu made him a star in Japan, where it was released as Muthu: The Dancing Maharaja.
• He and Kamal Haasan acted together in several early films, including Apoorva Raagangal, Moondru Mudichu, 16 Vayathinile and Ninaithale Inikkum.

Rajinikanth Upcoming Movies

Confirmed

• Jailer 2: Nelson Dilipkumar’s sequel to Jailer, produced by Sun Pictures, with Rajinikanth returning as Muthuvel Pandian. Music is by Anirudh Ravichander. The film is scheduled to release on 15 October 2026.

Announced

• Thalaivar 173: a film produced by Kamal Haasan’s Raaj Kamal Films International, announced in November 2025. Reports on the director have changed several times, and a final director and release date have not been officially confirmed.
• Film with Kamal Haasan: in April 2026, Rajinikanth said he would act alongside Kamal Haasan in a film to be directed by Nelson Dilipkumar. Official production details have not been announced.

Note: dates and project status can change. The details above reflect public reports as of September 2026.

Legacy and Impact

Rajinikanth’s rise from bus conductor to Tamil cinema’s biggest star without film connections is one of Indian cinema’s best-known success stories. His style and dialogue delivery have been copied by generations of actors and fans.

He also helped widen the market for Tamil films abroad, most notably in Japan and South-East Asia. Few actors anywhere have stayed a leading box-office draw for five decades, and his continued success with Jailer and Coolie in his seventies shows how strong his pull remains.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rajinikanth

Who is Rajinikanth?

Rajinikanth is an Indian actor, known mainly for Tamil films, whose career spans more than five decades. He is popularly called “Superstar” and “Thalaivar”.

What is Rajinikanth’s real name?

His real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad.

How old is Rajinikanth?

He was born on 12 December 1950, so he is 75 years old as of September 2026.

Where was Rajinikanth born?

He was born in Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Karnataka.

What did Rajinikanth do before acting?

He worked as a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Service before training at the Madras Film Institute.

What was Rajinikanth’s first movie?

His first film was K. Balachander’s Apoorva Raagangal (1975).

How many movies has Rajinikanth done?

He has acted in more than 170 films as of September 2026, in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and English.

Did Rajinikanth enter politics?

He announced his political entry in 2017, but in 2021 he dissolved Rajini Makkal Mandram and said he would not enter politics.

What is Rajinikanth’s net worth?

Rajinikanth’s estimated net worth is approximately ₹430–500 crore, based on publicly reported estimates. Net worth figures are estimates and are not audited financial statements.

What is Rajinikanth’s next movie?

His next release is Jailer 2, scheduled for 15 October 2026.

Final Summary

Rajinikanth started out as a bus conductor in Bangalore and became Tamil cinema’s biggest star through a mix of style, screen presence and a close bond with his audience. From Billa and Baashha to Enthiran and Jailer, he has stayed on top across generations.

Honoured with the Padma Vibhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, he is still headlining big films at 75, with Jailer 2 due in October 2026.