Biography
Who is Rajinikanth?
Early life and real name
Born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, he grew up in Bengaluru. His mother was a homemaker while his father served as a police constable. The family had roots in the Pune district of Maharashtra. He was the youngest of four siblings and lost his mother when he was nine years old. He attended the Gavipuram Government Kannada Model Primary School during his childhood.
Career beginnings
His film career launched with the 1975 Tamil drama Apoorva Raagangal, directed by K. Balachander. During his early years, he often portrayed antagonistic characters. He gained critical acclaim for his performance as a scorned lover in the 1977 film Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri, directed by S. P. Muthuraman. This success led to a long professional collaboration between the two.
Major commercial success
He received significant praise for his role in the 1991 crime film Thalapathi. Collaborations with director Suresh Krissna yielded huge commercial hits, specifically Annaamalai in 1992 and Baashha in 1995. The latter remained the highest-grossing film in Tamil for many years. Other well-known successes during this decade include Mannan, Uzhaippali, Muthu, and Padayappa, with the final title becoming the highest-grossing movie in Tamil cinema at the time of its release.
Awards and recognition
The Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016. In 2019, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, recognized as the highest honor in Indian cinema. He also holds the IFFI Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout his career, he has secured eight Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, one Nandi Award, and two Maharashtra State Film Awards.
Birthday and age
Rajinikanth was born on December 12, 1950, which makes Rajinikanth 75 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Rajinikanth shares the date with 43 other famous people.
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