Rajinikanth
Rajni in Arunachalam (1997)
Born	Shivaji Rao Gaekwad December 12, 1949 (1949-12-12) (age 58)[1] Karnataka, India
Other name(s)	Rajni, Super Star, Thalaivar
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1975 - present
Spouse(s)	Latha Rajinikanth
Official website

Rajinikanth (Kannada: ರಜನೀಕಾಂತ್,Marathi : रजनीकांत,Tamil: ரஜினிகாந்த், Telugu: రజినీకాంత్ - మట్టి బాబు) (born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, December 12,^[1] 1949) is one of the most influential and bankable movie stars in the Indian film industry, a superstar in the Tamil film industry. Arunachalam is a Film about a village hero ( Rajnikanth) who has 2 brothers and a sister and a happy family Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Kannada (kn [[wiktಕನ್ನಡ ಕನ್ನಡ]] Kannaḍa) is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state Marathi (mr मराठी Marāṭhī) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of what is considered western India. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For other uses including various songs titled "Movie Star" see Movie star (disambiguation. The Indian film industry is the largest in the world in terms of ticket sales and number of films produced annually (877 feature films and 1177 short films were released in the year 2003 "Super Star" redirects here for the Sibel Tüzün song see Süper Star. Tamil cinema or Kollywood ( Tamil: கோலிவுட் kōlivūṭ) is the English name of the popular Tamil Film Industry based in the He received India's third highest honour, the Padma Bhushan, for his contribution to Indian cinema in 2000. The Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established on January 2, 1954 by the President of India. ^[2] He was reportedly paid Rs. 25 crores (about USD 6. 25 Million) for his latest blockbuster Sivaji, which would make him the highest paid actor in all of India if all the other publicly available compensation figures for other high profile Indian stars are accurate. Sivaji (சிவாஜி is a 2007 Tamil film, which was directed by S ^[3]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Personal 3 Acting career 3.1 1975-1979 3.2 1980-1989 3.3 1990 to 1999 3.4 2000 to Present 3.5 Upcoming Films 3.6 Other work 4 Awards and honours 5 Politics 5.1 Political Controversies 6 Philanthropic activities 7 Further reading 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

Early life

Rajinikanth was born to a Maratha family in Karnataka. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India By birth he admired Kannada Film star Rajkumar. The Cinema of Karnataka, sometimes colloquially referred to as Sandalwood encompasses movies made in the Indian state of Karnataka. This page relates to the Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar for other uses of the name see Raj Kumar. ^[4][5] He was the fourth child of his parents, Jijabai and Ramojirao Gaekwad. ^[1] He was named Shivajirao Gaekwad. Gaekwad is a family name among the Marathas. The Gaekwad or Gaikwad (once rendered as Guicowar, also given (incorrectly as Gaekwar) ( Gujarati: ગાયકવાડ; Marathi He lost his mother at the age of five. He did his schooling at the Acharya Paatashala in Bangalore and then at the Vivekananda Balaka Sangha. Rajinikanth struggled a lot during his early age because of poverty. Although his mother-tongue is Marathi,^[6][7] he has not acted in any Marathi movies yet. Marathi (mr मराठी Marāṭhī) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of what is considered western India. Marathi cinema (मराठी चित्रपट is one of the oldest in regional Indian films industry He began his career doing various jobs in Bangalore. Bangalore ( officially Bengaluru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. He also attended a theatre for stage plays. Before starting his career in the film industry, he worked as a bus conductor for the Bangalore Transport Service in Bangalore. Train Conductor (North America The Conductor is the railway employee charged with the management of a freight passenger or various other types of Train, and is BMTC stands for Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation. ^[8] It was during this time that he nurtured his acting interests by performing in various stage plays. ^[8]

Personal

He married Latha on February 26, 1981, at the age of 31 in Tirumala - Tirupati and they have two children: Aishwariya and Soundarya. Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Tirupati ( Telugu: తిరుపతి is the richest pilgrimage city (of any religious faith in the world located in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India Latha currently runs a school named The Ashram.

His elder daughter Aishwariya married actor Dhanush on November 18, 2004 and they have one son, Yathra. Dhanush (born Prabhu Kastoorirajan on 1978-02-25 Family Dhanush's father is Kasturirajan Events 326 - The old St Peter's Basilica is consecrated 1302 - Pope Boniface VIII issues the Papal bull "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " ^[9]

Acting career

For more details on this topic, see Rajinikanth filmography. This following is a complete list of all the films Rajinikanth has acted in

He joined the Madras Film institute in 1973 with the help of his friend Raj Bahadur, a fellow Bus driver and completed a basic course in acting. ^{[10] [11]}

1975-1979

Rajinikanth's first film was in Tamil cinema, where he was initially cast in supporting roles, debuting as a cancer patient in Apoorva Raagangal in 1975. Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai is a 1979 Tamil Film directed by S Tamil cinema or Kollywood ( Tamil: கோலிவுட் kōlivūṭ) is the English name of the popular Tamil Film Industry based in the The year 1975 in film involved some significant events Events January 28 - George Lucas creates the second draft ^[12] The film was directed by K. Balachander, who is constantly referred to by Rajinikanth as his own guru or mentor. The following year, Rajinikanth acted in his first Kannada film, Katha Sangama, directed by Puttanna Kanagal. Kannada (kn [[wiktಕನ್ನಡ ಕನ್ನಡ]] Kannaḍa) is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state Katha Sangama (ಕಥಾ ಸಂಗಮ is a Kannada film is directed by Puttanna Kanagal. Puttanna Kanagal (ಪುಟ್ಟಣ್ಣ ಕಣಗಾಲ್ (1933-1985 was one of the most prominent Kannada Film directors of the 1960s and the 70s Though Rajinikanth refers to director K. Balachander as his "guru" or mentor, it was director S. P. Muthuraman who actually revamped Rajinikanth’s image entirely. Muthuraman first experimented with him in a positive role in Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1977), as a villain in the first half and a do-gooder in the second, accepting a woman with a child abandoned by her lover. Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri is a Tamil film is directed by S R Muthuraman. The year 1977 in film involved some significant events Events In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway Around this time Mullum Malarum (1978), directed by J. Mahendran, established Rajinikanth in the Tamil film arena. Mullum Malarum is a Tamil film directed by J Mahendran. The movie was released in the year 1978 won many awards and was very successful commercially as well J Mahendran (born Alexander is legendary director in Kollywood. The success of Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri prompted Muthuraman to make a mushy melodrama with Rajinikanth as a hero sacrificing everything for his siblings in Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979). Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai is a 1979 Tamil Film directed by S These films were the turning points in Rajinikanth’s career — he changed from an actor who merely enthralled the audiences, to one who could also make them cry. The acceptance of Rajinikanth sans his mannerisms proved he had at last become a "star" from a "common actor. " His film roles were mainly as a villain during the period 1975 to 1977, frequently with Kamal Haasan as the hero, in movies like Pathinaaru Vayadhinilae , Moondru Mudichu and Avargal (All 1977). Kamal Haasan (born November 7, 1954 in Paramakudi, India is an Indian Film actor and director, considered among Moondru Mudichu (The Three Knots is a Tamil film that was directed by K Avargal (literally ' Those People') is a 1977 Tamil film made by K

1980-1989

During this phase of his career when he was reaching dazzling heights, Rajinikanth abruptly chose to quit acting, but was coaxed back. Sri Raghavendra is a 1985 Tamil film is directed by SPMuthuraman ^[13] He started again with Billa, which was a remake of Amitabh Bachchan starrer Don. Billa is an Indian Tamil Film released in 1980 The movie was produced by K Don is a 1978 Bollywood Action film, produced by Nariman Irani and directed by Chandra Barot with music by Kalyanji Anandji With its phenomenal success he was accepted as a full-fledged hero. Billa was followed by a row of hits like Murattukaalai,Pokkiri Raja, Thanikattu Raja, Naan Mahaan Alla, Pudukavithai^{[14] [15]} and Moondru Mugam. Pokkiri Raja is a movie from India It's a stereotypical movie from the 1980s Thanikattu Raja is a Tamil film directed by VCGohanathanThis movie is starring Rajnikanth and Sridevi Naan Mahaan Alla is a Tamil film is directed by SPMuthuraman Moondru Mugam is tamil feature film starring Rajni doing a triple role K. Balachander’s first home production, Netrikan proved to be yet another milestone in Rajini’s career. Netrikann is a Tamil film is directed by SPMuthuraman. Plot Cast Rajnikanth as Santhosh and. . He even acted as himself alongside Meena, who was a child actor then, in the movie Anbulla Rajinikanth (1984). Meena Durairaj ( Tamil: மீனா is one of the most successful actresses in South Indian cinema Anbulla Rajinikanth is a 1984 Tamil film directed by KNatraj The film stars Rajinikanth, Ambika and Meena, with Jaishankar, Raadhika More box-office hits dominated the 80's with Padikkathavan, Thee, Velaikkaran, Dharmathin Thalaivan, Mr. Bharath, and Maaveeran, all of them re-makes of hit Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan starrers, Khud-Daar, Deewaar, Namak Halaal, Kasme Vaade, Trishul, and Mard, respectively. The word thou ( in most dialects is a second person singular Pronoun in English. A 1988 Indian Tamil language film starring Rajnikant, Prabhu Ganesan, Charlie, Nassar, Captain Raaj Kushboo, Suhasini MrBharath is a Tamil film is directed by SpMuthuraman Lyrics PulamaipithanValiGangaiAmaran Vairamuthu Maaveeran is a Tamil film is directed by Rajasekar It was a 100 days film in south India and a major hit in it's dubbed versions of "Telugu", "Malayalam" and Khud-Daar is a 1982 Indian Hindi movie directed by Ravi Tandon. Deewaar, or Deewar ( Hindi: दीवार Urdu: دیوار is a classic Indian movie, directed by Indian director Yash Namak Halaal is a 1982 Bollywood Hindi movie The movie is directed by Prakash Mehra. Kasme Vaade ( Devnagari: कस्मे वादे is a 1978 Hindi film produced and directed by Ramesh Behl. Trishul ( Devanagari: त्रिशूल is an Indian Hindi Film directed by Yash Chopra and produced by Gulshan Rai Mard (English Translation Male or Man or Macho is a 1985 Hindi film, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Amrita Singh and directed by Manmohan ^[16] In his 100th movie, Sri Raghavendra, he played the Hindu saint Raghavendra Swami. Sri Raghavendra is a 1985 Tamil film is directed by SPMuthuraman

1990 to 1999

The vast majority of his movies released during the nineties were extremely successful, notably Thalapathy, Mannan, Annamalai, Uzhaippali, Veera, Baasha, Muthu,^[17], Arunachalam and Padayappa. For the Ammonite king see Baasha ben Ruhubi. Baasha ( Hebrew Basha; " Baal hears" was Thalapathi ( 1991) ( The Commander) (aka Dhalapathi and Dalapathi) is a Tamil language film from India Mannan is a Plant Polysaccharide that is a Polymer of the Sugar Mannose. Uzhaippali (1993 is a love-comedy Tamil language movie directed by the Tamil Director P Veera (1994 is a love-comedy Tamil language movie directed by the Tamil Director Suresh Krishna and music by ilayaraja Muthu ( Tamil: முத்து ( 1995) is a Tamil film directed by K Arunachalam is a Film about a village hero ( Rajnikanth) who has 2 brothers and a sister and a happy family Padayappa ( 1999) is a Tamil Film directed by KS Ravikumar. The film stars Rajinikanth, Soundarya, Rajinikanth wrote his first screenplay for the film Valli (1993). Valli (1993 is a love-comedy Tamil language movie directed by the Tamil Director K His cult classic Baasha, released in 1995, went on to become a massive blockbuster and is routinely touted by his fans and critics alike as the movie which elevated him from being just another very popular actor with loads of charisma to an almost demigod status in the eyes of the masses. His film Muthu was the first Tamil film to be dubbed into Japanese as Muthu: The Dancing Maharajah and became very popular in Japan. Muthu ( Tamil: முத்து ( 1995) is a Tamil film directed by K is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ^[18][19] Throughout this decade, Rajinikanth established himself as an unparalleled box office phenomenon; all of the films mentioned in this era were all formulaic mass entertainers which routinely created box office records. It can be argued that it was also during this time that Rajinikanth and the political world began to converge, whether that confluence was voluntary or involuntary is debatable, but the objective fact cannot be disputed that as his films began to take on a whole new dimension in terms of expectations, hype and revenue, his political clout also steadily rose with the cinematic tide as well. This trend began with the release of Annamalai in 1992 and arguably climaxed during the time of Padayappa's release in 1999.

2000 to Present

The new millenium began very well for Rajinikanth; his last film Padayappa came out in 1999 and had rewritten box office records and all things seemed perfect. Athiradee is a song from the Kollywood film Sivaji The Boss starring Rajinikanth and Shriya Saran, directed by Shankar Sivaji (சிவாஜி is a 2007 Tamil film, which was directed by S Padayappa ( 1999) is a Tamil Film directed by KS Ravikumar. The film stars Rajinikanth, Soundarya, Finally, after more than a three year sabbatical from cinema, at 53 years of age, he starred in his home production, Baba, which released on August 15, 2002 amidst much fanfare and extreme hype. Baba is a 2002 Indian Tamil film starring Rajinikanth and directed by Suresh Krishna. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The film failed miserably to meet the expectations due to a very weak screenplay, which Rajinikanth himself had written, his second stint at screenplay writing after Valli. Valli ( Tamil வள்ளி is a Goddess and the divine consort of the prominent Hindu God Murugan, according to Hindu mythology The thin screenplay revolved around spirituality and when compared to his previous film, Padayappa, it was a colossal disappointment. Padayappa ( 1999) is a Tamil Film directed by KS Ravikumar. The film stars Rajinikanth, Soundarya, Although the film grossed enough to cover its budget, it was viewed as a tremendous loss when compared to his previous box office successes throughout his career. It fell short of market expectations and the high bids reportedly translated to heavy losses for the distributors. It is rumoured that Rajinikanth himself repaid the losses incurred by the distributors who possessed immense faith in him. ^[20][21] After the Baba debacle, Rajinikanth mulled over numerous scripts with many directors, including K.S. Ravikumar and finally chose to make a film with director P. Vasu and thus the film Chandramukhi was born. Baba is a 2002 Indian Tamil film starring Rajinikanth and directed by Suresh Krishna. KS Ravikumar is a Tamil film director and actor His movies are more of a mixture of genres ranging from Comedy to action Thrillers. P Vasu ( Tamil பி வாசு is a Kerala -born popular South Indian Film director, writer and Actor who has produced many Chandramukhi is a 2005 Kollywood horror, comedy and drama directed by P Many people within and without the industry had written Rajinikanth off after the Baba fiasco, essentially saying 'the bloom was off the rose" and that "the gold does not glitter anymore". Baba is a 2002 Indian Tamil film starring Rajinikanth and directed by Suresh Krishna. ^[22] In essence, many viewed Chandramukhi as Rajinikanth's comeback film, his make or break movie and in the end, when it was released on April 14, 2005, it went on to create new box office records and smashed his own previous records and once and for all removed any doubt within the industry with regards to Rajinikanth's box office clout and incomparable appeal to the masses. Chandramukhi is a 2005 Kollywood horror, comedy and drama directed by P Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[23] His most recent release, Sivaji: The Boss, directed by S. Shankar released on June 15, 2007 and subsequently went on to become a blockbuster of mammoth proportions and sky rocketed Rajinikanth onto the national scene even more so than ever before; Sivaji became the first Tamil movie to make the UK and South Africa box office Top 10 upon release. Sivaji (சிவாஜி is a 2007 Tamil film, which was directed by S S Shankar (born August 17, 1963) is a popular Film director, Film producer and Screenwriter from Kumbakonam, Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Sivaji (சிவாஜி is a 2007 Tamil film, which was directed by S

Upcoming Films

During the course of the production for Sivaji, Ocher Studios, the animation company of Rajinikanth's daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth, in association with Adlabs announced their intention of producing a CGI animation film starring an animated version of Rajinikanth. Sivaji (சிவாஜி is a 2007 Tamil film, which was directed by S Soundarya Rajinikanth (born September 20th, 1984) is a Graphic designer in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India who has contributed Computer animation Computer-generated imagery (also known as CGI) is the application of the field of Computer graphics or more specifically 3D computer graphics He will be lending his voice to the lead character (based on his likeness) and the project is titled Sultan: The Warrior; it will be directed by his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth with music provided by A. R. Rahman. Sultan The Warrior is a forthcoming animated Indian film The main character is an animated version of Rajinikanth and will also be voiced by him Soundarya Rajinikanth (born September 20th, 1984) is a Graphic designer in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India who has contributed Allah Rakkhha Rahman (ஏஆர்ரஹ்மான் born on January 6 1966 as A The movie is scheduled for a April 2009 release. Besides the CGI animation film, Rajinikanth has two feature films forthcoming. The first is being produced by his mentor K. Balachander under his Kavithalaya Productions banner and is titled Kuselan. Kuselan ( குசேலன் is a 2008 Tamil film simultaneously made in Telugu as Kathanayakudu. It is being helmed by P. Vasu of Chandramukhi fame and will be a bilingual film, being made concurrently in Tamil and in Telugu as Kucheledu; it is not a full fledged role for Rajinikanth, but a cameo, although the director has reportedly extended the role. P Vasu ( Tamil பி வாசு is a Kerala -born popular South Indian Film director, writer and Actor who has produced many Chandramukhi is a 2005 Kollywood horror, comedy and drama directed by P Kuselan ( குசேலன் is a 2008 Tamil film simultaneously made in Telugu as Kathanayakudu. It will be released sometime in the summer of 2008, perhaps in July. Once that is completed, Rajinikanth will join hands with the Sivaji team of S. Shankar and A. R. Rahman once again for another magnum opus, an alleged science fiction thriller tentatively entitled Robot. Sivaji (சிவாஜி is a 2007 Tamil film, which was directed by S S Shankar (born August 17, 1963) is a popular Film director, Film producer and Screenwriter from Kumbakonam, Allah Rakkhha Rahman (ஏஆர்ரஹ்மான் born on January 6 1966 as A Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will finally play opposite Rajinikanth as heroine for the first time; the film is touted to be the biggest and most costliest film venture yet in India. Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan or Aishwarya Bachchan (Birthname Aishwarya Rai; Tulu: ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯಾ ರೈ born 1 November 1973 is an internationally It is being produced by Ayngaran International and Eros Labs and slated for theatrical release sometime in 2010. Ayngaran International is an overseas film distributing and producing company of Tamil language films Eros Laboratories, also known as Eros Entertainment, is a company that makes DVDs and VCDs of Bollywood movies

Other work

Apart from acting in Tamil, Rajinikanth has acted in 173 movies, including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Bengali. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. The Cinema of Karnataka, sometimes colloquially referred to as Sandalwood encompasses movies made in the Indian state of Karnataka. Malayalam cinema refers to Films made in the Indian state of Kerala in the Malayalam language. Bollywood (बॉलीवूड بالی وڈ is the informal term popularly used for the Mumbai -based Hindi-language Film industry in India The history of cinema in Bengal dates back to the 1890s when the first " Bioscopes quot were shown in theatres in Calcutta. Rajinikanth made a foray into Bollywood with Andha Kanoon but couldn't make as much of an impact as he had in the south. Andha Kanoon is a 1983 Bollywood film starring Rajnikant, Hema Malini, Reena Roy and Amitabh Bachchan in a special extended He still made a few films in Hindi, like Chaalbaaz with Sridevi, Uttar Dakshin, Geraftaar and Hum. ChaalBaaz ( Devnagari: चाल बाज़ English: Cunning) is a 1989 Bollywood film directed by Pankaj Parashar Sridevi ( Tamil:ஸ்ரீதேவி Hindi:श्रीदेवी born on August 13, 1963, is an Indian actress Geraftaar ( Devnagari: गिरफ़्तार is a Hindi language film starring Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth He also had a brief stint in Hollywood with the movie Bloodstone in 1988. BloodStone is an English film directed by Dwight Little. Plot In 12th Century India a huge ruby was bestowed with the power of good and the curse

Awards and honours

Rajinikanth was named as one of the influential persons in South Asia by Asiaweek. Asiaweek, the English edition was a News magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited a subsidiary of Time Inc ^[24] He has won the Filmfare during his acting career for example he won award for two films in the year 1995 for the films Baasha and Muthu. The Filmfare Awards ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. ^[25]

Between 1977 and 2005, Rajinikanth received awards from several organizations, like Tamil Nadu State Government Award, Cinema Express, Filmfans Association, Filmfare etc. , for his on-screen performances and off-screen contributions in writing and producing. He has received awards in the Best Actor category for his performance in the films Sivaji, Chandramukhi, Padayappa, Peddarayudu, Baasha, Muthu, Annamalai, Thalapathy, Velaikaran, Sri Raghavendra, Nallavanuku Nallavan, Moondru Mugam, Engeyo Ketta Kural, Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai, Mullum Malarum and 16 Vayathinile. Chandramukhi is a 2005 Kollywood horror, comedy and drama directed by P Padayappa ( 1999) is a Tamil Film directed by KS Ravikumar. The film stars Rajinikanth, Soundarya, Peddarayudu (1995 is an action Telugu language movie directed by the Telugu language actor Mohan Babu. Muthu ( Tamil: முத்து ( 1995) is a Tamil film directed by K Thalapathi ( 1991) ( The Commander) (aka Dhalapathi and Dalapathi) is a Tamil language film from India Velaikaran is a Tamil film is directed by SpMuthuraman starring Rajinikant, Sarathbabu and Amala Lyrics Mu Sri Raghavendra is a 1985 Tamil film is directed by SPMuthuraman Nallavanuku Nallavan is a Tamil film directed by S P Muthuraman. Moondru Mugam is tamil feature film starring Rajni doing a triple role Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai is a 1979 Tamil Film directed by S Mullum Malarum is a Tamil film directed by J Mahendran. The movie was released in the year 1978 won many awards and was very successful commercially as well He received an award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri. Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri is a Tamil film is directed by S R Muthuraman. He has also received awards in Best Story Writer and Best Producer categories for Valli. Valli ( Tamil வள்ளி is a Goddess and the divine consort of the prominent Hindu God Murugan, according to Hindu mythology

He has also received other honours such as Raj Kapoor Award (2007) from the Government of Maharastra, Padma Bhushan (2000)^[2] from Government of India. The Padma Bhushan award is an Indian civilian decoration established on January 2, 1954 by the President of India.

In September 2007, Rajinikanth won the Best Actor award, given by the Government of Tamil Nadu for his role in the film Chandramukhi(2005). Chandramukhi is a 2005 Kollywood horror, comedy and drama directed by P Recently, he was selected as the Indian Entertainer of the Year for 2007 by NDTV, beating out the likes of Shah Rukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty. NDTV (New Delhi Television Limited, founded in 1988 is India 's largest private Television production house Shilpa Shetty ( Tulu: ಶಿಲ್ಪ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ born 8 June 1975) is an Indian film actress and model.

Politics

• 1995 - Announced that he is willing to support the Congress party after meeting Prime Minister Narasimha Rao. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (పాములపర్తి వెంకట నరసింహారావు (28 June 1921 &ndash 23 December 2004 was the 12th Prime Minister ^[26] An opinion poll conducted by Kumudam magazine predicted that Congress with Rajinikanth support may win up to 130 seats in Tamil Nadu Assembly
• 1996 - Congress decided to align with AIADMK. Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK (அனைத்து இந்திய அண்ணா திராவிட முன்னேற்ற கழகம் is a regional Rajinikanth supported DMK-TMC alliance. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( Tamil:திராவிட முன்னேற்றக் கழகம் (literally "Dravidian Progress Federation") is a regional The Tamil Maanila Congress was a Political party in Tamil Nadu. The TMC used the Bicycle as their election symbol and used Rajinikanth's riding Bicycle in Annamalai movie in their posters. Rajinikanth uttered "Even God cannot save Tamilnadu if AIADMK returns to power". ^[26]
• 1998 Rajinikanth supported the DMK-TMC alliance in parliamentary elections. ^[27] SUN TV broadcast Rajini's speech throughout the day of the election. AIADMK-BJP alliance won around 30 out of 39 seats riding on sympathy wave generated by Coimbatore bomb blasts. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK (அனைத்து இந்திய அண்ணா திராவிட முன்னேற்ற கழகம் is a regional The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP (भारतीय जनता पार्टी, Translation: Indian People's Party) founded in 1980 is a major Political The 1998 Coimbatore bombings occurred on Saturday February 14 1998 in the city of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
• 2002 - Rajinikanth undertook a day-long fast to protest Karnataka's decision to not to release Cauvery water to Tamilnadu. ^[28] Announced that he would contribute 10 Million rupees towards interlinking of Indian rivers scheme. ^[29] He met Prime Minister Vajpayee and many experts to canvass support for Interlinking Indian rivers scheme. Vajpayee is a surname equivalent to Pandey Awasthi, Mishra and Shukla especially prominent among North Indian Brahmins These people
• 2004 - Supported BJP-AIADMK alliance in Parliamentary elections^[26] and quoted PMK's violence and BJP's support to interlinking of Indian rivers^[30] as reason for his support. Pattali Makkal Katchi ( பாட்டாளி மக்கள் கட்சி, abbreviated PMK is a Tamil Political party. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP (भारतीय जनता पार्टी, Translation: Indian People's Party) founded in 1980 is a major Political But the alliance failed to win any seats.
• 2008 - Similar to the Cauvery fast in 2002, on April 4, Rajinikanth took part in a hunger strike organized by the entire Tamil film industry protesting Karnataka's opposition in the Hogenakkal water project and its result, the security of Tamils and the boycott of Tamil films in the state of Karnataka. Events 1581 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. Tamil cinema or Kollywood ( Tamil: கோலிவுட் kōlivūṭ) is the English name of the popular Tamil Film Industry based in the Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Rajinikanth had warned Karnataka politians to make decisions with justice in his speech. In response, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj demanded an apology from Rajinikanth and threatened that he will not be allowed in the state of Karnataka and all his films will be boycotted.

Political Controversies

• He did not participate in the agitation sponsored by Tamil film artists in Neyveli protesting against Karnataka's refusal to release Cauvery water. Instead he participated in token fasting at Chennai. Bharathiraja who organized agitation attacked him vehemently and assigned bad intentions for his non participation in the agitation. Bharathiraja (born 17 July, 1941 in Alli Nagaram, Theni district, Tamil Nadu) is a critically acclaimed South Indian filmmaker ^[31]
• PMK leader Ramadas condemned him for smoking and posing with Beedi's in his film Baba. Pattali Makkal Katchi ( பாட்டாளி மக்கள் கட்சி, abbreviated PMK is a Tamil Political party. He was criticised for spoiling Tamil youth by glorifying smoking and drinking. PMK volunteers attacked theatres which screened the movie Baba and usurped film rolls and burnt it. ^[32] Famous film producers like M. Saravanan accused that cigarette smoking and drinking are shown in all movies and Rajini's film was chosen by the PMK leader because of his popularity in Vanniar areas which is considered PMK bastion. M Saravanan is a Film producer in Kollywood.His production company is AVM Productions. Vanniyar, also transliterated Vanniar, are a large social group in South India. To stop the controversies, Rajini announced that in his future films, he won't act in scenes involving him smoking or drinking. In keeping with his words, he didn't include a single scene of smoking or drinking in his recent films like Chandramukhi and Sivaji - The Boss.
• During the recent hunger strike organized by the Tamil film stars in support of the Hogenekkal drinking water project, he blasted Karnataka politicians over the water project. "I unequivocally condemn Karnataka for this reprehensible act of denying us what is rightfully ours. Those who are raising the issue are doing it for the elections. A national political party I respect is forcing me to wonder by its despicable acts whether there is (rule of law) in this country (guaranteed by) the Supreme Court and Who they will listen to. " Without naming Yediyurappa, Rajni said "It was a cheap act by a leader of a big national party and an election gimmick. I do not approve it. The party’s (BJP) Tamil Nadu unit is keeping quiet", he added. Further, he appealed to the leaders like Kalaignar, Deve Gowda, Kumarasamy, Yediyuurappa, and Siddharamaiyya to not to flame up this issue for political gains. Rajinikanth requested the Tamil Nadu leaders including Kalaignar that, this issue should be nipped in the bud. Rajini urged the Karnataka politicians to speak the 'Truth' and warned them that the people would teach them lesson if they continue to play with the issue for political gains. "People are equal to God. They cannot be fooled and will not remain silent if you continue to act in such manner", thundered the Superstar. ^[33]
• Leader of the Pro-Kannada group Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Vattal Nagaraj demanded an apology from Rajinikanth and threatened that he will not be allowed in the state of Karnataka and all his films will be boycotted for Rajinikanth's speech against Kannada politians. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV ( Kannada: ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಕ್ಷಣಾ ವೇದಿಕೆ loosely translated as Karnataka Protection Forum, is a pro- ^[34]

Philanthropic activities

Rajinikanth is known for philanthropic activities. ^[18]

• He converted his Raghavendra Marriage Hall to a charitable trust to help the needy. ^[35]
• He shared his income from the film "Arunachalam" with eight other people from the film industry as profit shares. ^[36]
• He is planning to construct a new hospital and a new school on a piece of land near Chennai. ^[37]
• He has distributed Rs 12 Lakhs as relief to the family members of the bereaved in the Coimbatore bomb blast. ^[38]
• He had donated Rs 21 Lakhs to Tsunami Relief Fund, Government of TamilNadu during Jan 2005 in Person as a cheque to then Chief Minister Ms. J. Jayalalitha.
• Dance choreographer cum director cum actor Lawrence Raghavendra is running a home for differently abled people in Chennai where there are many residents. It has been reported by the actor that super star Rajinikanth has agreed to completely pay the food expenses of the centre. While talking to the media on this Lawrence said, “I am very thankful to Rajini sir. We all know about his generosity and benevolence but he has reiterated this by agreeing to foot the expenses of food bills of the centre irrespective of its strength. "

Further reading

• The Name Is Rajinikanth (2008)

See also

• Rajinikanth filmography
• Sultan: The Warrior

References

External links

• Rajinikanth at Paadal.com
• Rajinikanth at the Internet Movie Database

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org