KOCHI: Ripples are felt across the cosmos whenever a ‘Superstar’ film hits the theatres, goes an old joke. Well, Rajinikanth is not just an actor, he’s a phenomenon, a supernova of entertainment that sends fans into a frenzy with a mere flick of his sunglasses.
From his trademark cigarette flips to the nonchalant swag and punch dialogues that can make the universe pause, the legend has been an enigmatic entertainer for generations. He’s perhaps the only Indian actor who has been given the licence by the masses to defy the laws of nature. He holds the perpetual licence to thrill, no questions asked.
A visit to the midnight show of ‘Jailer’ at a mall in Kochi on Sunday night revealed that the 72-year-old still remains a darling of cinema, a cause for celebration. The place was packed with families, young couples and stag gangs – all bubbling with excitement.
According to reports, a Kerala-based education company gave its staff free tickets for the first show. Another firm in Tamil Nadu gave employees half-day off to avoid a sudden surge of ‘sick leaves’. Rajini rampage is international news now.
Born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in a Marathi family from Bengaluru is the real McCoy ‘Thalaivar’ of Indian cinema. From loading rice sacks into trucks and working as a bus conductor at the age of 20, his evolution is truly the stuff of legends.
Rajini debuted in 1975 in the Tamil film ‘Apoorva Raagangal’, in which he played the villain. For the next couple of years, he mostly played characters with grey shades. His major lead role came in ‘Bhairavi’ in 1978. That was the beginning of his journey into superstar status.
He was not the stereotypical hero; he was dark-skinned and had a rugged demeanour. But the raw charm clicked. Rajini reigned the hearts of commoners as the angry young man of Tamil Nadu. He soon transformed into a messiah of sorts. People did not mind gravity taking coffee breaks whenever Rajini bashed villains up. And, of course, all this with oodles of unique signature mannerisms that made him the ‘style mannan’ as well.
Over the years, Rajini’s humility, simple dressing sans the wigs, and witty yet philosophical speeches continued to win more hearts, and lent him an aura of an extraordinary guru. Fandom turned into adoration, across borders. Even Malayalis who generally don’t like going over the top seem to have made an exception. “I have been a Rajini fan since the age of 14,” says Mahesh Mani, a 47-year-old tabla artist based in Thiruvananthapuram.
“I still remember my father, who is another Rajini fan, taking me to the theatres to watch ‘Thambikku Entha Ooru’. His trademark style and swag became my way of life (laughs). During my college days, I used to set my hair all flowy, and go around mouthing his punch liners ‘Ithu eppdi irukku?’ and ‘Naan oru thadava sonna, nooru thadava sonna maathiri’.”
Well, now he can add “Tiger ka hukum” from Jailer to that list. It’s Rajini’s humility and unassuming ways that set him apart, adds Mahesh. “I was fortunate to play the tabla at his daughter’s wedding,” he gushes. “I got to spend some time with him. Though I had read about his down-to-earth nature earlier, spending time with him was a revelation. He exudes a warmth that makes people feel he is one among us.”
Aspiring cinematographer Harikrishna Prasad, 30, notes that the roles of a common man battling evil and rising to glory – as in Annamalai – made Rajinikanth connect with the masses. “His characters transitioning into greatness made common folk believe they, too, could conquer the world,” he says.
Harikrishna points out that each character Rajini played had a unique charisma. “That has been intact for decades,” says the Haripad native. “Be it an auto driver, milkman or even a robot, Rajinini delivers a style statement. Even if it’s an emotional sequence, he leaves his stamp on it. I doubt if there is any other actor out there who can pull off this trait.”
Kochi-based budding actor Akhil Antony, 26, despite all the big changes in Indian cinema and choices of audiences, Rajini’s ‘mass entertainers’ make people go bonkers. Even in the case of films that didn’t do as well as expected, Rajini often shone through as the silver lining.
“The Rajnisim, the mass and the masala have a magnetic pull. To experience Rajinism in theatres, people are ready to lock logic at home,” says Akhil. “I guess the Malayalai audience here has been missing typical mass action films.”
Sonia Grace, an HR personnel hailing from Kannur, stresses that the legend is a brilliant actor, too, and not just a style icon. “I became a fan after watching ‘Thalapathi’. That film shows he is a great performer,” she says. “The recent hit, Jailer, has the superstar element, but this time, it was toned down. The character was more layered.”
According to film critic Sowmya Rajendran, right from the beginning, Rajini modelled himself on MGR and portrayed larger-than-life roles. “Rajinikanth offers a sense of escape,” she says. “This struck a chord in a country like ours where cinema is seen as an escape valve, where people want to be entertained so much that they forget their problems, and feel buoyed watching a common man emerge victorious.”
Sowmya adds that Rajini has seldom experimented with different roles or formulae. “Each time he tried that, people rejected the films,” she says. “That said, when a film doesn’t run well, Rajinikanth compensates the distributors. This could have restricted him from experimenting like his contemporary, Kamal Haasan. I, however, don’t think the performer in him has been affected, especially when he is under directors such as Pa Ranjith (‘Kabali’ and ‘Kaala’), who knows how to leverage his potential as an actor.”
Film critic Sreedhar Pillai points out that the reason why Rajinikanth is still a sensation and has been able to attract today’s young crowds is because he knows the “system” well. “He has been successfully able to fit into the system and commercial cinema template,” Sreedhar says. “From Baasha to Jailer, it has been a dream run. At the age of 72, he has delivered a massive hit because he understands what the audience wants – and is willing to adapt.”
Sreedhar notes Rajini’s urge to push himself is reflected in the choice of directors. “From K S Ravikumar and Suresh Krishna, he has moved to S Shankar, Pa Ranjith, and Nelson,” he says. “In terms of characters, however, I am not sure whether the audience would accept a reinvention. So it’s better for him to go with the flow and not tinker too much with the image he has created over decades. That said, cinema is unpredictable, anything can happen.”
A true ‘fanboy’
Near Dhobi Khana public laundry in Fort Kochi, a joyous celebration takes place every December 12th. This event marks the birthday of Rajinikanth and is organised by Selvaraj with full Josh. For the last 25 years, the 58-year-old has been crafting eye-catching flex boards adorned with the actor’s posters, each bearing the title ‘Happy Birthday Thalaiva’. “Every year and without fail, I’ve been putting up the flex boards on the walls and doors and wherever there is space in our laundry room,” says Selvaraj. Originally from Tamil Nadu, Selvaraj was born and brought up in Fort Kochi. “My friends and family are supportive of this frenzy of mine. Stills from movies like Baasha, Billa, Shivaji, and the recent ones including Kaala, Petta, and Kabali, are printed from the small-sized to big ones,” he says. Though his friends accompany him while setting up the boards, Selvaraj rues that it’s always his initiative. “I don’t know if this will continue after me, but as long as I’m alive, I’ll make sure to honour Thalaiva the way he deserves,” Selvaraj adds.
Campus diaries
Kozhikode native K C James shares a longstanding connection with superstar Rajinikanth, tracing back to their days as classmates at the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce in Madras during 1974-75.
According to James, Rajinikanth’s charisma, style, and distinct mannerisms were on display even during their years at the institute. “I still remember his brisk walking style and his practice of tossing a cigarette and catching it in his mouth, which received thunderous applause from audiences. There was a big mirror in our practice room, and he perfected his performances in front of it,” says the 73-year-old Chevayur native.
When James got his first role in A Vincent’s Priyam Ulla Sofia in 1975, Rajinikanth walked into his room near Gemini Studio to congratulate him. “Within a year, he began securing roles in Tamil films, and in due course, he became a star,” recalls James (above Rajini in the pic below).
Rajinikanth’s journey, too, was fraught with challenges. According to James, he used to miss classes so that he could also do a part-time job to sustain his studies. “After classes, he would travel to Karnataka for work. He never wasted his time. Other students looked up to him for his unwavering perseverance,” James adds.
Even as a student, ‘the style mannan’ could enthrall viewers. “As part of our film course, we were supposed to watch films in English and other foreign languages and do an analysis. So we used to get free tickets from the American Consulate’s studio and also from the Russian Culture Centre. Rajinikanth’s way of analysing the character arc in the movies was quite impressive. He used to convey his insights in English,” recounts James. K C James, who acted in one Tamil film and 11 Malayalam movies, is currently working on making a comeback in the film industry.