Am an unabashed Rajinikanth fan and have been for the longest time. Infact for a long time, in our team meetings, I would check with my Chennai colleagues if he was doing well and news about him, much to Raghavan’s irritation. Anyone who is more than an acquaintance of mine, knows you can’t say anything against Rajni when am around 🙂 and if you praise him, you are my friend :):):):)
He has the same quality that Amitabh Bachan has – to make the ludicrous look believable. But there ends the similarity. Rajini, comes from a really difficult childhood, no connections to the high society and nothing to fallback on. He is not tall, not good looking, doesn’t have a baritone and speaks all languages with his own special accent, especially Tamil, and he is Tamil Cinema’s super star. His career fallback option was being a bus conductor !!
He got a cameo role in “Aburva raagangal”, just a few minutes and hardly any dialogue, with the stunning SriVidya and the great Kamalahassan, but he still got noticed and the rest is history. Yes Kamal is a great actor, but Rajini is clearly the mega star. He went through a phase of not being able to manage his stardom, drugs, alcoholism and nearly went mad. Spirituality intervened and he got back to being a regular guy and went onto becoming an even bigger star, and the “Thalaivar” – “leader”.
I am a fan because he is so human – and a great story of making the most of one’s gifts, turning every disadvantage to an advantage. A real life hero who easily inspires because he makes no bones about standing in a cesspool, making every mistake that he can and still continuing to learn and grow. He makes success very reachable and kindles hope that anyone from any background can succeed. He has no qualms about walking around with wisps of white hair on a near bald head, doesn’t take a stand on many issues, and goes to the Himalayas to meditate, drinks tea at a roadside stall … Very normal. The world goes around creating Rajni jokes – and am sure he laughs the loudest when he hears them.
It’s his birthday today and I would like to wish him a long life. We need more examples of his kind to break through our limiting beliefs.
Vazhga Thalaivaa !
Do read about Rajinikanth
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