When did Rajinikanth become God? Chasing the man, the myth, the legend

India Today

17 hours ago

On January 2, 2025, Karthik and his family entered the home of the man they call their Kula Deivam - their family deity. They visited his pooja room, received blessings, and were showered with gifts: a Babaji idol, a Raghavendra photo, a Padayappa statue, and new clothes. For Karthik, this was not a meeting with an actor. It was dharisanam (darshan).advertisementBut his reverence doesn't stop at Rajinikanth's home. Back at his place, his family has a temple where the actor is worshipped as a deity. He shared visuals of the pooja rituals - the aarti, the abdhishekam (abhishek), the offerings - conducted before Rajini's idol, as if he were a presiding God. A glimpse of the Rajinikanth Shloka that Karthik and others use to chant to pray to the Superstar:
The Shloka is chanted in Tamil and refers to Rajinikanth as a black diamond (Karuppu Vairam), a stylish star (Style Mannan), a human God (Manidha Kadavul), a star who's everywhere (Engum Nirandhavare), and the like.Karthik had first discovered Rajinikanth in the 1986 film 'Maaveeran'. As a schoolboy, he was mesmerised by the hero's fierce dialogue: "Only humans feel pain, warriors don't." He would scribble the word 'Maaveeran' on his chest with a pen and strut about in a vest like his idol. Nearly four decades later, that schoolboy reverence has matured into devotion. "For me, he is my God, our Kulasamy, Deivam and everything," he says.Karthik's story isn't an outlier. Across Tamil Nadu, Rajinikanth is not merely admired - he is worshipped. Fans have built temples for him, offered prayers before his film's release, and spoken of him in the same breath as mythological heroes. When did Rajinikanth stop being just a movie star, and become something far greater - a figure of divinity?THE MAKING OF A SUPERSTARTrade analyst Girish Johar traces Rajinikanth's stardom back to the late 1970s, but credits the 1980 thriller 'Billa' as the true turning point. A remake of Amitabh Bachchan's 'Don', the film transformed Rajinikanth into a stylish leading man with an aura of invincibility. "That was the one which gave him a lot of commercial success," Johar says.Fellow trade expert and former National Marketing Head at PVR Cinemas, Girish Wankhede agrees: "'Billa' catapulted him into the limelight. His versatility showed in 'Moondru Mugam', where he played a triple role, and soon after he was balancing Tamil hits with Hindi ventures like 'Andha Kanoon', 'Padikkadavan' and 'Geraftaar'." By the early 1990s, with Mani Ratnam's 'Thalapathi', Rajinikanth had cemented himself as a national figure.advertisementBut perhaps no one saw it coming as clearly as Raj Bahadur, a bus driver and Rajinikanth's closest friend from his pre-film days. Director Suresh Krissna, who would later helm 'Annamalai' and 'Baashha' for the Superstar, recalls: 'Long before any of us saw it, Raj Bahadur had already spotted that spark. He believed his friend would one day become an invincible star. That belief was like planting a seed and what a mighty tree it has grown into."FROM STAR TO PHENOMENONWhat makes Rajinikanth more than just a successful actor?For Johar, the answer lies in his "etiquettes on screen, his style, his mannerisms - people love him every time he appears." Wankhede adds: "His iconic one-liners, his magnetic screen presence, and his unique blend of coolness and humility resonate deeply. He's also known for his generosity - even reimbursing distributors when films don't perform. That's why he's not just admired but revered."advertisementKrissna points to something deeper: the man behind the myth.He lives simply, treats everyone with respect, and never lets fame overshadow his humanity. Even recently, he spoke about his early days as a coolie, earning Rs 2. That's true humility - and fans worship not just the hero on screen, but the man they believe in off-screen. It's this seamless blend of reel charisma and real-life humility that transformed Rajinikanth into a phenomenon. Unlike most stars, his life story - bus conductor to global icon - became part of the legend itself, giving millions hope that dreams could come true.BREAKING BARRIERSWhile Rajinikanth's roots are in Tamil cinema, his superstardom has always spilled across borders. In the 1980s and 1990s, his dubbed films and Hindi ventures gave him visibility in the North, even if primarily through television. But the real breakthrough came with 'Sivaji' (2007), dubbed in Hindi and becoming the first Tamil film to enter the Rs 100 crore club.Later, 'Enthiran' ('Robot') and '2.0' made him a pan-Indian and even a global superstar. "Today his films open big, not just in India but in Malaysia, Singapore and beyond,' Wankhede points out.advertisementTHE WORSHIPPER'S FAITHFor fans like Karthik, Rajinikanth's appeal goes beyond screen presence.He is very simple in real life. Without makeup, without a wig, he will come out in public. No actor in India can be like that. Just looking into his eyes gives positive energy. That "energy" is what turned admiration into worship. Karthik speaks of Rajini's countless charitable acts - funding marriages, paying student fees, donating silently to temples and schools. "What the world knows is only 1 per cent. The rest remains hidden because he doesn't publicise it. He believes in giving without seeking credit," he says.He recalls a telling incident: when his family gifted Rajini a shawl, the Superstar allowed photographs. But when Rajini returned the gesture with silk sarees and dhotis, he refused photos.Like the saying - let the left hand not know what the right hand is giving. I've read about Karna in the Mahabharata, but in real life I've seen Rajinikanth as Vallal - a true philanthropist. REINVENTING CINEMARajinikanth embodied superstardom but he reshaped Tamil cinema itself.'Before him, heroes could be charming or intense. Rajini sir made style itself a character,' says 'Baashha' director Krissna. 'The cigarette flips, the sunglasses, the pauses - they all became events. And the 'Superstar' title card itself became a brand. After 'Baashha', the idea of a powerful heroism song or logo became a trend every actor followed."
Director Suresh Krissna with Rajinikanth on the sets of their 1994 film 'Veera'
advertisementKrissna fondly recalls one moment from 'Baashha' sets. He asked Rajini to perform a scene "like Amitabh Bachchan," only to be teased mercilessly. "He laughed, hugged me, and then delivered the scene with such force it gave me goosebumps. Afterwards he asked, 'Was I good enough like Amitabh?' I told him, 'Sir, you were better.'"THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE GODRajinikanth remains what few actors ever become: an enduring cultural icon. Even as he enters his 50th year in cinema, he brings Lokesh Kanagaraj's 'Coolie' to theatres, providing joy and rewriting the grammar of stardom and history for Tamil cinema worldwide. For fans, watching his films is a festival. For filmmakers, his presence is both a dream and a challenge. And for Indian cinema, he is proof that a South Indian star could command global attention while staying rooted in language and culture.Perhaps the best way to understand his God-like status is to return to Karthik's words: "He is different from a normal man. There is a radiance, a thejas in his eyes. Just looking at him gives us energy. For me, he is not just an actor. He is our God."Rajinikanth's journey from a bus conductor to deity and from screen hero to household shrine doesn't seem like just cinema, it is bigger. It is mythology happening in real time. He could be an actor for some, an enigma for others, but for devotees like Karthik, he will always be God.- EndsTune InTrending Reel
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