GIFTED SUPERSTAR

When giving tickets to fellow passengers Shivaji Rao Gaikwad a conductor of Bangalore Transport Service (BTS) never thought that one day these fellow passengers will put milk on his photo and thousands across the country will pray for his good health. People will queue to just see a glimpse of his face. This superstar has his birthday fall in a numeric wonder 12-12-12.

Born in 12 Dec 1950 to mother Jijabai and father Ramoji Rao Gaikwad who was a police constable, he was the youngest among his siblings. None in the family knew this young gun one day will be the superstar and will live in the heats of millions. The path was not easy for him he did not had the charming chocolaty look of an hero like any other in the industry; during his early days he was a struggling actor and has been introduced by director Balachander whom Rajanikant considers his mentor and who gave this man a very small role in Kamal Hassan starrer film Apoorva Raagangal of an abusive husband. Coincidently, this film went to bag the national award on following year for the Best Tamil Feature Film. Well, this film did not give him the success but has introduced to the world the next superstar. Following years he has acted in variety of roles from a hero sacrificing everything for his siblings to a mentally ill person seeking revenge, a sadistic husband, a womanizer, and a lust-filled village rowdy. He has travelled his journey from a negative role to a leading hero in S. P. Muthuraman’s Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1977). The duo has done 25 films together before Rajnikant took a decision to quit film industry on 1980. His come back to the industry was a hit with a commercial superhit “Billa” a remake of Hindi film Don.

Then who was able to stop this Greek wild horse, following years was seen as Rajani’s commercial success and an uprising of a virtual GOD to the film crazy fans of South India.

When I was living in Chennai, people around me use to say to me that he has a fan following from India to whole world and use to say who can forget the famous one liner of the film Basha “Naan oru dhadavai sonna nooru dhadavai sonna madhiri” (If I say it once,
I’ve said it a hundred times). I use to wonder why a baby in mothers arm pit to an 80 year old guy can be madly in love with this person.  This curiosity has made me watch some of his films in Tamil; I had to admit after every Rajani’s film you feel his style, his passion and commitment towards a film. No one in the industry has this unique style this charisma to charm audience. Well the best answer I can quote in Rajni’s word to describe his film and craziness is “En vazhi thani vazhi.” (My way is a unique way.)