'Thalaivar 170'! Senior actor decodes secrets behind Rajinikanth's cult following among fans

Rajinikanth, hailed as the undisputed superstar of Tamil cinema for the last four decades or so, still rules hearts of millions of fans all over the world. He isn’t onlyt loved, admired or appreciated, but also worshipped as the ultimate Thalaiva. Such is the impact of his films, that they not just set the cash registers ringing at Indian Box Office, but also rake in huge money outside India as well. While the announcement news of the superstar’s next ‘Thalaivar 170’ has already started a celebration among his fans ETimes spoke to senior Tollywood actor Kharaj Mukherjee to know the secret behind Rajinikanth’s cult following. Here are the 5 interesting points Kharaj mentioned and it's something you shouldn't miss.

Superstar Rajinikanth's film 'Thalaivar 170' with TJ Gnanvel is official now

We all know that Rajinikanth wasn’t born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth and see what he has achieved in all these years. Just imagine the hardships he had to face during those formative years. As I have read in news articles, being the son of a Bangalore-based Marathi constable; during the early days he had to work as a coolie to earn his daily bread. Then he took up the job of a bus conductor to earn some extra money. Now see the irony, the man for whom financial stability a distant dream once now earns in crores. The most inspiring lesson is he never ever let those challenges break his spirit. He’s indeed the very personification of fortitude.

The way Rajinikanth never let stardom or fame take a toll on his humility is a lesson to all. Over the years many stars have been floored by his warm and grounded ways, but his down to earth nature has always been the same. In fact, on many occasions, the superstar said that he was a nothing but a “small king” in comparison to the Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan. We all know the two superstars worked together in films like Hum, Andhaa Kanoon and Geraftar which remain cult classics in Bollywood. Even his onscreen characters are the very epitome of virtue, honour and resourcefulness.

Let me tell you a story I heard from a friend. In 2018, when Chennai was hit by a devastating flood and brought life to a standstill, Rajinikanth was so pained by the death and destruction he requested his fans not to celebrate his birthday and help the flood victims return to normal life. The selflessness in his nature has always made him the most humane superstar we have seen in Indian cinema.

Since his marriage in 1980 with playback singer Latha Rajinikanth started a new phase in life and maintained a low profile keeping his personal life away from the media glare. He rarely talked about his family life at public events and has always tried to shield his family from constant public scrutiny. These all are examples of how a star should embrace his celebrity life, something which today’s celebrities should take a note.

I have read somewhere that Rajinikanth’s charismatic role as a software engineer in his film ‘Sivaji’ came with an unintended benefit – many more rural kids in Tamil Nadu were interested to build a career in computer science. This is the strength of Rajinikanth’s influence among his fans and the various ways in which he has appealed to people across ages. I think it's the nature of the fans that creates the phenomenon that is Rajinikanth. Also, maybe the vulnerability in his nature connects him to his fans too.