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Rajinikanth is not just a name, but a man who is equivalent to God for millions! Not only fans, but many people within the industry idolize Rajinikanth and preach Rajinism. Every time a Rajini film is released, it is celebrated like a festival in the entire country. Profoundly called Thalaiva by his fans and peers, the actor’s decorated filmography has earned him a superstar reputation whose rags-to-riches story will continue to inspire generations to come.
From being a bus conductor to becoming the heartbeat of Indian cinema, Rajinikanth’s life has been nothing short of a movie itself, with many bumpy rides along the way. However, did you know the actor was once ridiculed by a producer over an advance payment? While the Jailer star is a phenomenon with no parallel today, back in the ’70s, he was not a force to be reckoned with back then.
During the audio launch of his film Darbar in 2020, Rajinikanth took a trip down memory lane to chronicle his struggles and revealed how he was once shamed by a producer, which led him to pursue his superstar dreams. Back in the days when he was establishing his footing in the industry, the Thalaiva was humiliated by a producer, who mercilessly belittled the actor, asking him his worth and refusing him a lift.
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Rajinikanth revealed that two weeks after the success of director Bharathiraja’s 16 Vayathinile, a producer (whose name he did not reveal) had approached him for a role that featured a popular actor in the leading role.
“It was a good character, and fortunately I had the dates as well. I agreed, and we discussed my remuneration. I started by quoting Rs 10,000 and eventually agreed for Rs 6,000. I had asked him for a token advance of Rs 100 or Rs 200, just to confirm the role. The producer said that he’d pay Rs 1,000 later as he didn’t have money on him. On the day of the shoot, the production manager did not pay him the advance,” he said.
Rajinikanth then went looking for a telephone booth and dialed the producer to ask him about his advance. The producer asked him to come to the shooting spot and assured the actor of his advance payment. Following this, Rajinikanth went to the shoot next day; but, he still didn’t get his advance salary. The production manager told him the main hero had arrived, asking him to get ready to play his part. However, the actor was adamant about getting his advance payment before beginning his shoot.
After this incident, he saw the producer arriving at the AVM studios in Chennai in an ambassador car. Rajini added, “He was furious. He asked me, ‘Are you a big artist or what? Just because you have done a few films, won’t you sit for make-up without advance? There is no character for you. Get out’.”
Rajinikanth then asked the producer to drop him off at his home in his car, but the producer refused him a lift, asking him to go on his own. “I didn’t have money on me, and I walked back home,” he said.
When the actor was walking back home, he heard that people were yelling at him, “Eh, Parattai! Idhu eppadi irukku? (Parattai! How is it?),” making a reference to his character in 16 Vayathinile. However, the actor didn’t realize it and thought people were mocking him.
“I thought people were mocking me. But it didn’t strike me that they were actually repeating my dialogue. That was when I realized that if I do not come back to AVM Studios in a foreign car, then I am not Rajinikanth,” he said, speaking about his oath.
After this, the actor worked tirelessly, and his hard work paid off. In just 2.5 years after this incident, Rajini became a big deal in Kollywood. As soon as he became a superstar, he bought the Italian-made Fiat car, which was owned by the owners of AVM Studios.
He added, “I felt proud. At that time, the street I was living on couldn’t even accommodate the car. Somehow, we brought the car home, and I wanted to hire a foreign driver. I thought a foreign car should have a foreign driver. After a few weeks, we found an Anglo-Indian driver named Robinson. He was 6 feet tall. When he arrived, I immediately asked a tailor to come home and take his measurements for a uniform. He wore the uniform with a belt and a cap.”
Explaining further, Rajinikanth ordered him to take him to AVM Studios. “Robinson opened the back door for me to sit. With one leg over the other, I was sitting royally. My car entered AVM Studios, and Robinson parked the car where the producer used to park. I got down and smoked two cigarettes. Many thought the governor had come. Then, I went to see KB (K Balachander) at his home in Alwarpet,” he concluded.
This anecdote in itself could serve as a plot of an inspirational film. What do you think?
For more updates, stay tuned to Koimoi.
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