Rajinikanth: The Superstar India deserves and needs

Rajinikanth is an Indian superstar, this introduction should be enough because he has, frankly, never bothered with too many fancy titles. He is adored by millions across the nation and yet he is someone we see as part of our families. The man who is the superstar is also ‘our’ man who made it big and therefore we see in him our very own success.

His clean personal record (almost zero controversies) has made Rajinikanth as the proverbial son who is both humble and yet has the charisma that would blow anyone’s mind away. It is his humility which makes him someone whom Prime Minister does not forget to wish on his birthday, it is his clear conscience which makes him accept that he did hurt late Tamil Nadu CM ‘Amma’ Jayalalithaa with his words, and it is his hardwork that makes millions like us look at him with respect and reverence that we otherwise never show for any other actor in showbiz.

So why, when and how did the Rajinikanth become more than just any actor?

Rajinikanth was always the star in the south, but he did extensive work in Bollywood too. However, it was the movie Sivaji and later Enthiran which made India see the actor in a new light. A man who was so successful did not feel the need to hide behind wigs and make-up when in public but was more than willing to be seen with his best weapon, a benign smile. His non-starry appearances shocked those who have forgotten what it was like to see an actor without any bloated egos.

To say that his simplicity stunned the audiences and deflated the status of other stars is not a lie. There are actors who can be seen wearing heavy make-up even when they go to the gym and here we had an over 60 actor willing to show his ‘real’ self without any hint of discomfort. This was needed and Rajinikanth told us that it was possible.

Rajinikanth, the God of Cinema, suddenly became the enigma whose success inspired millions of memes and jokes because none could decipher how and why a non-star like person, the one from the likes of us, the average Indian, could not only become India’s biggest star but retain it for so long and yet not be a snob! But that is exactly the reason why Rajinikanth became the star; he never took himself too seriously and was happy to be one of us among us. Many would pen their thoughts and love for the star Rajinikanth and would try to understand how and when he became what he is now, but actually Rajinikanth became what he is because he never set out to be a star but the one who was from the likes of us and never shunned the common man or an average woman which the other ‘stars’ did and lost out on the stardom that he so effortlessly enjoyed.

Will there be another superstar like him? Never! Because while the kings are many, yet the emperor is always one and we have chosen Rajinikanth to sit on that throne.

Happy Birthday, Superstar Rajinikanth!

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