From Shivaji Rao to Rajinikanth
- An aspiring actor called Shivaji Rao Gaekwad was given the name ‘Rajinikanth’ by director K Balachander in 1972. The name was inspired by a character from the filmmaker’s earlier movie, Major Chandrakanth.
- Though the actor’s birthday falls on December 12, he was given the name ‘Rajinikanth’ on March 27, the day of Holi. For several years after his debut, the Superstar would make it a point to interact with his filmmaker mentor on that day.
‘They call me the Kabali of Nanganallur’
Full name: Dr. Rajinikanth Thiagarajan
Age: 38
Profession: Doctor
Dr. Rajinikanth is proud of his name. It has done him more good than harm. Even recently, when he visited McLead Ganj its his name that saved him. He'd been accompanying a friend for a smoke and the police hadn’t taken kindly to it. "The police was furious. it was late at night and they wanted to book my freind for smoking in a public place. It threatened to ruin our trip." I his effort to pacify the inspector, Dr.Raj (as he is only called) fished out his ID card to explain to the officer that they too know the importance of smoking in public. "He couldn’t believe his eyes. His mood changed in a second. The inspector said his son was a huge of the Superstar and he said he too had watched Kabali. The tone changed completely and he let us of easy."
Dr. Rajinkanth says he was named so after a professor his parents were very fond of back in Stanley college. "Rajinkanth became famous during my childhood and it never affected me while I was at school. But in medical college, especially during the ragging phase, my name had become a topic of discssuon."
Baasha has just released and all the dialogues from the film had already become popular. "As a part of ragging, my seniors wanted me to the say the line 'naan oru thadavai sona nooru thadavai sonna madhiri' 100 times. So I started the process religiously and counted up to around the 30th time...The senior walked by after a while and asked me why I was still saying it. I was shocked and I asked him that it was he who forced me to do it. He replied, "Arent you Rajnikanth, all you have to do is say it once...its like youve said it a hundred times already."
Rajinikanth M
Age: 34
Occupation: BPO employee
When Kala was pregnant, she decided that her child’s name would be named after her matinee idol — Rajinikanth. It didn’t matter if it was a boy or girl.
“My amma had decided that if it was a boy, she would call him Rajinikanth and if it was a girl, she would call her Rajini,” recalls the 34-year-old, “Every time I introduce myself, people are surprised. ”
His most memorable experience with respect to the name has a filmi connection too. He had recently told a friend that tickets were available for Kabali over phone booking at Sathyam Cinemas. Promptly, the buddy called the theatre and said, “Rajinikanth has told me that there are tickets for the film. Can you hand it over to me?” The theatre executive, assuming that he was referring to the Superstar himself, said, “We have given the entire lot of tickets to sir’s manager. Please check with him.”
There are many such memorable stories. “During my school days, I used to feel shy to tell my name because I would instantly be the centre of attention. But as I grew up, I realised that it actually had positive vibes and I never want to change it. Even when I went to a numerology expert, he said that it was the perfect name for me and goes with my date of birth,” says this Porur-based Rajinikanth, who loves Baasha .
Rajinikanth Ramasubramanian
Age: 43
Occupation: Banker
It’s not just the name but Rajinikanth Ramasubramanian shares with the Superstar — he has the same zodiac sign as well. Born in 1973, ‘a few weeks after the release of Sivaji-starrer Gouravam ,’ this banker is called Rajini by his family and friends. “My parents loved Gouravam and my dad said if their newborn was a boy, they would name him Rajinikanth and that he would become a barrister like Sivaji in the film.”
His name was not considered unusual until he joined college. “I was born before Rajini became a star so I keep joking that I’m the original. As I spent my entire childhood in one school and neighbourhood (Mylapore) everyone knew me as Rajinikanth even before the actor. But it was when I joined Loyola College that I was to get a sign of what was to come.”
He’s referring to the first day of college when he was asked to introduce himself. “My seniors wouldn’t believe me…I had to show them my ID card to prove to them that I was indeed Rajinikanth,” says the 43-year-old, who is, interestingly, popular among his friends for singing Kamal Haasan’s super hit numbers.
‘Friends call me Superstar’
R Rajinikanth
Age: 42
Occupation: IT Professional
Gauravam changed G Radhakrishnan’s life. He was so drawn to Sivaji Ganesan’s role as ‘Rajinikanth’ in it that he decided on a name for his son based on the character.
The son would grow up to study engineering in the Institute of Road Transport and Technology in Erode. There, he’d come across two more people with the same name — with different initials, fortunately. “The trio used to be called ‘R U D’ because of the initials…it was quite exciting then,” he recalls.
It’s a story that people always ask him about, and he never tires of explaining it to them till date. “Many friends still call me ‘Superstar’,” he laughs.
"They used to called me Pedarayudu"
Dr V Rajinikanth
Age: 40
Occupation: Professor
When this Rajinikanth enters his classroom, there are no catcalls from the students.
He is, after all, a professor.
A professor at an engineering college, Rajinikanth was named by his grandfather, M Velayudham, who was a huge fan of the 1973 film Gauravam that featured Sivaji Ganesan as ‘Barrister’ Rajinikanth. “This being one of Sivaji’s most popular films, he named me so.”
When he was young, Rajinikanth had his own set of issues with the name (“Everywhere I went, people asked me if it was my real name”) but over time, his friends and family have gotten used to it.
“During my college days, my Telugu friends used to call me by the nickname ‘Peddarayudu’, since the Superstar played a guest role in the Telugu film that was a remake of Nattamai . But as I grew up, it helped that there were two more Rajinikanths who work in the research field,” laughs Rajinikanth, who is a big fan of the older films of Rajinikanth like Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai and Mullum Malarum .
"I'm actually a Vijay fan"
Rajinikanth V. Doshi
Age: 60
Profession: Construction company employee
Hailing from Gujarat, Rajinikanth V. Doshi came to Madras over 35 years ago. “Rajinikanth hadn’t yet become a star then so my name was nothing unusual. In fact, it’s quite a common name in Gujarat.” But as the actor grew in popularity, reactions to his name too changed. “When I meet people now, they react with a bit of disbelief. They start calling me ‘Bada Admi (Big Man)’. The first five minutes of meeting anyone is a joke...they laugh at my expense,” he laughs.
He says he hasn’t watched too many Rajini movies. “But I do watch Tamil films and I can even speak the language fluently. It’s just that I’m more of a Vijay fan.
Published - December 10, 2016 10:46 pm IST
