Rajinikanth
Born: 1950-12-12 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Known For: Acting
Biography
Rajinikanth (born Shivaji Rao Gaikwad; 12 December 1950) is an Indian actor, producer, and screenwriter who works primarily in Tamil cinema. He made his cinematic debut in a supporting antagonistic role in K. Balachander's Tamil drama *Apoorva Raagangal* (1975). Known for his distinctive acting style and dialogue delivery, he has become an established and commercially bankable actor in Indian cinema. After initially portraying villains and anti-heroes, Rajinikanth transitioned to lead roles during the late 1970s and 1980s. His collaborations with director S. P. Muthuraman included *Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri* (1977), *Murattu Kaalai* (1980), and *Nallavanukku Nallavan* (1984). His notable films of the 1990s included Suresh Krisnna's *Annamalai* (1992) and *Baashha* (1995), K. S. Ravikumar's *Muthu* (1995), and *Padayappa* (1999). During the 2000s and 2010s, Rajinikanth appeared in P. Vasu's horror-comedy *Chandramukhi* (2005), Shankar's action film *Sivaji: The Boss* (2007), and the science-fiction films *Enthiran* (2010) and *2.0* (2018). He also starred in Pa. Ranjith's dramas *Kabali* (2016) and *Kaala* (2018), and Karthik Subbaraj's action film *Petta* (2019). He received the Padma Bhushan in 2000, the Padma Vibhushan in 2016, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2021. In 2023, Rajinikanth starred in Nelson Dilipkumar's action film *Jailer*. His 2024 releases included an extended cameo as Moideen Bhai in Aishwarya Rajinikanth's *Lal Salaam* and the lead role in T. J. Gnanavel's action-drama *Vettaiyan*. His subsequent films include Lokesh Kanagaraj's action thriller *Coolie* (2025) and Nelson Dilip Kumar's sequel *Jailer 2* (2026). Notable Upcoming Films Ashwath Marimuthu's *Dharman* (2027) and Nelson Dilip Kumar's *RKxKH Re-Union*.
Filmography
2026
- Jailer 2 as Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian
2025
- Coolie as Devaraj 'Deva'
2024
- Vettaiyan as SP V. Athiyan IPS
- Lal Salaam as Moideen Bhai
2023
- Jailer as Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian
- Jigarthanda DoubleX ... (Thanks)
2021
- Annaatthe as 'Annaatthe' Kaalaiyaan
2020
- Darbar as Aadithya Arunachalam IPS
- Into the Wild with Bear Grylls & Akshay Kumar
- Into the Wild with Bear Grylls & Rajinikanth
2019
- Petta as Petta 'Kaali' Velan
2017
- Cinema Veeran as Self (voice)
2016
- Kabali as 'Kabali' Kabaliswaran
2014
- Lingaa as Raja Lingeswaran / Lingaa
- Kochadaiiyaan as Kochadaiiyaan / Ranadheeran / Senadheeran
2013
- Chennai Express ... (Thanks)
2011
- Ra.One as Chitti / Self
2010
- Enthiran as Dr. Vaseegaran / Chitti
- Endhiran Making of Robot as Self
2008
- Kathanayakudu as Ashok Kumar
- Kuselan as Ashok Kumar
2007
- Sivaji: The Boss as Sivaji Arumugam
2005
- Chandramukhi as Dr. Saravanan / Vettaiyan Raja
2002
- Baba as Baba / Mahavatar Babaji
2000
- Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary ... (Writer)
- Bulandi as Ghajraj Thakur
1999
- Padayappa as Padayappa
1997
- Arunachalam as Arunachalam / Vedhachalam
- Bhagya Debata as Singer (Guest appearence)
1995
- Muthu as Muthu / Muthu's father
- Baasha as Manikkam / Manik Baashha
- Aatank Hi Aatank as Munna
- Pedarayudu as Paparayudu
1994
- Veera as Muthuveerappan
1993
- Insaniyat Ke Devta as Anwar
- Valli as Veeraiyan
- Uzhaippali as Tamilarasan/Tamilazhagan
- Yejaman as Kanthavelu Vaanavarayan
1992
1991
- Thalapathi as Surya
- Hum as Kumar Malhotra
- Dharma Durai as Dharmadurai
- Shanti Kranti as Inspector Subhash (Tamil & Hindi Version)
- Phool Bane Angaray as Inspector Ranjeet Singh
- Khoon Ka Karz as Kishan
- Farishtay as Arjun Ramojirao
1990
- Periya Idathu Pillai as Self
- Athisaya Piravi
- Panakkaran as Muthu
1989
- Kodi Parakuthu as Erode Shivagiri / Dada
- Siva as Siva (Tiger)
- Chaalbaaz as Jaggu
- Mappillai as Arumugam
- Gair Kanooni as Azam Khan
- Raja Chinna Roja as Raja
- Bhrashtachar as Abdul Sattar
- Rajathi Raja as Raja/Chinnarasu
1988
- Bloodstone as Shyam Sabu
- Tamacha as Vicky
- Dharmathin Thalaivan as Balu(lecturer) and Shankar
- Dreams of Hind and Camilia as (archive footage)
- Guru Sishyan as Raja aka Guru
1987
- Insaaf Kaun Karega as Vikram Singh
- Velaikkaran as Ragupathy
- Manithan
- Oorkavalan as Kangeyan
- Manathil Uruthi Vendum as Cameo
- Uttar Dakshin as Shankar
- Daku Hasina
1986
- Kodai Mazhai as Self
- Asli Naqli as Birju Ustad
- Jeevana Poratam as Ravi
- Viduthalai as Raja
- Mr. Bharath as Bharat
- Bhagwaan Dada as Bhagwaan Dada
- Dosti Dhushmani as Inspector Ranjith
- Naan Adimai Illai
- Maaveeran
1985
- Wafadaar as Ranga
- Mahaguru as Vijay / Mahaguru
- Chithirame Chithirame
- Nyayam Meere Cheppali as Atmaram
- Naan Sigappu Manithan as Professor Vijay / Robinhood
- Geraftaar as Inspector Hussein (Cameo appearance)
- Padikkadavan as Rajendran
- Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal... as Ravi
- Sri Raghavendrar as Raghavendra Swami
- Yaar?
- Bewafai as Ranveer
1984
- Thambikku Entha Ooru as Balu
- Nallavanukku Nallavan
- Naan Mahaan Alla as Viswanath
- Anbulla Rajinikanth
- John Jani Janardhan
- Gangvaa as Chameli
- Kai Kodukkum Kai
- Meri Adalat as Inspector Ashok
1983
- Sashti Viratham as Mahout
- Thai Veedu
- Andhaa Kaanoon as Vijay Kumar Singh
- Paayum Puli as Paayum Puli
- Thanga Magan as Arun
- Uruvavugal Maralam as God
- Adutha Varisu as Kannan
- Thudikkum Karangal
- Sivappu Sooriyan
1982
1981
- Thee as Rajshekhar 'Raja'
- Ranuva Veeran as Raghu
- Thillu Mullu as Chandran / Indiran
- Kazhugu as Rajasekar
- Netrikan as Chakravarthy/Santhosh
- Garjanai
1980
- Anbukku Naan Adimai
- Naan Potta Saval
- Ellam Un Kairasi as Raja
- Johnny as Johnny / Vidyasagar
- Polladhavan as Manohar
- Billa as Billa / Rajappa
- Murattu Kaalai
- Natchathiram
- Saranam Ayyappa
- Kaali as Kaali
- Ram Robert Rahim as Ram
1979
- Naan Vazhavaippen as Michael D' Souza
- Kuppathu Raja as Jakku / Jayakumar
- Iddaru Asadhyule as Inspector Bhaskar
- Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum as Kamaruddin
- Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai as Santhanam
- Thaayillamal Naanillai as 'Pichuva' Pakkiri
- Dharma Yuddam as Vijay
- Tiger as Rashid
- Annai Oru Alayam
- Ninaithale Inikkum as Deepak
1978
- Paavathin Sambalam as Kathiravan
- Annadammula Savaal
- Ilamai Oonjaladukirathu
- Kiladi Kittu as Inspector Srikanth
- Vayasu Pilichindi as Murali
- Mangudi Minor as Kumar
- Iraivan Kodutha Varam as Rajnikanth
- Justice Gopinath as Ravi
- Bairavi as Mookaiyah
- Sadhurangam
- En Kelvikku Enna Bathil
- Aval Appadithan as Thyagu
- Thappu Thalangal as Devu
- Maathu Tappada Maga as Chandru
- Mullum Malarum as Kaali
- Vanakkathukuriya Kathaliye as Joe
- Aayiram Jenmangal
- Priya as Ganesh
- Thai Meethu Sathiyam
- Shankar Salim Simon as Simon
1977
- Tholireyi Gadichindi
- Galaate Samsaara as Sundar
- Aame Katha
- Ondu Premada Kathe as Chairman of village panchayat
- Aaru Pushpangal
- Raghupathi Raghavan Rajaram as Veeraiyan
- Kumkuma Rakshe
- Chilakamma Cheppindi as Ravi
- Sahodarara Savaal as Somashekar
- 16 Vayathinile as Parattai
- Avargal as Ramanathan
- Aadu Puli Attam as Rajini
- Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri as Sampath
- Gayathri as Rajarathnam
- Kavikkuyil as Murugan
1976
- Baalu Jenu as Vasu
- Anthuleni Katha as Murthy
- Moondru Mudichu as Prasath
- Katha Sangama as Kondaji
1975
- Apoorva Raagangal as Pandiyan