Rajinikanth
Acting · Crew · Writing
Born December 12, 1950, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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
- 2026Jailer 2 — Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian
- 2025Coolie — Devaraj 'Deva'
- 2024Lal Salaam — Moideen Bhai
- 2024Vettaiyan — SP V. Athiyan IPS
- 2023Jailer — Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian, Playback Singer
- 2023Jigarthanda DoubleX — Thanks
- 2021Annaatthe — 'Annaatthe' Kaalaiyaan, Playback Singer
- 2020Darbar — Aadithya Arunachalam IPS
- Into the Wild with Bear Grylls & Akshay Kumar
- Into the Wild with Bear Grylls & Rajinikanth
- 2019Petta — Petta 'Kaali' Velan
- 20182.0 — Dr. Vaseegaran / Chitti / Kutti
- 2018Kaala — Karikaalan Vengaiyan 'Kaala'
- 2016Kabali — 'Kabali' Kabaliswaran, Playback Singer
- 2014Kochadaiiyaan — Kochadaiiyaan / Ranadheeran / Senadheeran, Playback Singer
- 2014Lingaa — Raja Lingeswaran / Lingaa
- 2013Chennai Express — Thanks
- 2011Ra.One — Chitti / Self
- 2010Enthiran — Dr. Vaseegaran / Chitti
- 2008Kathanayakudu — Ashok Kumar
- 2008Kuselan — Ashok Kumar
- 2007Sivaji: The Boss — Sivaji Arumugam
- 2005Chandramukhi — Dr. Saravanan / Vettaiyan Raja
- 2002Baba — Baba / Mahavatar Babaji, Producer, Screenplay, Story, Playback Singer
- 2000Bulandi — Ghajraj Thakur
- 2000Rayalaseema Ramanna Chowdary — Writer, Story
- 1999Padayappa — Padayappa, Story Developer
- 1997Arunachalam — Arunachalam / Vedhachalam
- 1997Bhagya Debata — Singer (Guest appearence)
- 1995Aatank Hi Aatank — Munna
- 1995Baasha — Manikkam / Manik Baashha
- 1995Muthu — Muthu / Muthu's father
- 1995Pedarayudu — Paparayudu
- 1994Veera — Muthuveerappan
- 1993Insaniyat Ke Devta — Anwar
- 1993Uzhaippali — Tamilarasan/Tamilazhagan
- 1993Valli — Veeraiyan, Writer, Producer
- 1993Yejaman — Kanthavelu Vaanavarayan
- 1992Annamalai — Annamalai
- 1992Mannan — Krishnan, Playback Singer
- 1992Pandiyan — Pandiyan
- 1992Tyagi — Shankar G. "Dadhu" Dayal
- 1991Dharma Durai — Dharmadurai
- 1991Farishtay — Arjun Ramojirao
- 1991Hum — Kumar Malhotra
- 1991Khoon Ka Karz — Kishan
- 1991Phool Bane Angaray — Inspector Ranjeet Singh
- 1991Shanti Kranti — Inspector Subhash (Tamil & Hindi Version)
- 1991Thalapathi — Surya
- 1990Athisaya Piravi
- 1990Panakkaran — Muthu
- 1989Bhrashtachar — Abdul Sattar
- 1989Chaalbaaz — Jaggu
- 1989Gair Kanooni — Azam Khan
- 1989Kodi Parakuthu — Erode Shivagiri / Dada
- 1989Mappillai — Arumugam
- 1989Raja Chinna Roja — Raja
- 1989Rajathi Raja — Raja/Chinnarasu
- 1989Siva — Siva (Tiger)
- 1988Bloodstone — Shyam Sabu
- 1988Dharmathin Thalaivan — Balu(lecturer) and Shankar
- 1988Dreams of Hind and Camilia — (archive footage)
- 1988Guru Sishyan — Raja aka Guru
- 1988Tamacha — Vicky
- 1987Daku Hasina
- 1987Insaaf Kaun Karega — Vikram Singh
- 1987Manathil Uruthi Vendum — Cameo
- 1987Manithan
- 1987Oorkavalan — Kangeyan
- 1987Uttar Dakshin — Shankar
- 1987Velaikkaran — Ragupathy
- 1986Asli Naqli — Birju Ustad
- 1986Bhagwaan Dada — Bhagwaan Dada
- 1986Dosti Dhushmani — Inspector Ranjith
- 1986Jeevana Poratam — Ravi
- 1986Maaveeran
- 1986Mr. Bharath — Bharat
- 1986Naan Adimai Illai
- 1986Viduthalai — Raja
- 1985Bewafai — Ranveer
- 1985Chithirame Chithirame
- 1985Geraftaar — Inspector Hussein (Cameo appearance)
- 1985Mahaguru — Vijay / Mahaguru
- 1985Naan Sigappu Manithan — Professor Vijay / Robinhood
- 1985Nyayam Meere Cheppali — Atmaram
- 1985Padikkadavan — Rajendran
- 1985Sri Raghavendrar — Raghavendra Swami
- 1985Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal... — Ravi
- 1985Wafadaar — Ranga
- 1985Yaar?
- 1984Anbulla Rajinikanth
- 1984Gangvaa — Chameli
- 1984John Jani Janardhan
- 1984Kai Kodukkum Kai
- 1984Meri Adalat — Inspector Ashok
- 1984Naan Mahaan Alla — Viswanath
- 1984Nallavanukku Nallavan
- 1984Thambikku Entha Ooru — Balu
- 1983Adutha Varisu — Kannan
- 1983Andhaa Kaanoon — Vijay Kumar Singh
- 1983Paayum Puli — Paayum Puli
- 1983Sashti Viratham — Mahout
- 1983Sivappu Sooriyan
- 1983Thai Veedu
- 1983Thanga Magan — Arun
- 1983Thudikkum Karangal
- 1983Uruvavugal Maralam — God
- 1982Enkeyo Ketta Kural
- 1982Moondru Mugam
- 1982Nandri, Meendum Varuga
- 1982Pokkiri Raja
- 1982Pudhu Kavithai — Anand
- 1982Ranga
- 1982Thanikattu Raja
- 1981Garjanai
- 1981Kazhugu — Rajasekar
- 1981Netrikan — Chakravarthy/Santhosh
- 1981Ranuva Veeran — Raghu
- 1981Thee — Rajshekhar 'Raja'
- 1981Thillu Mullu — Chandran / Indiran
- 1980Anbukku Naan Adimai
- 1980Billa — Billa / Rajappa
- 1980Ellam Un Kairasi — Raja
- 1980Johnny — Johnny / Vidyasagar
- 1980Kaali — Kaali
- 1980Murattu Kaalai
- 1980Naan Potta Saval
- 1980Natchathiram
- 1980Polladhavan — Manohar
- 1980Ram Robert Rahim — Ram
- 1980Saranam Ayyappa
- 1979Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai — Santhanam
- 1979Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum — Kamaruddin
- 1979Annai Oru Alayam
- 1979Dharma Yuddam — Vijay
- 1979Iddaru Asadhyule — Inspector Bhaskar
- 1979Kuppathu Raja — Jakku / Jayakumar
- 1979Naan Vazhavaippen — Michael D' Souza
- 1979Ninaithale Inikkum — Deepak
- 1979Thaayillamal Naanillai — 'Pichuva' Pakkiri
- 1979Tiger — Rashid
- 1978Aayiram Jenmangal
- 1978Annadammula Savaal
- 1978Aval Appadithan — Thyagu
- 1978Bairavi — Mookaiyah
- 1978En Kelvikku Enna Bathil
- 1978Ilamai Oonjaladukirathu
- 1978Iraivan Kodutha Varam — Rajnikanth
- 1978Justice Gopinath — Ravi
- 1978Kiladi Kittu — Inspector Srikanth
- 1978Maathu Tappada Maga — Chandru
- 1978Mangudi Minor — Kumar
- 1978Mullum Malarum — Kaali
- 1978Paavathin Sambalam — Kathiravan
- 1978Priya — Ganesh
- 1978Sadhurangam
- 1978Shankar Salim Simon — Simon
- 1978Thai Meethu Sathiyam
- 1978Thappu Thalangal — Devu
- 1978Vanakkathukuriya Kathaliye — Joe
- 1978Vayasu Pilichindi — Murali
- 197716 Vayathinile — Parattai
- 1977Aadu Puli Attam — Rajini
- 1977Aame Katha
- 1977Aaru Pushpangal
- 1977Avargal — Ramanathan
- 1977Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri — Sampath
- 1977Chilakamma Cheppindi — Ravi
- 1977Galaate Samsaara — Sundar
- 1977Gayathri — Rajarathnam
- 1977Kavikkuyil — Murugan
- 1977Kumkuma Rakshe
- 1977Ondu Premada Kathe — Chairman of village panchayat
- 1977Raghupathi Raghavan Rajaram — Veeraiyan
- 1977Sahodarara Savaal — Somashekar
- 1977Tholireyi Gadichindi
- 1976Anthuleni Katha — Murthy
- 1976Baalu Jenu — Vasu
- 1976Katha Sangama — Kondaji
- 1976Moondru Mudichu — Prasath
- 1975Apoorva Raagangal — Pandiyan
- Dharman — Dharman
- Hum Mein Shahenshah Koun
- KHxRK: Reunion
- Untitled Rajnikanth - Nithilan Saminathan Film
Appearances as themselves (6)
- 2017Cinema Veeran — Self (voice)
- 2010Endhiran Making of Robot — Self
- 1990Periya Idathu Pillai — Self
- 1986Kodai Mazhai — Self
- 1982Agni Sakshi — Self
- Ilaiyaraaja — Self