For film buffs, August 15 this year marks an important milestone. It will be 50 years since Rajinikanth literally ‘gatecrashed’ the world of cinema in K Balachander’s Apoorva Raagangal. 50 years – let that sink in! For someone who didn’t tick any of the conventional boxes for a hero to remain the ‘Superstar’ of Indian cinema for so many decades is something out of a fantasy.
In another milestone, Rajini will turn 75 this December, and in an era where people talk about burning out by 40, here is a man who continues to raise the bar for expectations before a film release. We are just a few days from his next release – Coolie – around which there is a palpable buzz that only a Rajini film can generate.
In a career spanning over 170 films, Rajini’s continued presence among the top is truly remarkable. While there are many reasons for this, the purpose of this piece is to look at a few films that have been gamechangers in his career. These films have played a part in elevating him to where he is today, at the top of Tamil cinema, still commanding an unprecedented worldwide opening and a following that few of his contemporaries can match.
These seven films may or may not be Rajini’s most successful at the box-office. They also may or may not feature his best performances. But these films have – for different reasons – acted as crucial pivots in his filmography and proved to be turning points in his career. In short, these were gamechangers in their time.
Mullum Malarum (1978)
Directed by one of Tamil cinema’s most renowned directors, Mahendran, Mullum Malarum holds a significant place in Rajini’s filmography. It proved that Rajini was not solely about mannerisms and style, which was the dominant aspect of his acting until then, but also about performance. Mahendran, who brought a breath of fresh air to Tamil cinema with films rooted in realism by shunning the established template of formulaic films of the time, showed that Rajini could be a director’s actor.