Born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in 1950 into a Marathi family in Karnataka, Rajinikanth grew up in modest circumstances. His father was a police constable and his mother a homemaker.

To financially support his family, the actor took up menial jobs to support himself. He worked as a coolie, carpenter, and eventually as a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Service (BTS), earning a salary of Rs 750. In a symbolic gesture, the first ticket of every new bus route in Bangalore is handed over to him as a token of respect.

Encouraged by friends, he joined the Madras Film Institute to study acting. There, he was mentored by the legendary filmmaker K. Balachander, who recognized his raw talent and gave him his first break in Apoorva Raagangal (1975). He suggested the stage name Rajinikanth for its mass appeal, and the rest is history.

Rajinikanth was rejected by a couple of girls in young days for being dark-skinned. This fuelled Rajini`s determination to marry a fair-skinned girl, and tied the knot with Latha in 1981. The couple has two children, Aishwarya and Soundarya.

In his earlier days, his alleged relationship with Nagarjuna Akkineni`s wife, Amala had touted a lot of controversy. Rajinikanth reportedly left no stone unturned in going and meeting Amala whenever she was shooting. Rajinikanth was also linked up with Silk Smitha. She was known to be the most sensual actresses in 80s. They worked together in films like Jeet Humari (1983), Thanga Magan (1983), Paayum Puli (1983), and Sivappu Sooriyan (1983).

Rajinikanth is not just a regional star; he has garnered international recognition. His film "Muthu" was dubbed in Japanese, making him a popular figure in Japan. He is also the first South Asian actor to be featured in the prestigious Madame Tussauds wax museum in London.

One of the fans of the megastar has built a temple dedicated to Thalaiva in the premises of his house in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The fan named Karthik converted a part of his home space into a shrine where he also installed the actor`s statue. 

The film Bairavi in 1978 marked Rajinikanth’s first lead role, and it was here that he earned the title Superstar. In his career spanning over 50 years, the Thalaiva has acted in 170 plus movies approximately.

According to several media reports, Rajinikanth`s net worth is approximately Rs 430 crore. The actor also owns a luxurious wedding hall named Raghavendra Mandapam, which has an estimated market price of Rs 20 crore. Reports state that the marriage hall has a seating capacity of over 1,000.

Rajinikanth`s car collection is a mix of humble classics and extravagant luxury, including his beloved Premier Padmini, high-end SUVs like the BMW X7 (gifted after Jailer) and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, Rolls-Royces (Phantom & Ghost), and performance cars like the Lamborghini Urus, capped by a rumored Rs 22 crore custom Bentley Limousine.

Rajinikanth is the highest paid Indian actor and the second highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan. According to reports, after the success of his film Sivaji (2007), the actor’s fee went up.

Thalaiva has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Padma Bhushan (2000) and Padma Vibhushan (2016), two of India’s highest civilian honours.

Rajinikanth’s life story is a testament to resilience, hard work, and the power of dreams.