Did you know that there was a time when Rajinikanth thought he might have become an underworld don if he hadn’t pursued acting? The Tamil superstar, now 74, is about to celebrate 50 years since his debut in the 1975 film Apoorva Raagangal by K Balachander. Before rising to fame, he worked as a coolie and a bus conductor, facing many struggles along the way. In a 2010 interview with The Telegraph India, Rajinikanth shared that if acting hadn’t worked out, he might have turned to smuggling or even become a don to make money. He reflected on this phase, saying, “Yes, that’s true, I once thought about becoming an underworld don. But that time is behind me now I’ve earned enough.”
This is particularly interesting since, although he never became a don in real life, Rajinikanth has famously played don characters on screen in films like Billa (1980), Baashha (1985), and Kabali (2016). Starting his career mostly in villain and supporting roles, Rajinikanth has remained a beloved hero for five decades. Many celebrities, including Kamal Haasan, Hrithik Roshan, Mammootty, and Mohanlal, have congratulated him on this milestone. His latest movie, Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, released on 14 August and smashed several box office records on its opening day.
