Thalaiva Rajinikanth turns 64!

If there is one man in the film industry who can change the even the course of winds, then it is none other than megastar Rajinikanth. The thespian celebrates his 64th birthday today. The actor, who was born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, shone like a bright star in the world of cinema with his impeccable acting talent and distinctive style sense.

New Delhi: If there is one man in the film industry who can change the even the course of winds, then it is none other than megastar Rajinikanth. The thespian celebrates his 65th birthday today. The actor, who was born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, shone like a bright star in the world of cinema with his impeccable acting talent and distinctive style sense.

Rajini, the maverick has acted in about 170 films in different languages. The 65-year-old star has so far featured in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, English and Bengali films. His debut performance in Apoorva Raagangal by K Balachander was released in 1975. This movie was well appreciated by the critics. It went on to win several awards that year.

His role in 1977 film 'Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri' got him rave reviews, including two Filmfare awards for the movie. His portrayal of a gangster character in 'Billa', which was a remake of Hindi film 'Don' got him much fan following.

The entire era of 80s and 90s saw the emergence and rise of Rajinikanth, which continues even today. The actor married Latha Rangachari in 1981, and has two daughters named Aishwarya Rajinikanth and Soundarya Rajinikanth. The man who is literally worshiped down South, has had a humble beginning in his early life. He reportedly did various odd jobs including that of a coolie and carpenter. He was also recruited in the Bangalore Transport Service (BTS) as a bus conductor.

Rajini did many Bollywood films as well. His 1991 film 'Hum' with megastar Amitabh Bachchan was loved by his fans across the country. His role of a taxi driver in 'Chalbaaz' opposite Sri devi was huge commercial success.

The actor got his first Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor in1984 for 'Nallavanuku Nallavan'. He received Filmfare Award nominations for his performances in Sivaji and Enthiran. As of 2014, Rajinikanth has received six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for his performances in various films.

His role in 'Robot', which was the Hindi remake of 'Enthiran' starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the lead did huge business at the Box Office. His 'Kochadaiyaan' by daughter Soundarya was India's first photorealistic performance capture film. It starred actress Deepika Padukone in the lead. The film was a tribute to the centennial of Indian cinema, Kochadaiiyaan was also released worldwide in 3D format.

Despite several controversies and legal trouble, Rajini's next 'Lingaa' starring Sonakshi Sinha has hit the screens today. The film is releasing in Tamil first. Looking at his film trajectory, we sincerely hope the megastar continues to rule the roost for more decades to come.

This is a tribute to thalaiva!