RAJNIKANT IN TUSSAUD’S MUSEUM
Saturday, 12th January, 2008
Superstar Rajnikant will be waxed into imnlorality at Madame Tussaud’s Museum in London. Created by wax, sculptor Marie Tussaud, the museum exhibits replicas of the world’s well-known personalities. ac It houses Indian personalities like in Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan. With a receding hairline, the 57-year-old Rajnikant is all set to join the galaxy of world personalities at Tussaud’s.
World famous for his stunts, Ranji’s dialogues have fans in Japan and China. Muthu, a film starring Rajni was the first Tamil film to be dubbed into Japanese as Muthu: The Dancing Maharaja. Most Chinese admire him for his action-packed sequences and rugged body language.
It is said if Raj Kapoor conquered the Russians and Amitabh the Lebanese, Rajni seems to have carved up a major chunk of the Eastem belt for himself. In China, the youth watch on DVD system, Rajni delivering punchy dialogues to villains and romancing his lady love in caste Chinese. In Malaysia, a large number of Malay-speaking Chinese and Japanese are Rajni fans. Having acted in as many as 173 movies, including Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi and Bengali movies, Rajni became super-hero.
By December, the superstar will create history by becoming the first Indian hero to be featured in an animated film. The 3D animated Sultan - The Warrior will be an action-packed adventure movie, featuring Rajni as a mythological and 1arger-than-life hero. The 90minute film will be offered as a gift to the superstar on his birthday by his younger daughter Soundarya Rajnikant. Directed by her, big names like music director A.R. Rehman, lyricist Vairamuthu and art director Thotta Tharani, besides a Hollywood stunt master, have been associated with the movie.
Rajni himself will lend his voice to the animated version. Already in production, the movie may turn out to be India’s most expensive animated film. Those associated with its production say, it would be a treat to both children and adult alike, particularly to large Rajni fans. Now known to be the filmdom’s highest paid veteran, his last film Sivaji: The Boss grossed Rs 150 crore.
Rajnikant was born in a Maharashtrian family based in Karnataka. His real name was Shivajirao Gaekwad. Coming from an ordinary family, he had a difficult childhood. In his youth he eked out a living by doing all kinds of odd jobs in Bangalore. He once worked as a bus conductor. 1bis was, perhaps, the reason why he connects so well with the masses. Side by side with odd jobs, he attended a theatre for stage plays. It was during this time that he nurtured his acting interests by performing in various stage plays.
Later, he went on to do a formal course in acting in Chennai.
After years of struggle came Katha Sangama, his Kannada debut film in 1975. Initially he had to do with mere supporting roles, mostly those of villains and after much initiation came the lead roles. The acceptance of Rajni sans his mannerism testified that a star was born. From then, there was no looking back for him. He rose from strength to strength. He made his entry into the mainstream Hindi cinema with Andha Kanoon.
Those who have worked with Rajni say that ego and starry airs are unknown to him. Even in breaks during shooting, he would hardly ever rush to air-conditioned make up rooms. Instead he would prefer to sleep on the sets, even without a pillow, merely covering his eyes with a wet cloth. In 1980s at a crucial phase of his career, Rajni abruptly chose to quit acting, but was persuaded to return.

