Did you know K Balachander changed Rajinikanth’s name from Shivaji Rao Gaekwad because of his skin color?

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Did you know K Balachander changed Rajinikanth's name from Shivaji Rao Gaekwad because of his skin color?

As a dedicated follower and student of Indian cinema, I have always marveled at the enigmatic journey of Rajinikanth, the ‘God’ of our silver screens. His transformation from Shivaji Rao Gaekwad to the iconic Rajinikanth is a testament to the power of art and the influence of great mentors like K Balachander.

Undoubtedly, Rajinikanth is regarded as the ‘God’ of Indian cinema. With his dapper looks, exceptional acting, and unique personality, he has been ruling millions of hearts for over 4 decades. His identity as Rajinikanth has become so popular that people often forget that his real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. Yes, Rajinikanth is his screen name but do you know how and why the superstar changed his name? In this article, we will be exploring how Shivaji became Rajinikanth. 

In the book “Rajinikanth: A Life,” written by Vaasanthi, a section details Rajinikanth’s initial days in the entertainment industry and how he came to be known as such. This transformation occurred during the filming of his first Tamil movie, Apoorva Raagangal, alongside Kamal Haasan and Srividya. It was director K Balachander who suggested that the actor then known as “Jailer” should adopt a new name to avoid being mixed up with another actor named Sivaji Ganesan.

During a meeting with Rajinikanth, Balachander is reported to have said, “I named you Rajinikanth. He repeated the name twice and agreed.” It’s interesting to note that, similar to Rajinikanth, Sivaji Ganesan was not his real name. Known for his roles in Tamil cinema, Sivaji Ganesan was originally Villupuram Chinnaiya Manrayar Ganesamoorthy but later chose to be called by the stage name Sivaji Ganesan.

Returning to the topic of the actor from Vettaiyan, after deliberations, Balachander proposed the name “Rajinikanth” for him. Notably, this name was inspired by a character from a film Balachander had directed in 1996 titled Major Chandrakanth, where A V M Rajan portrayed Rajinikanth alongside N T Ramarao.

It’s noteworthy that Rajinikanth’s name translates to ‘color of the night’, which originally referred to his skin tone. This is how he came to be named. Apart from being known as Rajinikanth, this esteemed actor is affectionately called ‘Thalaivar’ by his admirers and supporters.

In his biography, it is noted that on a night during the festive occasion of Holi under a full moon, K Balachander gave the name Rajinikanth to Shivaji Rao. On the professional side, Rajinikanth will appear in an upcoming film titled Vettaiyan, directed by T. J. Gnanavel. Alongside him, this movie will feature Fahadh Faasil, Amitabh Bachchan, Manju Warrier, Dushara Vijayan, and others in significant roles. Additionally, Rajinikanth is set to star in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s film Coolie alongside Nagarjuna and Shruti Haasan.

How excited are you for the upcoming films of Thalaiver? Tell us in the comments. 

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2024-09-18 09:23