The Superstar of Indian cinema, Rajinikanth is well-known for his unique style and high-octane action sequences. From beating up a million villains with one hand to performing multiple flips mid-air and being saved from a brain tumour by a bullet, Rajinikanth always keeps the audience entertained with his macho personality on-screen. However, there are many aspects of the actor's life, that his fans aren't aware of.
There is no denying the fact that being a superstar has its own share of problems. Celebrities often fall prey to rumours and link-up stories, and their name often gets attached to the celebs they have worked with in the films. And when you are a Superstar like Rajinikanth, it's natural to hit the headlines for the alleged link-ups. So, without further ado, let's have a look at some of the lesser-known details about Rajini's love life.
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Rajinikanth is a popular name in the Indian film industry, and his popularity is second to none. Even today, the actor can give any leading actor a run for his money, courtesy of his massive fanbase and unparalleled acting spree. Back in his younger years, Rajinikanth was every lady's heartthrob, and women were all crazy about him. Though he was a complete family man, there were times when he too fell for some or the other woman. So, let's have a look at some of the women in Rajinikanth's life before he got married to his wife, Latha Rangachari.
Rajinikanth has always been a dark-toned handsome hunk, who ruled many hearts. People worship and hail him for being a humble and down-to-earth personality. However, there was a time when Rajini was just an ordinary guy and did some odd jobs to earn money. Abd being a romantic soul, the Thalaivaa fell for two ladies, whose names are unknown till date.
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Once in an interview with Behindwoods, author of Rajinikanth's biography, The Name Is Rajinikanth, Dr Gayathri Srikanth, spilled some beans about Rajinikanth's early love life. She revealed that when Rajini was a bus conductor, he was infatuated with a woman in Bangalore, and he wished to marry her. Talking about the same, she said:
“There were at least two women. One of them was when he was a bus conductor in Bangalore. He liked this woman very much. I have not named her, which was our ladies' agreement- and was hopeful of marrying her. But it flitted away with time, the way infatuations do."
However, the second time, he received a girl's proposal for marriage. When he went to her house and visited the lady, he liked her very much. However, she rejected him for being dark-skinned. And if reports are to be believed, this incident fuelled Rajini's determination to marry a fair-skinned girl. Well, that's exactly what he did when he tied the knot with the ever-so-gorgeous woman, Latha, in 1981. In the same interview, Gayathri said:
“The second woman was a proposal that was brought to him. Her family lived a little away from Bangalore city –possibly Somanahalli. But once he went there, the woman rejected him, saying, 'He is too dark and looks like a thug.' Since then- and this is my feeling- Rajini became determined to pursue someone fair complexioned and marry her. And he did – as we all know.”
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Veteran actress, late Silk Smitha became an overnight sensation with her film, Sadma, alongside actor, Kamal Haasan. Well-known for her sensuous roles and fearless bikini looks, Silk was called a B-grade actress, who only did erotic scenes on-screen. She was so bold that some people even termed her a soft-porn actress due to which she wasn't given any good roles in the later years of her career. However, in her heydays, her chemistry with Rajinikanth was a hot topic of discussion for a long time.
Rajinikanth and Silk Smitha worked in several films together, including Jeet Humari, Thanga Magan, Paayum Puli, and Sivappu Sooriyan among others. The two made it to the headlines, courtesy of their controversial dance sequences. Despite being called a family man, Rajini reportedly lusted after Silk, and some reports even claimed that the duo had an affair with each other. However, none of them ever reacted to any of these reports and continued to work together.
For the unversed, the popular film, The Dirty Picture (2011) is based on late actress, Silk Smitha's life. When the film was released, it was said that Naseeruddin Shah's character, who lusted for the young Silk, was based on Rajinikanth. However, when the rumours spread in Tinseltown, Rajini's fans did not take this lying down, and they threatened violence. Finally, the makers of the film clarified that there was no link between the character, who was an ageing actor, and Rajini as the latter had been in his prime when he worked with Silk Smitha.
Rajinikanth is married to his beloved wife, Latha Rangachari, and the duo is blessed with two beautiful daughters, Soundarya Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rajinikanth. It was a chance meeting when a college girl, Latha met an acclaimed actor, Rajinikanth, and the spark ignited. It so happened that Latha, who was a student of English literature at Ethiraj College in Chennai, was given the assignment to interview Rajinikanth for the college magazine. The actor immediately felt a connection with Latha, and in 1981, the two were pronounced husband and wife.
However, not many know that Rajinikanth, being a machismo, gave Latha no say in the matter of their marriage. In a rare interview with Sun TV in 2012, Latha opened up about the same and said:
"He did not propose to me, he informed me that he was marrying me and left."
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Latha is a doting wifey to Rajinikanth, and she never misses a chance to laud her hubby. Once, when she was asked about how she feels about being the wife of a demi-god, Latha told Kollywood Insider that her life is not easy. However, she mentioned that she and Rajinikanth are great friends and added:
'It's not easy. It's like living in a glass house. I share my ideas with my husband since we are great friends, who share and complement each other in all that we like to do in life."
Besides running a philanthropic school in Chennai, Latha also dedicates herself to the promotion of her husband's businesses. Veteran playwright and Latha's brother-in-law, Y Gee Mahendran had once opened up about her impact on Rajini's life and said:
"Latha was a sprightly dynamite before she got married, but became an embodiment of calm and maturity after she became Mrs Rajinikanth. She had a great influence in taming Rajini, the 'wild horse'."
Though Latha's role in her husband's professional life is often under wraps, but industry sources revealed that she had played a crucial role in building Brand Rajini. For the unversed, unlike other celebrities, Rajini had never lent his name to be associated with products and campaigns, and it was his wife, Latha, who convinced him to do so. She introduced a slew of merchandise, including t-shirts, caps and other memorabilia to promote Brand Rajini.
During the launch event of the book, Grand Brand Rajini, Latha talked about how she understood the fact that her husband, Rajinikanth's popularity could be monetised as he was a brand in himself. Reflecting on the same, she said:
"Rajinikanth behaves like a brand, talks like a brand and lives like a brand. He had struggled a lot to become an icon, and that is why he was a brand, not just in films but even in reality."
There's no denying the fact that Rajinikanth's love life has been full of heartbreaks and alleged affairs. However, he found his perfect partner in his wife, Latha, and the two are going stronger ever since.
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