Even today, several debutant directors say in interviews that they have a story for superstar Rajinikanth. In these stories, they envision him not as a father or another significant supporting character, but as the hero. Rajinikanth’s presence extends beyond his own films. Many young actors portray themselves as his fans on screen, while films made in other languages often feature a poster or photograph of the superstar in at least one frame when depicting Tamil Nadu.
In an article about Rajinikanth published in 2013, Forbes India observed, “Films have a lifespan, but their stars do not. They become brands.”
Author J. Deepa says Rajinikanth openly appreciates certain films and expresses his desire to work in stories of that kind. However, she explains that he carefully selects only those films that he believes will appeal to his fans. This, she says, is one of the reasons the Rajini brand continues to endure.
J. Deepa has written several books on cinema, including Oli Vithagargal and Kathai to Thiraikathai. According to her, Rajinikanth understands both his strengths and weaknesses and remains careful about how they are presented on screen. His distinctive style, which has remained consistent from his first film to the present day, is one example.
The research paper titled A Bird’s Eye View of Brand Rajinikanth explains how the actor has transcended individual films to attract people across different sections of society. His punch dialogues, his portrayal of ordinary people in films such as Annamalai, Uzhaippali, Veera and Muthu, and his simple demeanour in public life have all contributed to strengthening his brand.
The paper notes that Indian superstars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan endorse several commercial brands, whereas Rajinikanth does not publicly endorse commercial brands.
However, his image has been used for commercial purposes. For instance, Japanese food company Tohato used Rajinikanth’s photograph to promote its product in Japan. The actor had become popular in Japan through the dubbed version of his 1995 film Muthu.
The Influence of Baashha on Jailer
The 2023 film Jailer bears the influence of Rajinikanth’s film Baashha. Its story revolves around a retired jailer who abandons his peaceful family life and turns to violence to avenge the murder of his son. His true identity and past actions are revealed through flashbacks and the accounts of other characters.
Well-known actors from other film industries, including Mohanlal, Shivarajkumar, Vinayakan and Jackie Shroff, had said that they agreed to appear in Jailer solely because of Rajinikanth. A song based on one of the superstar’s punch dialogues was also created and used in the film.
A film’s commercial success can be measured independently of its artistic merit, storyline, screenplay or socially relevant message. By this measure, Jailer earned more than Rs 600 crore, according to information made public by its production company. The figure is significant when compared with the commercial performance of films featuring some of the biggest stars in the Indian film industry today.
Not Every Film Needs to Be a Blockbuster
Not all films starring superstar Rajinikanth achieve major commercial success. One prominent example is Baba, released in 2002.
Rajinikanth wrote the screenplay for Baba and also produced the film. Although it failed commercially, its performance did not affect the success of his next film, Chandramukhi.
J. Deepa points out that several scenes in Chandramukhi before the interval unfold without Rajinikanth. The screenplay also gave considerable importance to Jyothika’s character.
“Despite this, Rajinikanth agreed to work in the film. One of the major reasons was his confidence in his own brand,” she says.
Rajinikanth Understands His Weaknesses
At the beginning of his film career, Rajinikanth played villains in several films. His roles in Pathinaru Vayathinile, Moondru Mudichu, Gayathri and Avalgal were characters that an actor seeking to establish himself as a brand might have hesitated to accept.
The book Grand Brand Rajni: Brand Management the Rajinikanth Way states that Rajinikanth emerged as a villain whom audiences loved. His negative roles produced highly positive results for his career.
“Whenever he appeared as a villain in a film, he received the loudest applause. This was something new for the South Indian film industry,” the book says.
J. Deepa says Rajinikanth understood his weaknesses from the beginning. When he entered the film industry, she explains, audiences and the industry were not readily prepared to accept an actor with dark skin as a hero.
“He therefore performed the villainous roles that came his way in a different style. He played these characters in such a way that people felt no other actor could replace him,” she says.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Rajinikanth appeared in several Bollywood films as a second hero or in important supporting roles. Many of these films starred Amitabh Bachchan.
According to J. Deepa, Rajinikanth worked in several Bollywood films out of friendship, which helped him build a fan base in the Hindi film industry as well.
“Despite this, he did not try to become the main hero in Bollywood. He understood the standards of physical appearance that prevailed there,” she says.
However, his Bollywood appearances had already helped establish him as a pan-India star during the 1990s, bringing attention to his Tamil films among audiences elsewhere in the country.
J. Deepa says the qualities Rajinikanth carefully managed at the beginning of his career and at its peak later became important considerations for directors writing stories for him.
Producers Continue to Back the Superstar
In recent years, Rajinikanth’s films Darbar, Annaatthe, Lal Salaam and Vettaiyan have failed to achieve the success expected of them. Nevertheless, he continues to play the lead in large-scale productions such as Jailer, Coolie and Jailer 2.
Film producer G. Dhananjayan says several producers still want to make films with Rajinikanth.
“As long as Rajinikanth himself does not refuse, films will continue to be made because of his superstar image and the value of his brand,” he says.
According to Dhananjayan, both Jailer and Jailer 2 were conceived around the Rajini brand.
“Estimates of a film’s first-day collections and its overall box-office earnings are based on Rajinikanth’s popularity and the value of his brand. He plays the most important role in determining the expectations surrounding these films and the revenue estimates associated with them,” Dhananjayan says.
He is confident that Jailer 2 will surpass the box-office record of its predecessor, Jailer.
At an event related to Coolie, Rajinikanth spoke candidly about his age and the demands of filmmaking.
“I have grown old now. I am like a 1950s-model car that has travelled several lakh kilometres,” he said.
He added that he had told the film’s team not to make him work too hard and to handle him carefully.
Rajinikanth’s public persona, both in films and on stage, often comes across as closer to that of an ordinary person than that of a distant celebrity. This quality is also regarded as an important reason behind the longevity of the Rajini brand.
The book Grand Brand Rajni explains that the brand would never have developed in the same way if Rajinikanth had been introduced simply as the next superstar or the king of style.
“A brand must clearly understand what it can do and what it cannot. Rajinikanth understands this,” the book states.
With Jailer 2 now in theatres, the enduring appeal of Rajinikanth’s carefully cultivated screen persona remains central to expectations surrounding the film. His career illustrates how a star’s commercial identity can outlast individual box-office disappointments, with audience loyalty, distinctive performances and a consistent public image continuing to shape the prospects of his films.
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