Book review: Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography

Books: Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography
Author: Naman Ramachandran
Publisher: Penguin (Viking)
Rating: llll

What is so great about actor Rajinikanth? Why is he revered so much and considered a demi-god? Here is the book that answers all those questions and gives us rare insight into the South megastar’s life.

Film critic Naman Ramachandran’s biography on Rajinikanth recounts the actor’s career in extraordinary detail, graphing his career from first film Apoorva Ragangal (1975) to Bollywood films like Andhaa Kanoon and Hum, and blockbusters like Sivaji and Enthiran. The book delves into Rajinikanth’s personal life, his childhood, his times of struggle and his eventual stardom. While most of us, who have watched Rajinikanth movies know him as a charismatic, master of inimitable and unparalleled style, the biography reveals Rajinikanth to be a man who carries himself with exceptional simplicity and modesty in real life. In over a month since its release, the book has found appreciation among filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Suresh Krishna, Rajiv Menon, Malayalam actor and screenplay writer Sreenivasan and Rajinikanth himself.

The London-based author enters into the soul of the persona of the star. The book traces his roles where he initially played a supporting actor or a villain, and grew to become the lead actor, mostly owing to his punchlines  which became immensely popular. The way he said a simple phrase like, “How is it?” or his action of flipping the cigarette into his mouth from a distance are trademark Rajinikanth style statements. The book is filled with interesting anecdotes about the star, even touching upon the lesser known side of the actor — that he donates 50% of his earnings from every film to charity. Ramachandran does complete justice in explaining the Rajinikanth phenomenon. As the pages keep turning,  the reader will find themselves even more amazed by the man Rajinikanth really is.