Film Industry

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Says actress Aarti Chhabria who made her fiction debut in Darr Sabko Lagta Hai

‘Karma always comes back to you’

Says actress Aarti Chhabria who made her fiction debut in Darr Sabko Lagta Hai

Aarti Chhabria has won a stunt reality on television and proved that there is no fear too great for her and now she has made her acting debut in &TV’s Darr Sabko Lagta Hai.

This is the first time you are exploring the horror genre — how was your experience?

It’s been outstanding and I have surprisingly enjoyed it thoroughly. I say surprisingly because I have never liked watching horror. As a kid I would always flip the channel if there was anything in the horror genre playing whether films or serials because it would scare me to death. In fact, when I was offered Khatron Ke Khiladi my mum would say, ‘you’re scared of everything, how are you going to do the show? You can’t even watch a horror film.’ But I decided to face my fears because that’s the kind of girl I am. So when I was offered Darr Sabko Lagta Hai I wanted to take my fear of horror heads on.

What prompted you to take up an episodic show like Darr Sabko Lagta Hai?

Honestly, the fact that it is like a short film. The concept of a short was completely alien to me till I went to the New York Academy to study filmmaking because for me films meant duration of three hours like in Bollywood or even two hours in Hollywood. When I started watching shorts, I went completely mad. Darr is not a typical series and I have seen the quality that & TV shoots and they are fabulous in production value. The whole marketing with Bipasha Basu and the way people have been talking about the show and whoever I told I was doing the show to, said it’s a great show and I should do it. I’m very wary of doing 500 episodes where I have to keep doing the same character.

From movies to reality shows to now an episodic on TV, what do you prefer the most?

I don’t consider this just an episodic because it’s one off. I think if I had to do this for many, many episodes I would have probably not done it. It’s just that the format of the show is such. But I haven’t looked at it like that. I haven’t compared one to the other and for me one is not bigger than the other but both are at par. I’m letting people watch me on TV after a very long gap.

Have you experienced any paranormal presence?

We were shooting at a very isolated kind of farm area and there was a scarecrow that was put up and I clicked a photograph of it. I tried different filters on a mobile app and the photo ended up looking so scary that my hands went cold. The mask used in the episode was also so scary.

What have you been up to post winning a reality show?

Actors usually have a short shelf life and actresses have even shorter. I entered the industry in 2001 and it’s been 15 years now. So I can’t really expect something magical in terms of projects. I have been getting a lot of offers but I thought it is better not to do anything than take up any stupid thing that comes your way. After winning the stunt reality show I did a dance reality show and I went to the New York Film Academy to learn filmmaking. I made many short films and musicals there. And for the whole of 2015 I have been putting all my energies into making something of my own. I have been evolving with every step — no good films, no problem. I can do a reality show. No reality shows, I can go to a film academy. So it has all been about growth for me.

Lastly, Aarti ko darr kisse lagta hai?

Burey karmo se darr lagta hai because karma always comes back to give you whatever you have dished out whether it is good or bad. Sirf achhe karm karo because then nothing can do anything to you.

The Bharatiya 4:37 PM

Challenges of the year

Here’s a round-up of dares that created a major stir online in 2015

Who can forget the ATS Ice Bucket Challenge that went viral globally in 2014? The challenge turned out to be a successful one in spreading awareness of the disease. The year 2015 saw a number of challenges going viral online but sadly, most of them received severe flak for promoting body shaming and eating disorders. Here’s a list of them:

Collarbone Challenge

This social media challenge appeared on Chinese social media in briefly in 2013 but since its re-appearance on June 17, 2015, it received over 34 million hits on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter within 24 hours!

WHAT DID THE CHALLENGE INVOLVE?

Basically, women had to upload their selfies online to show how many coins they can hold with their collarbones. Some participants have given the challenge a funny spin. They are pictured holding unexpected objects, from mobile phones, eggs to flasks, with the base of their necks. Even some men took this challenge replacing coins with half-cut lemons, phones, etc. One picture belonging to this challenged that received particular attention was that of Lv Jiarong, a Chinese actress, who was seen balancing around 80 coins on her two collarbones while still managing to take a selfie (see box). The Collarbone Challenge received a lot of flak from health experts globally who described it as another terrible and ridiculous body shaming social media trend and that it promoted eating disorders.

Belly button Challenge

Just a week before the Collarbone Challenge became viral, the Belly button challenge became the rage on Chinese social media mainly Weibo. It also triggered more than 1,04,000 active discussion threads.

WHAT DID THE CHALLENGE INVOLVE?

Basically, it involves posting selfies while trying to reach an arm behind one’s back and around to touch one’s belly button. If you did the challenge successfully, one was met with praise under the pretext that the challenge is a test of health and fitness. But if one failed, get body shamed in the bargain. This challenge received many brickbats by health experts who condemned it not only for promoting eating disorders, thinspiration and not being a proof of good health but in fact, shoulder flexibility.

This challenge’s participants were mostly women, however, one not-so-thin male blogger took the challenge by storm and got over 2,634 likes, 2,000 comments and was shared more than 8,452 times. Weibo user Sough Sa also got nicknamed Underdog Buddha.

Don’t Judge Challenge

To combat the numerous body shaming challenges that went viral online, the Don’t Judge Challenge was born.

WHAT DID THE CHALLENGE INVOLVE?

Users on Instagram and Twitter began posting photos or videos of themselves with unibrow, acne, pimples, spectacles — which they drew or painted on their faces — things that usually are the targets of body shaming. Later, they wipe off their ‘flaws’ to reveal a dramatic before and after look. The purpose of this challenge was to encourage people to accept their ‘flaws’ and themselves rather than to feel ashamed. Just one hitch. The challenge backfired big time as people began sharing “ugly” pic and it ended up mocking people who wear glasses, have acne, etc. And rightly so, the challenge was met with severe critism.

Condom Challenge

Don’t confuse this one with the condom challenge in 2013, where people literally snorted condoms up their nostrils!

WHAT DID THE CHALLENGE INVOLVE?

This year’s condom challenge is simpler compared to its predecessor, and involves filling a condom with water and dropping it on your friend’s head. This challenge apparently began in Japan (we know you’re tired of hearing China!) The challenge seems bizarre to aptly describe it, but people who took it up wanted to check whether condoms won’t pop even after they’re filled with a gallon of water and dropped on somebody’s head.

Hold A Coke With

Your Boobs Challenge

This challenge guaranteed serious eyeballs, when it came to creating awareness for breast cancer.

WHAT DID THE CHALLENGE INVOLVE?

Pretty obvious! It won’t come as a surprise that the Hold A Coke With Your Boobs Challenge, was started by porn recruiter Danny Frost, who works for Elite Talent Referral (a porn agency that finds new fresh faces). The agency began posting photos of busty women with Coke bottles between their breasts on May 25, and the trend gathered ample steam. This viral trend is allegedly to raise money for breast cancer awareness (dunno how many people are buying that!) Immediately, women and men on Instagram users began sharing photos of themselves participating in the challenge.

Kylie Jenner Challenge

Yes, this is one’s for real!

WHAT DID THE CHALLENGE INVOLVE?

It involves placing one’s mouth over a shot glass, bottle or jar and sucking in until the air vacuum causes the lips to swell up, and look like Kylie Jenner’s bee-stung pout. The vacuum created while sucking in the air increases blood flow to the lips and the lips swell as a result. The results were said to last for hours and even days but some complained that the after effects lasted much longer. Numerous teens — both girls and boys — began sharing their not-so-deisrable results (in many cases it resulted in bruising around the mouth) of their challenge on Twitter and Instagram.

The Bharatiya 4:26 PM

10 best looks of Kareena Kapoor Khan

This year saw Begum Bebo handling style with a more grown-up approach. All in all, she opted for mostly knee-length printed dresses or pastel Indian embellished ensembles. Her airport snapshots also radiated effortless chic.

Travel chic

Kareena shows her equestrian side with this look and proves that she’s Bollywood royalty. The boots and the sunnies say royalty like nothing else. What’s not to love? The tanned leather weekender bag, the zipper denims and sweatshirt, all spell effortless chic.

Yellow fever

Yellow never looked so good before. Bebo slays it in this beaded Roberto Cavalli Atelier gown at a red-carpet evening. Nude make-up, side-swept hair flashing the back and shimmery Judith Leiber minaudière add to the goddess allure.

Her Hotness

Kareena unveiled Bajrangi Bhaijan‘s latest trailer rocking a white dress by designer Aiisha Ramadan. She totally knocks it out of the ballpark in this asymmetric faux-skirt. The Louboutins, smoky eyes and ponytail just says tres chic.

Pastel tones

Kareena wore this Manish Malhotra pastel sari with ombre effect at Soha Ali Khan’s wedding and reception. The dainty emerald neckpiece is a beautiful addition to the ensemble.

Ethnic ensemble

Bebo opted for a colour blocked ornate Payal Khandwala ensemble. She looked pretty; however, the clutch looked rather unnecessary or an afterthought.

Of peaches & jewel tones

Kareena Kapoor Khan’s recent appearance in a peach, jewel toned salwar kameez totally suited her. However, since she was at the airport, she wore it rather casually and completed her look with a pair of sunnies minus any jewellery.

Print diva

One of Bebo’s most striking appearances was for the Bajrangi Bhaijaan promotions was in a printed Issa number. Pale lips, smoky eyes and blow-dried hair add to the chic quotient.

Shimmer & candy

Bebo looked delectable herself as she rocked this shimmery evening worn at an event where she was announced the face of an ice cream brand.

Gown glamazon

At an awards night, Kareena picked a Monisha Jaising green gown. The halter-neck gown had cut-out detailing which worked in her favour. She completed the look with K Jo for Gehna earrings.

Print Princess

Kareena Kapoor Khan looks ravishing in a printed Temperley London dress worn with cap-toed Gianvito Rossi pumps. She kept the make-up minimal and side-swept hair which adds to its casual chic appeal

The Bharatiya 4:22 PM

HOW NAAGINS AND DAAYANS RULED THE SMALL SCREEN

WAS 2015 THE YEAR WE GOT OVER SAAS-BAHU DRAMAS? HOW NAAGINS AND DAAYANS RULED THE SMALL SCREEN

While shows about kitchen politics and romance failed to garner ratings, those that gave us the chills ruled the charts as well as the audience's hearts. Is the supernatural here to stay?

It certainly looks like TV producers got tired of the regular saas-bahu drama this year, and decided to add some su pernatural elements to help with TV ratings. It wouldn't be wrong to say that the year 2015 belonged to naagins, vishkanyas, daayans and bhoots. Be it through tracks on their shows or through stand-alone horror shows like Darr Sabko Lagta Hai and Fear Files, producers were definitely out to spook you. And for the real horror aficionados who thought that the these fictional shows didn't satisfy their daily dose of all things spooky , even reality and comedy shows went in for a scary makeover this year. And this horror and occult content didn't escape the eye of the BCCC (Broadcasting Content Complaints Council), which recently issued an advisory to channels to exercise caution and restraint while airing such shows.

PART OF OUR FOLK TRADITION

Industry experts say that stories about naagins and demons have been part of our folk tradition and most of us have grown up hearing them. Pawan Kumar, director of Sasural Simar Ka (SSK), says, “Saas-bahu se sab pareshaan ho gaye hain. What next? Aaj kal TV ki audience paanch saal mein change ho jaati hai. Aur jo audience waapis aati hai, woh waali audience hai jo TV paanch saal pehle dekhti thi. People somewhere believe in the co-existence of Gods and bhoot-pret. India mein jo itne baba hain unmein log believe karte hain. Waise hi log bhoot aur naag-naagin par bhi believe karte hain. The TV-watching audience enjoys it, so every producer is following it now.“
Arjun Bijlani, the lead actor of Naagin, says, “There is a limited number of subjects on which you can make shows.People love such offerings because they take you into a world of fantasy and fiction. Just the thought that naagins might exist sounds very cool.“

SENSATIONAL CONTENT FOR VIEWERS

Another reason cited by creators of such shows is that it's quicker and easier to incorporate horror elements, as opposed to bringing alive romance on screen. Gorky Max, producer of Qubool Hai and Adhuri Kahani Humari, says, “We wanted to add a twist to the storyline in Qubool Hai. The conventional daayan is supposed to look scary , but we cast a beautiful girl like Additi Gupta for the role and somehow, it worked. I don't think anybody expected this kind of programming to be so popular.It takes time for people to connect with love stories, and they are usually slow-paced. Everybody's surprised that Naagin's ratings have gone through the roof. Within the industry , there was talk about doing subtle and classy programming that is oriented towards urban viewers, but that has taken a backseat now. Also, shows aren't being given much time to establish themselves, and grabbing eyeballs through sensationalism can only happen if you are doing something supernatural. That's why we picked up the trend now. I think people are invested in the characters of long-running shows like Diya Aur Baati Hum, but for new shows, it takes time. In Qubool Hai, the marriage of the lead actors Asad and Zoya at the Taj Mahal was supposed to be the high point, but it didn't generate good ratings. However, when the daayan track was introduced, ratings jumped.We believe in fairytales, that's why even mythological shows have worked with audiences.“

BHOOTS AND NAAGINS FOR EVERY GENRE

It isn't just the fiction shows that have been bitten by the bhoot bug, even comedy , crime and reality ones are fascinated with horror. For instance, comedy show Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai (BGPH) recently had a track where a spirit was shown falling in love with one of the male protagonists. The current season of Bigg Boss had a task called `Bhoot Bangla' , in which contestants were supposed to dress up and scare each other.Sanjay Kohli, producer of BGPH, says, “We try and find new dimensions to comedy . The aatma wasn't shown as a permanent character and that track ended within five days. The way it was treated was funny . We showed people possessed by the aatma doing things that made audience laugh.“ Zindagi Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Ghost (ZABHMG) portrays the relationship an orphan shares with a family of ghosts. Rakesh Kumar, director of ZABHMG, says, “Ghost stories were only restricted to horror shows earlier. The supernatural element didn't enter the comedy or drama space.“

LACK OF CLARITY IN STORIES

Purnendu Shekhar, producer of Satrangi Sasural, says, “ Adding such elements means that there is a lack of confidence in the storyline. What happens is that all channels are marketingdriven and ratings are of prime importance. Agar numbers nahi aate, toh woh aisi cheezein daalne ki koshish karte hain.Unfortunately , shows that are reigning now, like SSK and Naagin (It's the numero uno show across all channels) strengthen this belief that shows which incorporate horror do get the numbers. Though I'm not writing Satrangi... anymore, I can say that whatever is being shown as black magic on the show now will eventually turn out to be something else completely . The channel told us to incorporate such elements, but we told them that there would be no coming out of it. Also, I think viewers are to be blamed. Aise elements waale shows itne zyada chal rahe hain kyunki log dekh rahe hain unhe.“

WE'RE NOT PROMOTING SUPERSTITION

The BCCC recently took note of such shows and issued an advisory to all channels asking them to exercise restraint while showing such content. However, people associated with these shows disagree with the BCCC. According to them, the channel runs a disclaimer when such tracks are being shown. Pawan stresses, “We run a disclaimer during the show that we aren't promoting superstition. Even our news channels went overboard when they covered Radhe Maa because people want to see such things. Aaj romance dekhne waali audience nahi hai.Youngsters don't watch TV , most of our viewers consist of homemakers. Do per cent log aage badh gaye hain, par 98% toh abhi bhi dabe huye hain. Hum us 98% audience ko entertain karne ke liye show banate hain. Kuch na kuch karna hota hai, aur yeh chal gaya. We don't put scary elements in our shows. Hamaari chudail bhi Balika Vadhu (referring to Pratyusha Banerjee) thi.Even our witches are beautiful. Rather than getting scared, people are entertained. We don't show bloodshed.“
Divyanka Tripathi, who pretended to be possessed by a ghost in Ye Hai Mohabbatein, says, “When I was told that Shagun's spirit will enter my body , I was very shocked because our show had always kept everything very real. But then in the end, it was revealed that my character was just acting in order to save the life of her husband, whose murder was being plotted. We've never promoted superstition or the concept of black magic. In fact, when a tantrik baba came to `cure' my character while she was possessed, we showed how they put chemicals in the fire so that it changes colour.“
But Shekhar, who is also the writer of Balika Vadhu, says, “Such tracks promote wrong perceptions, so makers should desist from including them. Long back, I got a suggestion from the channel to in corporate supernatural elements in Balika Vadhu, but I rejected that suggestion. I'm also writing a hor ror show, but it's absolutely fic tional and not based on real ity. I'm not against horror as a genre, but I'm not in favour of incorporating them in daily soaps. Mak ing an out-and-out horror show is fine, but I have an issue with such tracks being incor porated into fami ly dramas.“

BCCC ISSUES ADVISORY

While broadcasters and producers are reaping the benefits from spooky twists,the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) has a different take. The TV ombudsman has received several complaints over the depiction of the occult, superstition, black magic, exorcism and witchcraft in TV programmes, especially the portrayal of women in a “negative manner“.
In an advisory issued recently, the Council stated that while it doesn't have any intention to curb creative liberty,it also believes that should any such depiction become absolutely necessary in line with the story, the channel must then run a scroll during its telecast disapproving of any such practice, and also describe it as a work of fiction. The advisory further states that if the content is based predominantly on themes of the occult, superstition, black magic, exorcism and witchcraft, the channel should air such programmes during restrictive viewing hours.
According to BCCC officials,“Following complaints against shows like Qubool Hai,Badii Devrani and Sasural Simar Ka, it was decided that there should be an advisory issued on showing horror and occult content on TV. Almost 11% of the complaints received by us have been regarding horror content on shows. We also want to advise channels to run these shows during restricted hours. The promos of these programmes are run throughout the day and that is not suitable for children.“

WHEN FICTION GOT SPOOKY

YE HAI MOHABBATEIN

The daily soap turned into a horror show for a few episodes, before it became a crime thriller. After Anita Hassanandani's character committed suicide, Divyanka Tripathi's character was shown as possessed by her spirit.Later, it turned out that Anita and Divyanka were just putting on a show to find out who was trying to plot against Divyanka's family.

SASURAL SIMAR KA

This show has had it all snakewomen, witches, daayans and bhoots. It's still difficult to fathom how it went from being a saas-bahu show to a horror show, where the protagonist is shown fighting evil with help from her family.

QUBOOL HAI

The entry of Additi Gupta on the show not only brought a third angle to the love story between Surbhi Jyoti and Karanvir Bohra, but also a supernatural twist to the separation and reconciliation drama between the two leads.
After a generation leap, the show has stayed on the daayan trail, with a new daayan now being added to the show.

SATRANGI SASURAL

For once, we saw a good spirit on a show, who was trying to set things right for her husband and his second wife. But then again, it is impossible to have a TV show with only positive characters and situations. So, a black magic track was introduced.

BADII DEVRANI

Though this daily soap might not have been able to generate ratings, it did try every trick in the book to ace the number game, and that meant including a black magic track where a bahu relied on this practice to trouble her in-laws and divide the family.

TUM AISE HI REHNA

The show which went off air earlier this year had Madhura Naik playing the former girlfriend of the male protagonist, who returns as a ghost to wreak havoc in their marital life.

CHAKRAVARTIN ASHOKA SAMRAT

This historical show, re counting the journey of Ashoka from a brave warrior to a king, re cently threw in a black magic track. The charac ters looked a lot like the ones in Game Of Thrones, and the makers probably thought that the ancient setting was perfect to include photogenic supernatural characters.

SNAKE CHARMERS

There is no dearth of beautiful shape-shifting women who can transform from a naagin to a damsel in distress on-screen when needed.

ADHURI KAHANI HUMARI

Not only does the show deal with punarjanam, but it also has a naagin who, in search of some precious mani, kills the lovers, who are reborn in different places.
SASURAL SIMAR KA
Sara Khan was seen playing the ichhadaari naagin here and the success of this track probably spurred the makers to include other supernatural elements in it.

NEELI CHATRI WAALE

Rakshanda Khan made her small screen comeback by taking on the role of a naagin. The naagin takes on the role of a woman while in search of her husband from a previous birth.

NAAGIN

This serial will probably prove to be the reason why we might get to see more such shows in the future. Naagin has opened with quite high ratings and has taken the numero uno position on charts. Though the series is a finite one, there have been reports doing the rounds that it might get an extension or come back with a second season.

The Bharatiya 4:05 PM

BOLLYWOOD'S BEST SELFIES THIS YEAR

Celebrities continued their love affair with social media all through 2015.From using it to promote their films, to sharing their private moments -actors surprised us with their candid and cool photos. Here's a pick of some of our favourites...

Monday, December 14, 2015

The Bharatiya 12:59 PM

Salman case destroyed constable Patil’s life, his health and family

As the nation debates the High Court verdict in Salman Khan hit-and-run case, my mind jogs back to the time when I met the second-most important man in the saga – Khan’s police bodyguard Ravindra Patil.

It started with a tip-off from a source, who said Patil was in a bad state and admitted in one of the city hospitals. At the time, he was missing with neither family, friends nor the police department having any clue about his whereabouts. Several phone calls later, I ascertained that possibly, Patil was at the tuberculosis hospital in Sewri. It was September 20, 2007.

Once at the hospital with a photographer colleague, the tried-and-tested tactics of trying to ferret out information proved to be in vain. Either nobody knew about Patil or they were unwilling to divulge any information.

Hours later, we found Patil in ward number 4 on the fourth floor. The sight left us stunned. Images after images on television during the days following the Salman incident in 2002 showed Patil as a tall, slim, athletic cop. He looked every inch a police bodyguard, ready to spring into action as and when required.

On the TB hospital bed, however, Patil was just a skeleton wrapped in skin. His legs and hands protruding from a black blanket he was wrapped in were like sticks, without an ounce of flesh on them. His face was so gaunt it was almost unrecognisable. His hair had thinned and his voice was soft, almost a whisper, punctuated by regular coughs.

Doctors had diagnosed him with a deadly strain of bilateral active pulmonary tuberculosis. Patil had been dismissed from the force, abandoned by his family and had no place to stay in Mumbai.

The first thing he asked of me was some thing he was apparently asking anyone he met – money. He told me a story of awful wretchedness. He was roaming around the streets of the city, sleeping on street corners, begging for money. All this while, no one had even a clue that he was the most important witness to possibly the country’s most talked-about hit-and-run involving one of the biggest matinee stars.

Managing to speak slowly, he told me he didn’t have any money. “This accident case destroyed my life, I lost my job. My health deteriorated. Nobody from my family or friends come to meet me. I don’t like hospital food and want to improve my diet. I need money for that,” he said. I also remember Patil telling me that Salman was a good man. He didn’t explain what he meant by that. I asked again, but couldn’t get him to talk about the actor again.

Hospital superintendent SB Padhi told me they were giving the best possible treatment to Patil. His brother told us that he was under treatment at Dhule but had vamoosed from there and made his way to Mumbai. Relatives were avoiding him as he asked for money.

On October 4, 2007, 14 days after we met him, Patil died, and with him the truth about the case. While the man at the centre of the incident went on to become one of the country’s biggest superstars, Patil’s destiny brought him to a state where even the patient in the bed next to him had no idea who he was.

Saturday, December 12, 2015

The Bharatiya 4:48 PM

At 65, Rajinikanth Still Has the Southern Spice

01
One of the greatest actors Indian cinema has ever produced, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth continues to remain larger than life to his fans as he turns 65. The actor, who has been busy filming Kabali, has requested his fans to call off all plans made to ring in his birthday.

NDTV toasts Rajini sir with a pictorial journey through his life as he turns a year older.
02
Rajinikanth, born on December 12, 1950 to a Marathi family in Bangalore, is the fourth child of his parents, Jijabai and police constable Ramojirao Gaekwad. Rajinikanth's real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad.
03
The cash-strapped Gaekwads struggled financially when Rajinikanth was young. He earned an income in several small jobs in Bangalore and Chennai, including as a coolie, before ending up as a bus conductor with the Bangalore Transport Service. He also appeared in local stage plays, most notably as Duryodhan.
04
While working as a bus conductor, his charisma and style were noted by passengers who suggested he become an actor. A friend helped him out financially and Rajinikanth joined the Madras Film Institute in 1974. The Kannada-speaking Rajinikanth also learnt to speak Tamil, a move that was to pay rich dividends.
05
The rich dividends started with Rajinikanth's very first film which was in Tamil. He was cast in a supporting role, debuting as an abusive husband in Apoorva Raagangal in 1975. The film was directed by K Balachander, who Rajinikanth refers to as his 'guru' or 'mentor'.
06
The following year, Rajinikanth acted in his first Kannada film, Katha Sangama, directed by Puttanna Kanagal. Though Rajinikanth considers director K Balachander his mentor, it was director S P Muthuraman who actually revamped Rajinikanth's image. Muthuraman next cast him in the experimental Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1977) as a villain in the first half of the film and a protagonist in the second.
07
These films were the turning points in Rajinikanth's career; he changed from an actor who merely enthralled the audience to one who could also evoke emotions. Between 1975 and 1977, he was also frequently cast as the villain with Kamal Haasan playing the hero in movies like 16 Vayadhinilae, Moondru Mudichu and Avargal.
08
Then came a phase when Rajinikanth abruptly chose to quit acting, but then was coaxed back by family, friends and fans. He continued acting with the blockbuster Tamil film Billa (1980), which was a remake of Big B's superhit film Don (1978). With its phenomenal success, Rajinikanth was accepted as a full-fledged hero. Billa was followed by a row of hits, namely Murattu Kaalai (1980), Pokkiri Raja (1982), Thanikattu Raja (1982), Naan Mahaan Alla (1984), Pudukavithai (1982) and Moondru Mugam (1983).
09
He acted in his first cameo role alongside child actor Meena Durairaj in the movie Anbulla Rajinikanth (1984). More box-office hits dominated the 1980s with Padikkathavan, Thee, Velaikaran, Dharmathin Thalaivan, Mr Bharath and Maaveeran.
10
Rajinikanth made his Bollywood debut with Andha Kanoon (1983) but the film didn't do well at the box office. Despite his Bollywood debacle, he was seen in several Hindi films including Chaalbaaz (1989), Uttar Dakshin (1987), Geraftaar (1985) and the famous Hum (1991) opposite Amitabh Bachchan.
11
In his 100th film, Sri Raghavendra (1985), Rajinikanth played the Hindu saint Raghavendra Swami.
12
He starred in the 1988 American film Bloodstone, which released with much fanfare in India, but went unnoticed in the United States.
13
Rajinikanth's movies in the '90s included Thalapathy, Mannan, Annamalai, Uzhaippali, Veera, Muthu, Arunachalam and Padayappa. Rajinikanth wrote his first screenplay and made a special appearance in the film Valli (1993). His film Baashha opened in 1995.
14
Next came the 2010 blockbuster Enthiran opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film, made at a whopping cost of Rs 200 crore, collected Rs 117 crore in the first seven days, even surpassing the first-week collection of Bollywood's highest grosser Dabangg (Rs 82 crore) in 2010.
15
Rajinikanth has received a gamut of awards for many of his films. He bagged the Filmfare Best Actor (Tamil) award for Nallavanuku Nallavan in 1984 and for Muthu in 1994.
16
He received India's third highest honour, the Padma Bhushan, for his contribution to Indian cinema in 2000.
17
Rajinikanth also received Tamil Nadu State Film Awards in the Best Actor category for his roles in Muthu (1995), Padayappa (1999), Chandramukhi (2005), and Sivaji (2007). He also received numerous awards from Cinema Express and Filmfans' Association for his on-screen performances and off-screen contributions.
18
Rajinikanth was 31 when he married Latha on February 26, 1981, in Tirupati. The couple have two daughters. Elder daughter Aishwarya Rajinikanth is married to actor Dhanush and made her debut as a director with 3.
Rajinikanth's younger daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth works in the film industry as a director, producer and graphic designer. She also directed Kochadaiiyaan which starred her father in the lead role. Soundarya is married to industrialist Ashwin Ramkumar.
19
Things were not quite so smooth for Rajinikanth in 2011 when he was put out of action by a respiratory illness. He was flown to Singapore for treatment, returning a month later.
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After his illness, Rajinikanth made his first public appearance in 2012 to watch actor and dramatist Y G Mahendran's play in Chennai. Since his illness, Rajinikanth has kept a low-profile and, as revealed by elder daughter Aishwarya, spends his time with his grandsons Yathra and Linga.
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While on the sabbatical, Rajinikanth also agreed to do a very special cameo in RA.One (2011), Shah Rukh Khan's ambitious sci-fi flick. He was seen as Chitti, the role made famous by him in his own sci-fi blockbuster Enthiran.
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In 2012, Rajinikanth recreated the magic of Sivaji with its 3D version. The movie, which released on his birthday that year, received a positive response from the audience and critics alike.
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Rajinikanth was next seen in 2014's Kochadaiiyaan directed by his younger daughter Soundarya R Ashwin. The film, which also featured Deepika Padukone, Jackie Shroff and Sarath Kumar, turned out to be a damp squib leaving distributors in huge losses.
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Lingaa, which starred Rajinikanth opposite Sonakshi Sinha and Anushka Shetty, met with a similar fate with distributors demanding crores in compensation from Rajinikanth.
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Rajinikanth will next be seen as a gangster opposite Radhika Apte in Kabali. There's also Enthiran 2 opposite Amy Jackson which is in pre-production and is expected to go on floors next year.

Here's wishing Rajini sir a very happy birthday and many more films to come.