Rajinikanth Turns 73: From 'Sivaji-The Boss' to 'Robot', revisiting the biggest blockbusters of the Superstar

A pan-India superstar and an acting maestro, the legendary Rajinikanth is celebrating his 73rd birthday this year while continuing to command an unparalleled fan following across the globe. Born on December 12, 1950, in the state of Karnataka, Rajinikanth’s journey to stardom is quite inspiring, and influential, and his magnetic presence remains unmatched in the world of cinema, especially in the South Indian film industry.

In a career spanning five decades, Rajinikanth who started working at the age of 25, predominantly worked in the Tamil film industry, however, later also worked in other language films. Undoubtedly, he is recognised for his contribution to Indian cinema and for giving some exceptional performances in movies.

That being said, today on his 73rd birthday, here are a few top Rajinikanth movies that every Thalaivar fan should definitely watch.

Best Rajinikanth films

Sivaji: The Boss – Directed by S Shankar, the 2007 film Sivaji: The Boss portrays the actor in the role of a successful software engineer who returns to India to use his money for the betterment of society, but has to face numerous challenges including corruption. One of the highest-grossing films of his career, Sivaji: The Boss also won a National Film Award, taking Rajinikanth to a higher level of stardom. The film collection around Rs 100-150 crores globally.

Robot – Also known as Enthiran, Robot features the legendary Rajnikanth in a dual role as scientist K Vaseegaran and a humanoid robot named Chitti. The film explores the consequence of creating advanced artificial intelligence and the ethical dilemmas associated with it after the robot created by the scientist falls in love with a woman. Also, featuring actors like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Danny Denzongpa, the film became the highest-grossing Indian film of 2010 and also won two National Film Awards. The film reportedly grossed Rs 290 crore globally.

2.0 – A sequel to the 2010 film Robot, Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, and Amy Jackson starrer 2.0 was also a big hit. While Akshay Kumar was the main antagonist in the film, the veteran actor played different roles including scientist Vaseegaran, the humanoid robot Chitti, reloaded 2.0, a dwarf, and a giant. The film made a massive earning of Rs 655.81 crore globally.

Kaala – Directed by PA Ranjith, Kaala portrays the story of a slum-dwelling godfather of people named Kaala who fights against powerful political forces including a ruthless minister Hari Dev played by Nana Patekar. He will be also shown as avenging the death of his wife and son. While the film was a big hit, it was also the first Indian film to be released in Saudi Arabia. At the end of its theatrical run, the film grossed around Rs 159.56 crore.

Kabali – The 2016 release Kabali follows the story of a Kuala Lumpur-based gangster who gets released from prison 25 years after he was put into jail over a false charge of killing people. The story follows how the gangster goes on a mission to avenge his jail term, while also looking for his wife and daughter. Kabali is also one of the best-known films by the actor. The film reportedly made over Rs 650 crore at the worldwide box office.

Jailer – One of the latest releases by the actor, the 2023 film Jailer follows the story of a retired police officer Muthuvel Pandian who is on a mission to apprehend an idol smuggler after his son ACP Arjun goes missing while chasing the smuggler. The film turned out to be the highest-grossing Tamil film this year, the highest-grossing Tamil film, and the fourth-highest-grossing Indian film of 2023. The film earned over Rs 600 crore globally.

Darbar – Released at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Darbar revolves around the story of the Mumbai Police Commissioner Aditya Arunachalam who is shown to be ruthless and reckless, forcing the National Human Rights Commission to take action against him. However, the story takes a different turn after one of his old friends discovers the reason behind his behaviour. The film is also counted among the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year. The film earned around Rs 200-250 crore at the box office.