Did you know about THIS 50-year-old ICONIC connection of Rajinikanth with Holi?

The day of Holi holds iconic significance in the life of Rajinikanth. Do you know why?

By Goutham S

Published on Mar 14, 2025 | 11:26 PM IST | 7.5K

Did you know about THIS 50-year-old ICONIC connection of Rajinikanth with Holi? (PC: Pinkvilla)

Superstar Rajinikanth has been an inseparable part of Indian cinema for 50 years now. Throughout his illustrious career, he has played a variety of roles, from supporting characters and antagonists to leading heroes. But did you know that the day of Holi holds a special significance in his life?

In an old post by his daughter and filmmaker Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth, it was revealed that the superstar was given the name ‘Rajinikanth’ on Holi in 1975.

Before the shoot of Kamal Haasan’s starrer Apoorva Raagangal, the late director K. Balachander bestowed this name upon him, changing it from Shivaji Rao Gaikwad.

The movie, which marked Rajinikanth’s debut in Tamil cinema, was released on August 15, 1975. A romantic drama, it follows the life of Prasanna, a young man who falls in love with an older woman, Bhairavi. Meanwhile, Bhairavi’s daughter, Ranjani, develops feelings for Prasanna’s father, Mahendran.

The film’s central theme was inspired by a riddle from the Indian folktale collection Vetala Panchavimshati (popularly known as Vikram-Vetal). The riddle revolves around a king marrying a woman while his son marries her mother, sparking a question about kinship relations if these couples were to have children. This concept formed the foundation of the movie’s storyline.

On the work front, Rajinikanth was last seen in Vettaiyan, directed by T.J. Gnanavel. The film featured him as an IPS officer who mistakenly encounters the wrong culprit, leading him down a rabbit hole as he attempts to solve the case and adapt his methods along the way.

The actor is now set to appear in Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The upcoming action flick also stars Nagarjuna Akkineni and Upendra Rao in pivotal roles, with Aamir Khan expected to make a cameo appearance.

Additionally, Rajinikanth will reprise his role in Jailer 2, the sequel to Jailer. Directed by Nelson, the film’s production commenced earlier this month.