Rajinikanth filmography


Rajinikanth is an Indian actor, film producer, screenwriter and also a playback singer who has appeared predominantly in Tamil cinema. He began his film career by playing antagonistic and supporting roles before graduating to a lead actor. After starring in numerous commercially successful films throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he has continued to hold a matinée idol status in the popular culture of Tamil Nadu. Writing for Slate, Grady Hendrix called him the "biggest movie star you've probably never heard of," alluding to the fact that the West mainly considers Hindi cinema actors as Indian film stars. Rajinikanth has also worked in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali film industries.
He made his cinematic debut with K. Balachander's 1975 Tamil drama Apoorva Raagangal, in which he played a minor role of an abusive husband. He had his first major role in Balachander's Telugu drama film Anthuleni Katha, and got his breakthrough in Tamil with Moondru Mudichu —also directed by Balachander. His style and mannerisms in the latter earned recognition from the audience. In 1977, he acted in 15 films, playing negative characters in most of them, including Avargal, 16 Vayathinile, Aadu Puli Attam and Gaayathri. He had positive roles in Kavikkuyil, the Kannada film Sahodarara Savaal, and the Telugu film Chilakamma Cheppindi, in which he played the protagonist for the first time in his career. His role as a failed lover in S. P. Muthuraman's Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri won him critical acclaim. In 1978, he was cast as the main lead in the Tamil film Bairavi. The same year, he received critical acclaim for his roles in Mullum Malarum and Aval Appadithan; the former earned him a Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for Best Actor. He made his Malayalam cinema debut with I. V. Sasi's fantasy Allauddinum Albhutha Vilakkum, an adaptation of a story from One Thousand and One Nights. By the end of the decade, he had worked in all South Indian languages and established a career in Tamil cinema.
He played dual roles in the action thriller Billa, which was a remake of the Bollywood film Don. It was his biggest commercial success to that point and gave him the action hero image. Murattu Kaalai released in 1980 was instrumental in establishing Rajinikanth as both an action hero and superstar. Balachander's Thillu Mullu, the Tamil remake of the Bollywood film Gol Maal, was Rajinikanth's first full-length comedy film. He played triple roles in the 1982 Tamil film Moondru Mugam, which earned him a special prize at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards ceremony. The following year, he made his Bollywood debut with T. Rama Rao's Andhaa Kaanoon; it was among the top-grossing Bollywood films in 1983. Muthuraman's Nallavanukku Nallavan won him that year's Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor. In 1985, he portrayed the Hindu saint Raghavendra Swami in his 100th film Sri Raghavendrar, a box-office failure. In the latter half of the 1980s, he starred in several films in Tamil and Hindi, including Geraftaar, Padikkadavan, Mr. Bharath, Dosti Dushmani, Velaikaran, Manithan, Guru Sishyan, Dharmathin Thalaivan and ChaalBaaz. During this time, he made his debut in American cinema with a supporting role in the mystery adventure film Bloodstone, a box-office failure.
Rajinikanth continued to act in Bollywood, often playing supporting roles in films such as Hum, and Phool Bane Angaray. Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Thalapathi, based on the Indian epic Mahabharata, earned him critical acclaim. Suresh Krissna's Annaamalai, P. Vasu's Mannan and Uzhaippali are among his box-office successes in Tamil. He made his debut as a screenwriter with Valli, a commercial failure. The Suresh Krissna-directed Baashha, in which he played a crime boss, was a major commercial success in his career and earned him a "demigod" status in Tamil Nadu. Later that year he acted in K. S. Ravikumar's Muthu, which was dubbed into Japanese. In Japan, the film grossed a record US$1.6 million in 1998 and was largely instrumental in creating a fan-base for Rajinikanth in the country. Padayappa, his second collaboration with Ravikumar, went on to become the highest-grossing Tamil film to that point. In 2002 Rajinikanth produced, wrote and starred in the fantasy thriller Baba, which fell short of market expectations and incurred heavy losses for its distributors. After a three-year sabbatical, he returned to acting with the comedy horror film Chandramukhi ; it went on to become the highest-grossing Tamil film to that point, and its theatrical run lasted 126 weeks at Shanti Theatre in Chennai. Rajinikanth was paid 26 crore for his role in S. Shankar's Sivaji, which made him the second-highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan. He played dual roles, as a scientist and an andro-humanoid robot, in the science fiction film Enthiran. It was India's most expensive production at the time of its release, and is among the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. He played triple roles in the 2014 animated film Kochadaiiyaan, the first in India to be shot with motion capture technology; it was a commercial failure.
Two years later, Rajinikanth played a Malaysian Tamil crime boss in Pa. Ranjith's Kabali, which had the biggest weekend opening for an Indian film.
In 2018, he had worked in two films, 2.0 and Kaala. 2.0 was the sequel to the earlier Enthiran and was produced at a budget of, making it one of the most expensive Indian film made at the time of its release. It had grossed over, securing the position of highest-grossing Indian film of 2018 and had ranked among the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. Alongside the commercial success of 2.0, Kaala, had grossed around against the budget of, making it commercially unsuccessful. After these films, he acted in Petta, Darbar, and Annaatthe, which grossed around ₹219–250 crores, ₹202—250 crores, and ₹175–240 crores, respectively.
His recent blockbuster, Jailer, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, grossed over 600 crores, making it his second film to gross over the 500 and 600 crores mark, securing the position as the highest grossing Tamil film of 2023 and one of the highest grossing Indian films of all time.

Filmography

  • Note: in Hindi, he is credited as Rajnikanth.
YearTitleRoleLanguageNotes
1975Apoorva RaagangalPandiyanTamil
1976Katha SangamaKondajiKannada
1976Anthuleni KathaMurthyTelugu
1976Moondru MudichuPrasathTamil
1976Baalu JenuVasuKannada
1977AvargalRamanathanTamil
1977KavikkuyilMuruganTamil
1977Raghupathi Raghavan RajaramVeeraiyanTamil
1977Chilakamma CheppindiRaviTelugu
1977Bhuvana Oru Kelvi KuriSampathTamil
1977Ondu Premada KatheChairman of village panchayatKannada
197716 VayathinileParattaiTamil
1977Sahodarara SavaalSomashekharKannada
1977Aadu Puli AttamRajiniTamil
1977GayathriRajarathnamTamil
1977Kumkuma RaksheMuraliKannada
1977Aaru PushpangalRaviTamil
1977Tholireyi GadichindiChitti BabuTelugu
1977Aame Katha–TeluguGuest appearance
1977Galate SamsaraSundarKannada
1978Shankar Salim SimonSimonTamil
1978Kiladi KittuSrikanthKannada
1978Annadammula SavaalRangababuTelugu
1978Aayiram JenmangalRameshTamil
1978Maathu Tappada MagaChandruKannada
1978Mangudi MinorKumarTamil
1978BairaviMookaiahTamil
1978Ilamai Oonjal AadukirathuMuraliTamil
1978SadhurangamSundaresanTamil
1978Vanakkatukuriya KathaliyeJoeTamil
1978Vayasu PilichindiMuraliTelugu
1978Mullum MalarumKaaliTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize
1978Iraivan Kodutha VaramRajnikanthTamil
1978Thappida ThalaDevuKannada
1978Thappu ThalangalDevuTamil
1978Aval AppadithanThyaguTamil
1978Thai Meethu SathiyamBabuTamil
1978En Kelvikku Enna BathilSaravanaTamil
1978Paavathin SambalamHimselfTamilGuest appearance
1978Justice GopinathRaviTamil
1978PriyaGaneshTamil
1978PriyaGaneshKannada
1979Kuppathu RajaRajaTamil
1979Iddaru AsadhyuleBhaskarTelugu
1979Allauddinum Albhutha VilakkumKamruddinMalayalamBilingual film
1979Allaudinaum Arputha VilakkumKamruddinTamilBilingual film
1979Ninaithale InikkumDeepakTamilBilingual film
1979Andamaina AnubhavamDilipTeluguBilingual film
1979Thaayillamal Naan IllaiBichwa BakriTamilGuest appearance
1979Dharma YuddhamVijayTamil
1979Naan VazhavaippenMichael D'SouzaTamil
1979TigerRashidTelugu
1979Aarilirunthu Arubathu VaraiSanthanamTamil
1979Annai Oru AalayamVijayTamil
1979Amma Evarikkaina AmmaVijayTelugu
1980BillaDavid Billa, RajappaTamil
1980NatchathiramHimselfTamilGuest appearance
1980Ram Robert RahimInspector RamTelugu
1980Anbukku Naan AdimaiGopinathTamil
1980KaaliKaaliTamil
1980KaaliKaaliTelugu
1980Mayadari KrishnuduKrishnuduTelugu
1980Naan Potta SavaalRamu Tamil
1980JohnnyJohnny, VidyasagarTamil
1980Ellam Un KairasiRajaTamil
1980PolladhavanManoharTamil
1980Murattu KaalaiKaalaiyanTamil
1981TheeRajashekarTamil
1981KazhuguRajaTamil
1981Thillu MulluChandran Tamil
1981GarjanaiVijayTamilTrilingual film
1981GarjanamVijayMalayalamTrilingual film
1981GarjaneVijayKannadaTrilingual film
1981NetrikkanChakravarthi, SanthoshTamil
1981Ranuva VeeranRaghuTamil
1982Pokkiri RajaRamesh, RajaTamil
1982Thanikattu RajaSuryaprakashTamil
1982RangaRanganathanTamil
1982PudukavithaiAnandTamil
1982Nandri, Meendum VarugaHimselfTamilGuest appearance
1982Enkeyo Ketta KuralKumaranTamil
1982Moondru MugamSP Alex Pandian IPS, Arun, JohnTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize
1982Agni SakshiHimselfTamilGuest appearance
1983Paayum PuliBharaniTamil
1983Uruvangal MaralamHimself TamilGuest appearance
1983Thudikkum KarangalGopiTamil
1983Andhaa KaanoonVijay Kumar SinghHindi
1983Thai VeeduRajuTamil
1983Sivappu SooriyanVijayTamil
1983Jeet HamaariRajuHindi
1983Adutha VarisuKannanTamil
1983Thanga MaganArunTamil
1984Meri AdalatInspector AshokHindi
1984Naan Mahan AllaVishwanathTamil
1984Thambikku Entha OoruBaluTamil
1984Kai Kodukkum KaiKaalimuthuTamil
1984Idhe Naa SavaalRamu Telugu
1984Anbulla RajinikanthHimselfTamil
1984GangvaaGangvaaHindi
1984Nallavanukku NallavanManikkamTamilFilmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil
1984John Jani JanardhanJohn Mendez / Janardhan Gupta / JaniHindi
1985Nyayam Meere CheppaliAathmaramTeluguGuest appearance
1985Naan Sigappu ManithanVijayTamil
1985MahaguruVijay "Mahaguru"Hindi
1985Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...RaviTamil
1985WafadaarRangaHindi
1985Sri RaghavendrarSri RaghavendrarTamil100th Film
1985GeraftaarInspector HussainHindiCameo
1985Yaar?HimselfTamilGuest appearance
1985BewafaiRanveerHindi
1985PadikkadavanRajendranTamil
1986Mr. BharathBharathTamil
1986Naan Adimai IllaiVijayTamil
1986Jeevana PoratamRaviTelugu
1986ViduthalaiRajaTamil
1986Bhagwaan DadaBhagwan DadaHindi
1986Kodai MazhaiHimselfTamilGuest appearance
1986Asli NaqliBirju UstadHindi
1986Dosti DushmaniRanjeetHindi
1986MaaveeranRaja TamilAlso co-producer
1987Daku HasinaMangal SinghHindiCameo
1987VelaikaranRaghupathiTamil
1987Insaaf Kaun KaregaVikram SinghHindi
1987OorkavalanKangeyanTamil
1987ManithanRajaTamil
1987Manathil Urudhi VendumHimselfTamilGuest appearance
1987Uttar DakshinShankaranHindi
1988TamachaVikram Pratap SinghHindi
1988Guru SishyanRaja Tamil
1988Dharmathin ThalaivanBalasubramanian, ShankarTamil
1988BloodstoneShyam SabuEnglish
1988Kodi ParakkuthuDCP Erode Shivagiri Tamil
1989Rajadhi RajaRajashekar, ChinnarasuTamil
1989Gair KanooniAdam Khan, Azam KhanHindiCameo
1989SivaSiva Tamil125th Film
1989Raja Chinna RojaRaja Tamil
1989MappillaiAarumugamTamil
1989BhrashtacharAbdul SattarHindiCameo
1989ChaalBaazJackie Pandyekar Hindi
1990PanakkaranMuthuTamil
1990Periya Idathu PillaiHimselfTamilGuest appearance
1990Athisaya PiraviKaalai, BaluTamil
1991Dharma DuraiDharma DuraiTamil
1991HumInspector Kumar MalhotraHindi
1991FarishtayInspector Arjun TangeHindi
1991Khoon Ka KarzKishanHindi
1991Phool Bane AngarayInspector Ranjeet SinghHindi
1991Nattukku Oru NallavanInspector SubhashTamil
1991Shanti KrantiInspector SubhashHindi
1991ThalapathiSuryaTamil
1992MannanKrishnanTamilAlso playback singer
1992TyagiShankar G. "Dadhu" DayalHindi
1992AnnaamalaiAnnaamalaiTamil
1992PandianPandian IPSTamil
1993Insaniyat Ke DevtaAnwarHindi
1993YajamanKanthavel VanavarayanTamil
1993UzhaippaliThamizharasan Tamil
1993ValliVeeraiyanTamilExtended Cameo; also producer and screenwriter
1994VeeraMuthuveerappanTamil
1995BaashhaManikam Tamil
1995PedarayuduPaparayuduTelugu
1995Aatank Hi AatankMunnaHindi150th Film
1995MuthuMuthu, ZamindarTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor
1995Bhagya DebataSingerBengaliGuest appearance
1997ArunachalamArunachalam, VedachalamTamil
1999PadayappaAarupadayappanTamil
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor; also lead story writer and producer
2000BulandiGhajraj ThakurHindi
2002BabaBaba, Mahavatar Babaji TamilAlso producer and screenwriter
2005ChandramukhiDr Saravanan, Vettaiyan RajaTamilTamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor
2007Sivaji: The BossSivaji Arumugam Tamil
2008KuselanAshok KumarTamilExtended cameo
2008KathanayakuduAshok KumarTeluguExtended cameo
2010EnthiranVaseegaran, ChittiTamilNominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil
2011Ra.OneChitti HindiCameo, computer generated
2014KochadaiiyaanKochadaiiyaan, Ranadheeran, SenadheeranTamilAlso playback singer
2014LingaaK. Lingeswaran, Raja LingeswaranTamil
2016KabaliKabaliswaranTamilNominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil
2017Cinema VeeranNarratorTamilDocumentary
2018KaalaKarikaalan "Kaala" VengaiyanTamil
20182.0Vaseegaran, Chitti, KuttyTamil
2019PettaPetta Velan Tamil
2020DarbarAaditya Arunachalam IPSTamil
2021AnnaattheKaalaiyan Tamil
2023Jailer"Tiger" Muthuvel PandianTamil
2024Lal SalaamD. G. MohideenTamilExtended Cameo
2024VettaiyanSP V. Athiyan IPS Tamil
2025CoolieDevaraj "Deva"Tamil
2026scope="row" HindiDelayed release after 37 years
2026scope="row" "Tiger" Muthuvel PandianTamilFilming
2027scope="row" TamilPre-Production