Years before the world learnt to whistle at his entry and chant his name in packed theatres, he was simply Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, a young man from Bengaluru, trying his luck at the Madras Film Institute with more hope than certainty. Nothing at that moment suggested that his very name would one day turn into a cultural pulse. Yet, the transformation began quietly, almost casually, in the hands of the man who first spotted his spark: K Balachander.

When Balachander cast him in Apoorva Raagangal in 1975, the filmmaker had already sensed something unusual about the newcomer: a simmering intensity, a raw confidence, and a screen presence that didn’t need polishing. But there was one small concern. “Shivaji Rao”, he felt, was too close to the name of the iconic Sivaji Ganesan. For a young actor starting out, that could invite comparisons he didn’t need. So Balachander did what mentors often do quietly but decisively: he gave him a new name.

Industry veterans recall that it happened on a Holi day. Balachander suggested the name Rajinikanth, inspired by AVM Rajan’s role in the 1966 film Major Chandrakanth. The actor didn’t protest, didn’t overthink it. He trusted Balachander implicitly and accepted the new identity with the same humility that would later become a hallmark of his stardom.

The name means something like “the colour (or splendour) of the night”, a poetic link perhaps alluding to his dusky complexion and striking presence on screen. As he turns 75, looking back at the moment when Shivaji Rao Gaikwad became Rajinikanth feels oddly poetic. A new name didn’t just launch a career; it quietly set the stage for a legacy.