Rajinikanth's ascension from being a bus conductor in Karnataka to the top of Indian cinema is the stuff of legends. The Superstar was once known as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad before his entry into cinema, and he has spoken about this part of his life in a recent conversation with Jailer director Nelson.
As part of a promotional talk show ahead of their upcoming release Jailer 2, Rajinikanth told Nelson that he misses his days as a bus conductor and that he felt closer to that identity as compared to his superstar image. The actor also revealed that it would make him happy when he sees buses and conductors clad in khaki clothes.
Rajinikanth candidly admitted that while he likes acting, he used to like his bus conductor job way more than that. For the unversed, Shivaji Rao Gaikwad worked as a bus conductor for the Bangalore Transport Service for five years.
The actor shared that while he was getting a low salary for his conductor job, he was still happy with it. In contrast, the actor added that he finds it difficult to get to terms with his superstar image even now, and that this is why he visits Bengaluru time and again. "I have that desire to go back to being a conductor when I sees those buses in Bengaluru. Why? Because in my mind, I see myself as one of them," the Superstar told Nelson.
He attributed his capability to act in films in lead roles even at the age of 75 years to the support he receives from legions of fans. "I have been able to remain in the film industry thanks to the support from the Tamil audience," he noted.
The Superstar will next be seen in Jailer 2, which brings him back to the big screen as Tiger Muthuvel Pandian. It is set to become his first film to have a wide IMAX release.
