‘Rajini Is Far Bigger Than Me’

Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth—legends in their own right, remain two of Indian cinema’s tallest icons. Yet, ask Amitabh Bachchan about any comparison, and he dismisses it instantly.

“Rajinikanthji is far bigger in popularity than me. His fans are spread across the world. They worship the ground he walks on. His popularity goes beyond generations,” Bachchan says with characteristic humility.

Recalling their long-standing camaraderie, Bachchan remembers their first collaboration in Andha Kanoon in 1983. “It had started off as a guest appearance. Then my role kept getting extended. I can never say no to Rajiniji. I consider him part of my extended family,” he says. “Every time I visit Chennai, a stop at his home to meet Rajinikanth and his extremely hospitable wife Latha is a must. And the same goes for them when they visit Mumbai.”

Their on-screen rapport has always mirrored their off-screen warmth. “In Hum, he played my younger brother. And it truly felt that way between us,” Bachchan recalls. Rajinikanth even turned to Bachchan for counsel at a crucial moment. When the Tamil superstar briefly contemplated joining politics, he met and spoke to Bachchan about his plans.

Despite his towering fame in the South, Rajinikanth’s Hindi film career never quite took off. Though he played the lead in his first Hindi film Andha Kanoon, it was Bachchan who walked away with much of the acclaim in what was meant to be a cameo. Later, in Hum, Rajinikanth again took the second lead. Subsequent films like Asli Naqli and Mera Kanoon performed poorly, prompting Rajinikanth to step away from Bollywood altogether.

Bachchan, however, remains an unabashed admirer of his peer and friend. “Rajini is phenomenal. He is the largest, the best, and truly the ‘boss’. It is ridiculous to compare me to him. The adulation, the following—it’s incomparable.”