Thalaiva vs. Gravity: And the Winner Is Always Rajini

You have probably heard this one. Amitabh Bachchan once challenged Rajini’s claim that he knows everyone. “Okay,” Amitabh says, “Tom Cruise.” And off they fly to Hollywood. Cruise opens the door with a huge grin — “Thalaiva! Great to see you!”

Big B is impressed but still not buying it. “Obama,” he says. Sure enough, at the White House, Obama drops everything for coffee with Rajini.

Still not convinced, Amitabh throws out, “The Pope.” Next thing you know, Rajini is waving from the Vatican balcony with the Pope. Amitabh, meanwhile, faints. Why? Because someone in the crowd asks, “Who’s that standing next to Rajini?”

Now, I don’t know if this actually happened, but here’s something that is said to have happened.

During Jayalalithaa’s time as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, her motorcade would halt traffic for miles. One day, Rajini’s car gets stopped. The policeman says, “Sir, you will have to wait. The CM will pass in about half an hour.”

Rajini asks, “Why block the road now?” No luck. So he steps out, walks to a roadside shop, buys a packet of 555 cigarettes, lights one, and leans on a lamppost. Within minutes, the crowd realises who is standing there. Photos click, traffic clogs up even more. The police officer, now panicking, begs him to move — and suddenly, the “rules” bend. Rajini just smiles: “I am waiting for her to pass. I don’t mind waiting.”

Entertainment First, Logic Later

First, let’s discuss Rajinism. No other actor on this planet could get away with what Rajini does on screen. You see him fling a cigarette, catch it mid-air, and light it with a look and have the audience clap like they have seen the seventh wonder of the world. These aren’t just movie tricks — they are trademarks aka Rajini’s signature mannerisms.

He’s been doing stunts that defy physics long before memes were a thing, and instead of rolling their eyes, fans cheer. Why? Because they accept the impossible from Rajini. If another actor punches a villain into the next district, you would laugh at the absurdity. But if Rajini does it, you buy popcorn for the second half because you don’t go for realism in his movies; you go for Rajini realism, where the laws of nature bend for your entertainment.

A festival called First Day First Show

Ask any Chennai theatre owner about a Rajini release day and they will tell you — it’s not a screening, it’s a carnival. People line up from 2 a.m., some in lungis, some in office shirts straight from the night shift. Milk abhishekams on giant cutouts, drums, fireworks, confetti. The show might start at 4 a.m., but by then, the energy feels like high noon.

Outside Chennai’s Albert theatre during Rajini’s new movie release, the scene is chaotic in the best way. Two youngsters are tying banners when one shouts, “Machi, ticket ille, aana naa picture paakaam vida matten!” (Bro, I don’t have a ticket, but I am not going without watching the movie!)

Another group, seeing a foreign couple in Rajini T-shirts, grins, saying, “Neenge Australia-lindha ivvala turam vandhitara? Namma oorla thaan feel varum!” (You came all the way from Australia? The real feeling is only here!)

Inside the theatre, the moment Rajini makes his first entry, you would catch a person in the front row standing up, throwing his hands in the air, yelling, “Idhu da mass! Physics-yum namma Thalaiva-kku adi vangum!” (This is mass! Even physics gets beaten up by our Thalaiva!)

Three generations, one hero

Rajini’s fanbase isn’t stuck in the past. He’s got three generations cheering for him. Your grandfather remembers Billa. Your father, Annamalai. You grew up on Baasha. And now, your niece is making Instagram reels about “Rajini vs. Gravity.” If you thought those memes about his stunts were mockery, you are grossly mistaken! They are tributes to her favourite hero, disguised as jokes.

The man behind the superstar

Part of why people love Rajinikanth is that they know he’s not just a superstar on screen. Before all this, Rajini was Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, a bus conductor in Bangalore. He knows the grind. He has felt the heat of a summer afternoon in uniform. And no matter how big he is now, he’s never hidden that. That’s why his rise feels personal to so many people.

His generosity is quiet but legendary. His speeches are simple, often about gratitude and humility. You will never hear him talk like he’s above the audience — he talks to them, not at them.

So why is he still the Superstar after 50 years?

Rajini doesn’t just have fans — he has devotees. People fly from other countries to India to watch the first show of his film because watching it in their homeland, in a theatre filled with screaming Rajini fans, is an experience you can’t download. They could have gone to a cinema hall there, sure — but there, you get a ticket and sit quietly. Here, you get a seat and lose your voice by interval.

So yes, his stunts may be “illogical,” but so is the fact that a bus conductor from Bangalore became one of the most recognised and loved film stars in the world — and stayed there for five decades. If that’s not the ultimate Rajinikanth stunt, I don’t know what is.

After all these years, Rajinikanth isn’t competing with anyone. You can’t compete with a phenomenon. He’s the only one who can make you laugh, clap, and maybe even tear up in the same five minutes. Here’s to Thalaiva — still flipping sunglasses, still rewriting rules, and still proving that style, once mastered, really is forever.