Rajinikanth Shares Humble Beginnings: Worked as a Coolie, ‘Cried for the First Time in My Life’

Rajinikanth Opens Up About Working as a Coolie: ‘Cried for the First Time in My Life’

Rajinikanth’s latest film Coolie has hit theatres, igniting celebrations as fans across India return to witness the magic of Thalaivar. Beyond the fanfare, the film holds a deeply personal significance for the superstar.

While many know Rajinikanth started his career as a bus conductor, few realize he also worked briefly as a coolie—a role he now portrays on screen in Coolie, which tells the story of a former union leader taking on a corrupt syndicate. At a recent promotional event, he shared a poignant memory from those early days.

“Father Asked Me to Work as a Coolie”

Born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in Karnataka, Rajinikanth lost his mother early and spent time in an ashram acting in plays. Later, following his father’s instructions, he took on coolie work, lifting sacks. He recalled:

“My father ordered me to work as a coolie. I loaded three sacks onto a handcart. What was meant to be a 500-meter trip turned into 1–1.5 km due to a traffic diversion.”

“No Easy Task”

He explained the challenge:

“Balancing the sacks was difficult. The road was crowded with lorries, buses, and potholes. At one point, a sack fell, and people yelled at me from all sides. Bus passengers shouted, and bystanders questioned me. I probably looked too skinny for the job.”

• Despite the struggle, he completed the task.
• “Cried for the First Time in My Life”

Later, his college friend Muniswamy handed him Rs 2 as a tip, teasing, “You acted so big, and now look at you!” At that moment, leaning on the sacks, Rajinikanth cried for the first time in his life.

Box Office Triumph

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie stars Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, Soubin Shahir, and Upendra, with a special cameo by Aamir Khan. The film opened to massive advance bookings and earned around Rs 150 crore worldwide on its first day, making it the highest-opening Tamil film ever.