Superstar Rajinikanth owes his stardom to his childhood friend Raj Bahadur, who helped him become an actor.
Rajinikanth and Raj Bahadur met in 1970 while working at Bangalore Transport Service (BTS). Rajinikanth was a conductor, and Raj Bahadur was a driver. Their friendship grew fast as they’d often perform in a drama group together. Raj Bahadur saw Rajinikanth’s talent and encouraged him to pursue acting. Despite initial hesitation, Rajinikanth eventually took Raj Bahadur’s advice.
A Friend in Need
When Rajinikanth joined the Madras Film Institute, Raj Bahadur supported him financially. He sent half his salary, ₹200, every month to help Rajinikanth cover his expenses. Raj Bahadur made significant sacrifices, cutting back on his own needs to ensure Rajinikanth had enough to live on.
Raj Bahadur still lives in Bengaluru and remains close to Rajinikanth. When Rajinikanth visits, he stays with Raj Bahadur and enjoys his home-cooked meals, including keema balls, rice, rasam, and rotis. Raj Bahadur has kept a room reserved for Rajinikanth at his home.
Some of Rajinikanth’s favorite dishes that Raj Bahadur makes for him are:
- Keema balls
- Rice
- Rasam
- Rotis
Today, Rajinikanth is one of India’s highest-paid stars, commanding ₹210 crore per film and having a net worth of ₹500 crore. Despite his success, he remains grateful to Raj Bahadur and values their friendship.
