Tamil superstar's 'first love' encouraged and funded his acting dreams, then disappeared. Today, he has net worth of Rs 430 crore

Superstar Rajinikanth began the New Year in a way that has become tradition for him over the years. Early on January 1, fans gathered outside his Poes Garden residence in Chennai, hoping for a glimpse of the actor. Rajinikanth stepped out, folded his hands, smiled warmly, and wished everyone a happy New Year. Videos of the moment went viral in no time, with fans chanting "Thalaiva". Besides this, the fans were recently talking about one of the lesser-known chapters from his life - a personal story from before fame and success.

Rajinikanth's first love story and how it led him to acting

The story was recalled years ago by late actor-writer-filmmaker Sreenivasan in an interview with Kaumudi. According to him, it dates back to a time when Rajinikanth, then known as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, was far from being a movie star. He was working as a bus conductor in Bengaluru, leading a modest life and supporting his family.



Sreenivasan revealed that Rajinikanth met a woman while she was travelling on his bus. Over time, the two grew close and eventually fell in love. At that point, acting was more of a passion than a career option for Rajinikanth. He would perform in stage dramas whenever he could, driven purely by love for the art.

As recalled by Sreenivasan, Rajinikanth once invited the woman to watch one of his drama performances. She attended and was reportedly stunned by his talent on stage. It was after seeing his performance that she began to believe strongly in his potential as an actor.

Sreenivasan shared that the woman later came across an advertisement for a film institute and urged Rajinikanth to apply. Initially, he was reluctant. He reportedly told her that he could not afford to quit his job, as he was running his household on his salary as a bus conductor and living in a small house in Bengaluru.

However, the woman stood firm in her belief. According to Sreenivasan, she assured Rajinikanth that he should not worry about expenses and promised to support him financially if he chose to pursue acting seriously. Encouraged by her confidence, Rajinikanth finally agreed and joined the institute.

During his early days of training, the woman continued to support him by sending money regularly, helping him manage his basic needs. But then, without warning, the support stopped. Sreenivasan revealed that she suddenly disappeared, and no one knew what happened to her or where she went.

Where did Rajinikanth's first love go?

Rajinikanth reportedly believed that she had ended their relationship because he was struggling financially. Actor Devan, who later worked with Rajinikanth in Baashha, also spoke about this phase. Speaking with Manorama News in 2019, his co-star Devan shared that the conversation with Rajinikanth happened after they completed shooting and reached the hotel for the night.


The Jailer actor then revealed to him that how he had met an MBBS student named Nirmala while working as a bus conductor in Chennai. Devan further remembered Rajinikanth saying that even after achieving success, he still searched for her in crowds, wondering why she never came back to see him after he had made it big.

Life, however, moved forward. Rajinikanth went on to become one of Indian cinema’s biggest superstars. In 1981, he married Latha Rangachari, and the couple have two daughters, Aishwaryaa and Soundarya.

Today, Rajinikanth stands among the highest-paid actors in the country. According to reports cited earlier Forbes, his net worth is estimated to be around Rs 430 crore. He reportedly charges anywhere between Rs 125 crore and Rs 270 crore per film.

He is currently shooting for Jailer 2, which will reportedly hit the theatres in 2026.