Rajinikanth movies & biography
Rajinikanth is an Indian actor, producer and screenwriter who works primarily in Tamil cinema, born Shivaji Rao Gaikwad on 12 December 1950 in Bangalore, Karnataka. He debuted in a supporting antagonistic role in K. Balachander's Tamil drama Apoorva Raagangal (1975) and is known for his distinctive acting style and dialogue delivery.
Quick facts
| Known for | Actor |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 December 1950 (age 75) |
| Birthplace | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Latest release | Jailer 2 (2026) |
Best Rajinikanth movies
Jailer 2
Pokkiri Raja
Mappillai
Wafadaar
Jailer
EnthiranCareer overview
Rajinikanth's screen career began with Apoorva Raagangal (1975), where he played a supporting antagonistic role in K. Balachander's Tamil drama. Through the late 1970s and 1980s he moved from villains and anti-heroes to lead roles, working repeatedly with director S. P. Muthuraman on Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri (1977), Murattu Kaalai (1980) and Nallavanukku Nallavan (1984). In the 1990s he appeared in Suresh Krisnna's Annamalai (1992) and Baashha (1995), K. S. Ravikumar's Muthu (1995) and Padayappa (1999). The 2000s and 2010s brought P. Vasu's horror-comedy Chandramukhi (2005), Shankar's Sivaji: The Boss (2007), and the science-fiction films Enthiran (2010) and 2.0 (2018), in which he played Dr. Vaseegaran, Chitti and Kutti. He also starred in Pa. Ranjith's Kabali (2016) as Kabaliswaran and Kaala (2018) as Karikaalan Vengaiyan, and in Karthik Subbaraj's Petta (2019) as Petta 'Kaali' Velan. In 2023 he played Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian in Nelson Dilipkumar's Jailer. His 2024 releases were an extended cameo as Moideen Bhai in Aishwarya Rajinikanth's Lal Salaam and the lead in T. J. Gnanavel's Vettaiyan as SP V. Athiyan IPS. He played Devaraj 'Deva' in Lokesh Kanagaraj's Coolie (2025) and returns as Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian in Jailer 2 (2026). Announced later projects are Ashwath Marimuthu's Dharman (2027) and Nelson Dilip Kumar's RKxKH Re-Union. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2000, the Padma Vibhushan in 2016 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2021.
Rajinikanth movies list
| Year | Movie | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jailer 2 | Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian | 8.1 TMDB |
| 2025 | Coolie | Devaraj 'Deva' | 6.2 TMDB |
| 2023 | Jailer | Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian | 6.6 TMDB |
| 2018 | 2.0 | Dr. Vaseegaran / Chitti / Kutti | 5.9 TMDB |
| 2018 | Kaala | Karikaalan Vengaiyan 'Kaala' | 6.4 TMDB |
| 2010 | Enthiran | Dr. Vaseegaran / Chitti | 6.6 TMDB |
| 1989 | Mappillai | Arumugam | 7.1 TMDB |
| 1988 | Tamacha | Vicky | 5.0 TMDB |
| 1986 | Kodai Mazhai | Self | 6.0 TMDB |
| 1985 | Wafadaar | Ranga | 7.0 TMDB |
| 1982 | Pokkiri Raja | Cast | 7.2 TMDB |
Frequently asked questions
What is Rajinikanth's latest film?
His latest release listed is Coolie (2025), directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, in which he plays Devaraj 'Deva'. Jailer 2 (2026) is listed as a subsequent film.
What was Rajinikanth's debut film?
He made his cinematic debut in a supporting antagonistic role in K. Balachander's Tamil drama Apoorva Raagangal (1975).
When and where was Rajinikanth born?
He was born Shivaji Rao Gaikwad on 12 December 1950 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Which films is Rajinikanth best known for?
Films in the database include Jailer (2023) as Muthuvel 'Tiger' Pandian, 2.0 (2018) as Dr. Vaseegaran, Chitti and Kutti, Kabali (2016) as Kabaliswaran, Kaala (2018) as Karikaalan Vengaiyan and Petta (2019) as Petta 'Kaali' Velan.
Page last updated 23 October 2026. Facts from TMDB; how we write these pages: editorial policy.