Rajinikanth had a nervous breakdown and was hospitalised in 1981. The actor struggled to handle his sudden fame and heavy workload. "I could not cope with the pressures of stardom," he said. He later started doing fewer films and married Latha Rangachari, which helped him find balance in life.
From Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan to NT Rama Rao, Shah Rukh Khan, and Vijay, Indian cinema has had several massive superstars. However, it's doubtful whether anyone else's name has become as synonymous with superstardom as Rajinikanth's.
A complete outsider with no prior connections to the industry, Rajinikanth was one of the few formally trained actors of his generation and an alumnus of the prestigious Madras Film Institute (initially known as the Adyar Film Institute and now the MGR Government Film and Television Training Institute).
After his debut in director K Balachander's Apoorva Raagangal (1975), starring Kamal Haasan and Srividya in the lead roles, he never had to look back as his rise was meteoric. Movie after movie and blockbuster after blockbuster, Rajinikanth became one of Indian cinema's biggest names in no time.
Why Rajinikanth was hospitalised
However, as a newcomer with no support system in the industry, he worked tirelessly, doing 10 to 15 films a year initially, trying his best to establish himself as an irreplaceable force. But this came at a price, and he eventually had a nervous breakdown and was reportedly hospitalised in 1981.
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"I could not cope with the pressures of stardom. A few years earlier I was making Rs 320 as a conductor, and suddenly I was getting Rs 5 lakh per movie. The fame, money and overwork pushed me to a breaking point," he told India Today in a 1988 interview.
But that marked a turning point in Rajinikanth's personal and professional life. The actor not only started taking on fewer films, but also settled down and married Latha Rangachari soon after. She was a student at Ethiraj College for Women, and they first met when she went to interview him for her college magazine.
Even though he reduced the number of movies, not even Rajinikanth could slow his ascent to lofty heights. During the late 1980s, he reportedly earned Rs 25 lakh per film, the highest paid to any hero in the South. By then, he had also become one of the country's greatest and most influential actor-stars.
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About Jailer 2
Rajinikanth is now gearing up for the release of his action thriller Jailer 2, helmed by Nelson Dilipkumar. Also starring Ramya Krishnan, SJ Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Vidya Balan, and Mithun Chakraborty in key roles, Jailer 2 features cameo appearances by Mohanlal, Shivarajkumar, and Jackie Shroff, similar to the first instalment.
The action thriller boasts music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Vijay Kartik Kannan, editing by R Nirmal, production design by DRK Kiran, and action choreography by Chethan D'Souza. Jailer 2 will hit the screens worldwide on Thursday, October 15.