India, Dec. 12 -- Dear Rajini Sir,

75 looks like just another close-up on you, while the rest of us are ageing in the wide shot.

For most of us, you didn't just light up the big screen, you rewired what we thought was possible. We were dazzled by how a man in sunglasses could flick a cigarette in slow motion and somehow change the physics of the theatre and the mood of the entire week. We walked into single-screens as cranky kids, confused teenagers, overworked adults and walked out with swagger, believing we could beat bad luck, that kindness could trump cruelty, that even the most ordinary guy could get a standing ovation from life.

We grew up timing our claps and whistles with your entry. We learnt that style isn't about clothes, it...