New Delhi, Dec. 12 -- Rajinikanth is regarded as a superstar in the South Indian film industry. He is one of the most beloved and influential actors in Indian cinema. With a career spanning over four decades, he has appeared several films including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, and English. Today, on December 12, Rajinikanth celebrates his 74th birthday.

Rajinikanth, born Shivaji Rao Gaikwad in 1950, comes from a Marathi Hindu family in Bengaluru. Before entering the film industry, he worked as a coolie and a bus conductor. During this period, he also began participating in Kannada mythological plays, which sparked his interest in acting. Reports also state that he took up acting at the New Madras Film Institute. Tamil filmmaker K. Bala...