Story of the driver to whom Rajinikanth dedicated his Dadasaheb Phalke Award

South’s superstar and ‘Thalaiva’ Rajinikanth was honored with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the recently concluded 67th National Film Awards. Rajinikanth dedicated this award to Raj Bahadur, a close friend and companion of happiness and sorrow. During this, while remembering his friend, Rajinikanth said such heartwarming things that the whole atmosphere erupted with applause.

Rajinikanth told that it was Raj Bahadur who first recognized his acting talent and encouraged him to go to films. This is the thing then, Rajinikanth did not even appear in films. At that time Rajinikanth was working as a bus conductor.

Rajinikanth was the bus conductor
Rajinikanth’s friend Raj Bahadur is a bus driver in Karnataka. When Rajinikanth was a bus conductor, he did not even think of becoming an actor even remotely. But it was the wonderful eyes of friend Raj Bahadur that he encouraged Rajinikanth to go to the movies. Rajinikanth got into films because of his friend and became a big star.

Be a star but don’t forget friendship
But even after becoming such a big star, Rajinikanth has not forgotten his bus driver friend. Their friendship is about 50 years old. It is Raj Bahadur who made Shivaji Rao Gaekwad ‘Rajinikanth’ and taught him to speak in Tamil.

50 years old Rajinikanth-Raj Bahadur friendship
In an interview to ‘News 18’, Raj Bahadur narrated a unique anecdote of his friendship with Rajinikanth. He said, ‘Our friendship is 50 years old. I met Rajinikanth in 1970. At that time he had joined duty as a bus conductor and I was a driver. Rajinikanth was the best actor among our entire transport staff. Whenever there was any cultural program in the department, Rajini used to perform on stage.
Rajinikanth honored with Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Rajini sent to acting school, taught to speak Tamil
Raj Bahadur further said, ‘Then I forced Rajni to go to Chennai and join acting school. After two years of acting course, the institute organized a function in which Rajinikanth performed. Famous filmmaker K Balachander was the chief guest then. Seeing Rajini’s performance, he came to her and said, ‘Boys learn Tamil.’ Then Rajni came to me and told me everything. K Balachander did not say anything else to Rajinikanth at that time. Just said about learning Tamil. That day I told Rajni not to worry. I said that from now onwards talk to me everyday in Tamil only. Everyone knows what happened after that.

Raj Bahadur used to send half his salary to Rajinikanth
Very few people would know that when Raj Bahadur sent Rajinikanth to Chennai to take admission in acting school, he had also given half his salary i.e. 200 rupees. At that time the monthly salary of Raj Bahadur was only 400 rupees. Raj Bahadur used to send 200 rupees every month to Rajinikanth so that he could meet his expenses. Rajinikanth had also mentioned this on several occasions. Raj Bahadur and Rajinikanth’s friendship is such that they take time out to meet their friend whenever they feel like it. Raj Bahadur has also specially reserved a room for Rajinikanth in his house.
Rajinikanth to get Dadasaheb Phalke Award, superstar saddened by this a day before receiving the award

Rajinikanth’s debut in 1975
Rajinikanth started his acting career in the year 1975. Her first film was a Tamil film, titled Apoorva Raagangal. After this Rajinikanth did many films in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and other languages. Rajinikanth was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2016.