In 1978, S.Thanu bought the distribution rights for the film Bairavi. He wanted to market it vigourously as Bhairavi was not a regular film which needed a lot of promotion. Thanu saw the oppurtunity to capitalise the 'new face' Rajini, so he announced in the daily "Kalai Puli vazhagum Superstar Rajini in Bairavi". This announcement became a sensational hit, gearing up curiosity amoung the public around the word SUPERSTAR.
Thanu went a step ahead and prepared posters for the film, which was a first of its kind that holds an eternal record. The poster of Bharavi were 6-Sheet (4 pieces) Posters, a technique where the face is blown up keeping intact the resolution, and even now 6-Sheet posters are expensive, in 1978 it was a costly affair. Thanu then prepared a cut-out of 35 feet 'life-size' Rajini and placed it in Plaza Theatre, a crowded terminus in 1978. When the city corporation officials envisaged a risk over the size of the promotional banner suituated in the middle of a heavy traffic bourne circle, they placed a request to Thanu to remove it. Thanu simply cemented the cutout, removing the risk of it from falling or flying away. The cut-out held 'SUPERSTAR RAJINI' in a remarkable font.
Rajini is/was always an artists, even after becoming the major selling power of films. Usually he does not indulge in promotions as its the buyer's job and his is to act. But the SUPERSTAR written over his name disturbed him that he called over Thanu, asking whether its appropriate to put a title like that when MGR/Sivaji were still in action. Thanu convinced Rajini and assured him that there is nothing wrong in choosing titles for promotional purposes, and also shared his confidence that movie goers are going to identify Rajini as SUPERSTAR, sonner or later.
Bairavi was a massive hit. Rajini went to watch the film with SP. Muthuraman & Panchu Arunachalam. The two film makers were convinced with the Promotional Title given by Thanu looking at the crowd thoroughly enjoying Rajini on Screen. Their colaboration with Rajini thus extended, the 2 film makers already deviced how to shape and show Rajini to the enthusiatic crowd while watching Bairavi.
That's a very brief Origins of the SUPERSTAR, a title which was neither given or awarded or offered, but purely used for promotional purpose. After the success of Bairavi, Rajini never used this title, until 2 years later, in 1980, in the film Naan Potta Saval. Actually it is in Naan Potta Saval, the title word was stuck with Rajini's name for the first time, whereas in Bairavi the main picture credits does not address Rajini the way it did in the posters and ads in the daily. It should be noted that, in the movie Bairavi, Rajini names apears second in the row, next to Sreekanth. In Hindi, the first film that included this title was Bulandi in 2000, and Kali (1980) in Telugu.
After a gap of four years, Rajini was adressed as SUPERSTAR in Mahendran's Kai Kodukum Kai (1984), followed by Bharathiraja' Kodi Parakuthu (1988) and Swamy's own film Rajathi Raja (1989), and then Chiranjeevi's Mappillai in the same year.
Inbetween, none of Rajini films carried this exclusive title, until media and people started to overshadow Rajini's on-screen name with SUPERSTAR : Sivaji to Rajini to Superstar => (SrS).
The movies that followed in the mid-90s had an interesting intro title card announcing his name between the words Super & Star with an apt BGM, until Sivaji (2007) where this 'special & one of a kind' Title Card started to modify itself with the film's theme just like how Warner Brothers or Colombia (Sony) pictures brought up their production house cards in correlation with the movie's idea.
Anyone can define the word SUPERSTAR, anyone can be SUPERSTAR, and ofcoarse everyone is a SUPERSTAR. In a filmography leading more than 180 films spanning across 40 years, Rajini used SUPERSTAR above his name in just below 20 movies. But the impact it created, the registration it made, the revenue it generated and above all the identification it gave is what can be called PHENOMENON.
Follow this coloumn 'Tamil Lead Actor' to grace the SUPERSTAR & Rajini through his movie's Title Cards.
029. Sadurangam
First film where Rajini's name is called just after the movies Title (a tricky one, as the name appears with Sreekanth's photo beside).
Last edited by mappi; 8th December 2015 at 11:37 PM.
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