41 years ago, on this day, Superstar Rajinikanth made his onscreen debut with Apoorva Raagangal--and the rest, as they say, is history. Born as Sivaji Rao, he began his service as a ticket collector in a local shuttle bus in Bangalore. But it is easy to envision that though he handled a nondescript job, young Sivaji must have cast his innate charisma on a majority of the commuters in his bus route. When he was discovered by the legendary K. Balachander and renamed Rajinikanth, it was reportedly the same magnetism that impressed the experienced director mind. Today, he is undoubtedly, the greatest Superstar of India.

In his long career. he has so far acted in 157 films including the ongoing 2.0, which is considered as India's most expensive project.