Chennai: During his days of struggle, Rajini worked briefly at Mysore Machinery in Bangalore before getting a job, loading sacks of rice into trucks at 10 paise per bag. He then sat for an examination and obtained a bus conductor’s licence from the Bangalore Transport Service. He reported for work on March 19, 1970, along with driver Raja Bahadur.
Naman Ramachandran, in Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography, provides rare insights into his personal life, from his childhood days to his times of struggle, when he was still Sivaji Rao Gaekwad, and then his eventual stardom, revealing how a legend was born.
“There was no one faster than him in issuing tickets,” remembers Bahadur. “He would give out tickets with a flourish, return change in style. It was all about style. Passengers would look on in amazement. He would always flick back his forelock in those days,” says the driver. It is said that the passengers would let buses go empty and wait for the one where Rajinikanth was on duty. The superstar, who was then a bus conductor, amazed people by issuing tickets and returning the change in his trademark style.
