Rajinikanth was once a real life Coolie, claims, "I got just Rs 2 for unloading….”
Superstar Rajinikanth recently revealed a humble beginning from his early life working as a real-life coolie (porter) before entering the film industry. He shared that he earned just ₹2 for unloading goods, highlighting his incredible journey from hardship to becoming one of India's most iconic actors.
Even though he is in his sixties, superstar Rajinikanth is still known for his famous on-screen personality and action-packed parts. He recently shared a very intimate memory that gives us a better idea of how he grew up. At a promotional event for his new movie, Coolie, which comes out in theaters on August 14, 2025, the veteran actor talked about his real-life experience as a coolie, which was long before he became famous as a bus driver.
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From stealing Rs. 120 to looking for work in Chennai Rajinikanth told the reporters about a time when he ran away from home as a child with Rs 120 in the hopes of finding work in Chennai. He said, "I didn't even want to be an actor back then." "I wanted to work in the movie industry in any way." But things didn't go as planned. In the end, he went back home after having trouble making ends meet.
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His father suggested that he become a coolie when he saw his son at a turning point. Rajinikanth said, "I had no choice." "Because of this, I agreed."
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What It's Really Like to Be a Coolie Rajinikanth talked a lot on how hard the task was, including having to unload 100-kilogram bags of rice. The five workers got Rs 10 for every 100 bags they emptied, which was a full truckload.
That means each worker only got Rs 2.50. They also got 50 paise for extra work like weighing and reloading the sacks. They got Rs 5 for taking the things to a store that was about 500 to 600 meters away.
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A Job He Really Cares About He says that these memories make Coolie an extremely emotional movie. The story of a man who rises from the bottom is similar to his own story of going from a daily wage worker to one of the most loved stars in Indian cinema.
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Fans should remember that true stardom begins with humility and hard labor, and Rajinikanth's decision to look back on this time in his life is a respect to his history and the many unsung heroes who work hard every day to make ends meet.
![From stealing Rs. 120 to looking for work in Chennai Rajinikanth told the reporters about a time when he ran away from home as a child with Rs 120 in the hopes of finding work in Chennai. He said, "I didn't even want to be an actor back then." "I wanted to work in the movie industry in any way." But things didn't go as planned. In the end, he went back home after having trouble making ends meet.](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2025/08/20250804113820_Coolie-.jpg "From stealing Rs. 120 to looking for work in Chennai Rajinikanth told the reporters about a time when he ran away from home as a child with Rs 120 in the hopes of finding work in Chennai. He said, "I didn't even want to be an actor back then." "I wanted to work in the movie industry in any way." But things didn't go as planned. In the end, he went back home after having trouble making ends meet.")
![His father suggested that he become a coolie when he saw his son at a turning point. Rajinikanth said, "I had no choice." "Because of this, I agreed."](https://images.moneycontrol.com/static-mcnews/2025/08/20250804113823_Coolie.jpg "His father suggested that he become a coolie when he saw his son at a turning point. Rajinikanth said, "I had no choice." "Because of this, I agreed."")
