When Sayaji Shinde claimed 'South actors show more respect to co-stars than Bollywood celebs', “Rajinikanth once shared his…”

When Sayaji Shinde claimed South actors show more respect to co-stars than Bollywood celebs, “Rajinikanth once shared his…”

• Sayaji Shinde: South actors show more respect than Bollywood counterparts
• Rajinikanth's kindness to Shinde on set left a lasting impression
• Shinde's career spans multiple languages and began with humble roots

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Veteran actor Sayaji Shinde turned a year older today, and it feels like the right moment to revisit an old interview of his that continues to resonate years later. The clip, which has resurfaced online, offers more than just nostalgia. It reveals Shinde’s quiet observations about respect, humility, and how stars treat their co-actors across industries.

Speaking from decades of experience in Indian cinema, Shinde once drew a clear contrast between the working culture of South Indian film industries and Bollywood. His words were not angry or accusatory. They were calm, reflective, and rooted in lived experience.

“One thing I have always felt,” he said, “is that actors from the South show better manners and more respect towards their co-actors compared to many in Bollywood.”

One memory, in particular, stayed with him.

While shooting for the 2002 film Baba, Shinde found himself sitting under a tree on set. Superstar Rajinikanth noticed him from a distance and walked up.

“He asked me very politely why I was sitting outside,” Shinde recalled. When Shinde explained that he preferred the shade, Rajinikanth insisted that he come inside. What followed left a lasting impression. The superstar shared his food with Shinde and later ensured that pomegranate juice meant for him was served to Shinde first.

“He reminded everyone about my role in the film Bharathi and said I should be treated with respect,” Shinde said. “I will never forget that moment.”

“In my experience, actors from the South tend to show better manners and treat co-actors with more respect compared to their Bollywood counterparts," he added.

As Shinde celebrates his birthday today, his journey itself reads like a film script shaped by perseverance.

Born on 13 January 1959 in Sakharwadi, in Maharashtra’s Satara district, he came from a modest farming family. His early years were far removed from cinema glamour. In 1978, he began acting in Marathi theatre while working nights as a watchman for the Maharashtra government’s Irrigation Department, earning just Rs. 165 a month.

“I did not come from privilege,” he once said. “I came from hunger, hard work, and hope.”

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His dedication to theatre led to acclaimed Marathi one-act plays such as Zulva, One Room Kitchen, and Amchya Ya Gharat, which earned him recognition in theatre circles. Cinema followed soon after. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Marathi for Aboli in 1995, opening doors across industries.

Over the years, Shinde built a rare, language-spanning career, working in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, and even English films. Through it all, he remained an observer of people, power, and behaviour.

Today, as he turns a year older, Shinde’s throwback words feel less like criticism and more like a reminder. Stardom fades. Manners don’t.