Superstars may rise and fall, but legends carve out a space that time can’t erase. Rajinikanth is one such legend—a name that continues to command the screen, even fifty years after his first appearance in Indian cinema. In an industry that constantly changes, he remains the ultimate crowd-puller, delivering hits in 2025 with the same electrifying presence that shook theatres in 2015, 2005, 1995, 1985—and all the way back to 1975.

While Rajinikanth is admired for his acting prowess and larger-than-life persona, what truly sets him apart is his unmistakable style. From the iconic hair flip to the smooth way he dons his sunglasses, the crisp sleeve rolls, the signature cigarette flicks—his every move became a statement, a moment, a memory etched into pop culture. But what inspired these now-legendary gestures?

At a cultural event hosted by the Nadigar Sangam in 2018, the superstar pulled back the curtain on his early life and the real story behind his flair. The question posed was simple: Did his style emerge after entering the film world, or was it always part of him?

Rajinikanth’s answer was pure gold. “Naturally, I am a stylish person,” he declared, drawing laughter and applause. But then came the reveal: his iconic style was actually born on the buses of Bengaluru, during his time as a bus conductor.

Back then, issuing tickets to a packed crowd of passengers usually took about 30 minutes. But Rajinikanth? He’d be done in just ten. Not only did he work fast, but he did it with flair. The way he moved, the way he handled the ticket book, the way he interacted with passengers—it was all infused with a rhythm, a charisma, a spark. That very spark would later set the screen ablaze.

Long before the silver screen discovered his charm, Rajinikanth was already a showman. And it turns out, his stardom didn’t begin in front of a camera—but in the narrow aisles of a Bangalore city bus, with a ticket roll in hand and a style all his own.