Rajinikanth wants to play a transgender
In his over four-decade-long career in films, Rajinikanth has played myriad roles, but there is one thing that he desires to do — to explore the idea of playing a transgender.
“I have explored almost all genres. I have worked in 160 films and it’s been 45 years in the film industry. I want to play the role of a transgender,” says the Tamil screen idol, when asked if there was any genre or role he would like to pursue.
Prodded if he has been approached by any filmmaker to play a transgender, he says, “No, not yet. I thought about it just now and expressed my wish.”
The veteran actor, whose next is Tamil action thriller Darbar alongside Suniel Shetty and Prateik Babbar, also wishes to work in a Marathi film someday, for his roots belong to Maharashtra. “I speak Marathi at home. Once, I had an opportunity to work in a Marathi film, but that didn’t work out. I would like to work in a Marathi film. Let’s see when it happens. We have shot this film (Darbar) for 90 days in Mumbai. I really love the people of Mumbai,” the 69year-old says.
Asked what drives him to work in films after having achieved everything, he jokingly says, “I have to justify the money I get, and that is huge.” “No, actually it is the passion. I feel we should love the work that we do. I love acting and I love coming in front of the camera. I think the camera and the light give me energy,” the actor adds.
Rajinikanth is known for creating stylish characters on screen, in terms of action, dialogue delivery or dance sequences. Does he give inputs while developing characters in his films? “I do give inputs, but directors also give inputs when I play a character. I don’t exactly know what my style is. I don’t think too much about how to play a certain character. The way I am in real life, I behave similarly on screen. I walk and talk fast in real life, and that’s what I do on screen as well. I feel that it is a bit different, and therefore, people appreciate it,” he says.
I have explored almost all genres. I have worked in 160 films and it’s been 45 years in the film industry. I want to play the role of a transgender.
RAJINIKANTH ACTOR