From bus conductor to star

By Andrew Buncombe

Rajinikanth shoots with his finger and swallows helicopters. Photo / Supplied

In Mumbai, the print of his film was driven at dawn to a temple by horse-drawn carriage in order for it to be blessed.
In Chennai, the 4am showing of the film sold out, forcing fans to hustle to get tickets for the 5am slot.
In Milton Keynes, Britain, movie reviewers were charmed, and in the United States, hard-to-get tickets were reportedly selling for up to US$40 ($54).
This is how things are in the world of Rajinikanth, an Indian movie star of larger-than-life proportions whose every film is a guaranteed hit.
Remarkably, while he may be little known outside India, Rajinikanth is the second highest-earning Asian actor, pipped for the top spot only by Jackie Chan.
At the weekend, the 61-year-old veteran of more than 150 films is earning even more money. His latest film, Endhiran - English title The Robot - opened to good reviews and huge, adoring crowds who queued overnight outside cinemas across the nation. Inside, the audiences shouted and cheered at their hero's unlikely moves while outside fireworks were set off and drums played.

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