Many stalwarts like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and Thalapathy Vijay reportedly earn around Rs 100 crore for their acting stint in the films. In the initial days of Tamil cinema, however, there was another actor whose popularity surpassed the fame garnered by these actors. He became the first actor in the Tamil film industry to earn a fee of Rs 1 crore through his film. He is none other than the veteran actor Rajkiran whose birth name is J Mohideen Abdul Khadar.
Rajkiran reportedly got this remuneration for his work in the film Manikkam, directed by Surya Prakash. Vanitha Vijayakumar, Srividya, Anandraj, and others also acted in this movie. Amma Creations backed Manikkam which was released on the big screens on September 6, 1996.
Before becoming one of the most prominent actors in Tamil cinema, Rajkiran had to face many setbacks on the professional front. According to the reports, the Power Paandi actor came to Chennai when he was 16 years old and worked as a daily wage labourer. At that time, he was reportedly paid a meagre salary of 5 rupees. Later, he gradually rose amongst the ranks and became a clerk where he was given a monthly salary of Rs 170.
Later, Rajkiran started a film distribution company and gradually learned about the nuances of cinema and started directing films. As of now, he has directed two films, namely Aranmanai Kili and Ellaame En Raasa Thaan.
Besides being a talented actor and director, Rajkiran has been quite vocal in terms of expressing his views as well. Rajkiran had commented in an interview on the shootout that happened on the Jaipur-Mumbai Express in July 2023. In the shootout, a Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable shot dead an assistant sub-inspector of RPF and three Muslim passengers on board the train. Rajkiran had said, “We are not scared for our lives and we are not defenceles….We are patient because Muhammad – god’s last messenger, and the great leader of Islam, has termed patience as the biggest treasure.”
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