10 Best Tamil Movies of Rajnikanth in His Career

Why Kollywood Fans Love Superstar Rajinikanth

When you think of Tamil cinema, the first name that comes to mind is “Superstar” Rajinikanth. For more than four decades now, he’s been the monarch of style, punch dialogues, emotional scenes and, above all, being an entertainer who caters to every type of audience, from grandparents to little children.And whether it’s a Sunday afternoon and we are channel-surfing or if it’s a grand FDFS (first day first show) celebration, Rajini movies = pure fun, full family drama and tonnes of attitude.

Here's a deep-dive into Rajini’s Top 10 Tamil films that fans consider absolute classics.

10 Best RajniKanth Tamil Movies of His Career

1) Baasha (1995)

Rajinikanth’s Baasha isn’t a film, it’s an experience. The film begins so gently, with Rajini playing an auto driver Manickam who is soft spoken and doesn’t raise his voice. But you can tell there’s something sinister about him. The iconic moment? When he says "Naan oru thadava sonna, nooru thadava sonna maadhirii" you can tell that the original Baasha is back! And this is where Suresh Krissna achieves the kind of mass-action-emotion-mix which only Rajini can.

The catch of Baasha lies in the combination of family sentiment, mind-boggling action and snappy narration. The transition scene, where the man of peace Manickam turns into his don avatar is now Tamil cinema folklore. And the face-offs with memorable villain Mark Antony (Raghuvaran)keep you hooked. All Rajini fans know the music and those killer slow-mo walks. When you watch Baasha, it’s a trip in nostalgia you end up mouthing the dialogues with him and whistling at the punch lines.

2) Padayappa (1999)

If you have not seen a Rajini “mass entry” sequence, just try the one in Padayappa. The entire film is buoyed by Rajini’s star appeal as Padayappa, a fellow who falls and rises again, much bigger than earlier. The twist here is the emotional drama. His scenes with his father, the agony of losing everything and how he rebuilt from nothing. There’s a solid core of family, friendship and revenge.

And then, of course, there’s Neelambari (Ramya Krishnan). She’s still spoken of as one of the most unforgettable antagonists in Tamil cinema. The way Padayappa keeps his cool, says the smart one-liners and slams Neelambari in the climax is vintage Rajini. The songs, particularly “Minsara Kanna” and “Vetri Kodi Kattu,” are timeless. Padayappa is almost like each and every Rajini fan’s own success story of sorts, the underdog(ish) who falls, rises, head held high.

3) Thalapathi (1991)

Thalapathi gives a different dimension of Rajinikanth. In this fan favorite from Mani Ratnam, we meet Surya, an orphan who learns about friendship, loyalty and the underworld. And there’s a controlled intensity in every scene of the movie. A Rajini we seldom get to see, its style more undersurface than overt. The highlight? Her scorching chemistry with Mammootty who portrays the dreaded don Deva.

The film’s emotional fulcrum is Rajini pining for his mother (Srividya), being torn between friendship and doing the right thing. Ilaiyaraaja’s music in particular takes the scenes to greater height, and you feel Surya’s pain, anger and vulnerability for real.En uyirae, Akkini Sooriyanoda, is one such soul-stirring number. It is not the flying punches, but the depth in Rajini’s acting and Mani Ratnam’s narration.” Each and every time Surya looks at his mother or blinks back a silent tear, you see Rajini the actor.

4) Annamalai (1992)

Annamalai is the story of friendship gone awry. As Annamalai, the modest milkman, Rajinikanth is all heart. He is a simple man whose life flips when his childhood friend Ashok (Sarath Babu) cheats him. Ultimately that BGM would be ringing in your ears, but the result is gratifying as Rajini rises from a nobody to a millionaire gradually.

The high-voltage confrontations, (the iconic “Vetri Nichayam” speech) and Rajini's emotive scenes. His chemistry with Sarath Babu, family relationship and the encouraging rags-to-riches ride just makes us root for Annamalai at each stumbling block. The dialogues and music of this film still features on every Rajini playlist. It’s a ‘90s film that millennials can relate with easily today, by virtue of its timeless story and the soulful performance by Rajini.

5) Mullum Malarum (1978)

If you want to show someone Rajini the thespian, not “superstar,” play Mullum Malarum. Here, it is Kaali. A cheeky, playful winch operator whose life centers around his sister Valli (Shoba). The brother-sister relationship comes across as so incredibly real and raw that you’ll be crying even in their more emotional moments. Rajini as Kaali, particularly his arrogant ego and helpless side is mind blowing.

Though Rajini, as opposed to his mass roles, does act in the film, here he’s mostly acting through his eyes. The devastating iconic scene of him losing his hand gut-punches you, and the quiet suffering is heart-breaking. This movie is for anyone who loves stories that are real and resonate with deep emotions. Kaali is no hero, he’s every brother who isn’t expressive but will move heaven and earth for his sister. For a large number of fans, it is Rajini at his finest as Mullum Malarum.

6) Thillu Mullu (1981)

Long before Rajini became the action superstar he nailed comedy in Thillu Mullu. This Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Gol Maal remake allowed Rajini to showcase his comedy skills. He plays Chandran, weaving an outrageous string of falsehoods to land a job and then pretending to have a brother to avoid his boss, brilliantly portrayed by Thengai Srinivasan.

There are plenty of laughs in the movie. Rajini with his fake mustache, making awkward excuses or just ‘the imitation’ alone. It is the chemistry between Rajini and his boss that makes this movie sheer fun. Nor any fight scenes nor punch dialogues. Only laughter, and lots of it. That is Thillu Mullu for you, the crowning glory that testifies Rajini can make us all laugh as easily as he makes us whistle in admiration. It is timeless, rewatchable and the movie to watch if you need a mood lift.

7) Sivaji: The Boss (2007)

This Shankar-Rajini combo gave us a modern day mass commercial. Sivaji is Rajini in “style” mode. His coolest shades, all sorts of gadgets and accessories, that attitude you can’t beat. 

From the gaudy numbers like “Ballelakka” to the head-spinning “coin trick” scene, it’s all laid down for fan frenzy. Rajini with Shriya Saran adds the comic lighter moments, but the best ones are his switch to “MGR” style Baba which is stretched beyond unimaginable yet for fans! This is the film with fans throwing coins, firing crackers and dancing inside theatres. A true Rajini mass feast.

8) Chandramukhi (2005)

If you mix horror and comedy with Rajinikanth’s mannerism you get Chandramukhi. Rajini in the Role of Dr. Saravanan, a professional psychiatrist trying to unravel Palatial Haunted House mystery. What makes the film interesting is its genre mix, terror to make you bite nails at one moment and Goundamani-Vadivelu comedy to commence laughing after.

The key highpoint is the dramatic “Laka… Laka…” sequence with Jyothika. It’s a horror film, but Rajini is breezy, by the end of it solves the mystery and takes us alone on his style. If you were a kid in the 2000s, you don’t get away without hearing the Raa Raa song or those “Dance with Rajini” moments. Chandramukhi broke box office records.

9) Enthiran (2010)

Only Shankar could have thought, drafted and created Rajni Kanth as Robot. In Enthiran Rajini does double duty as Dr. Vaseegaran a super genius and Chitti his lovable, then evil, robot creation. The transition from the gullible robot to the mother of all badass robots, “Chitti 2.0” is one that Rajini performs with ease and it is quite possibly some of Rajini’s best acting work till date.

It’s just the crazy stunts and gorgeous SFX, plus Aishwarya Rai×2 for your “paisa vasool.” But it’s the weird, wild scientist-cum-robot pratfalls of Rajini that steal the show. The climax action scenes were nothing like Tamil cinema had seen before. Robot armies, machine gun fire and Rajini everywhere! If you want something with flying cars but comedy and the usual “Rajini-isms” Enthiran has you covered.)

10) Muthu (1995)

Before the nation-wide fury, Muthu was an international rage. Japan loved Rajini for this movie! In Muthu, he is a simpleton of a loyal servant whose quiet life gets turned upside down by palace intrigue and information about his identity. The tale is Bollywood-size big and dramatic, but it’s Rajini’s naiveté and charm that draw you in.

Sarath Babu and Meena are solid co-stars, with Vadivelu’s comedy being an added bonus. Except that “Thillana Thillana” and “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalali" numbers just lit the stage on fire. There’s a single emotional moment when Muthu discovers his true identity. Rajini is spot-on with the emotions of that blend of pain and pride. This is a family film. And if you’re not up on your feet by the time Rajini’s horse rides alongside a running train, check your pulse -you're probably not a ‘90s Tamil kid.

Conclusion

From the rough and tough Kaali in Mullum Malarum to the action hero in Baasha to Sivaji, or Chitti, Rajinikanth never ceases to reinvent himself. Every film in this list is a blockbuster, but also a milestone moments where Tamil cinema changed forever, punch dialogues became street phrases and common people turned die-hard fans.

These aren’t just movies about Rajini. They’re about nostalgia, laughter, family and pure movie magic. No matter how many new arrivals emerge, there is only one Superstar.