Raj Bahadur greets me with a friendly smile at his residence in Chamrajpet, Bengaluru. At 80, he understandably moves slowly and has slight hearing challenges. Nevertheless, I am quickly in awe of his memory. “I met Rajini on June 03, 1970. He joined the Bangalore Transport Service (now Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation) as a conductor, and I joined as a driver. We have remained close friends for 55 years,” he says.
Be it at any public forum, Rajinikanth takes pride in his friendship with Bahadur, who was the pillar to the actor’s dream of becoming big in the film industry. First one to recognise his skills, Bahadur encouraged Rajinikanth to pursue acting at the Madras Film Institute in Chennai, promising him all the financial help required. The rest, as they say, is history.
“He is the man who gave Tamil cinema its superstar,” said veteran director SP Muthuraman, introducing Bahadur to the packed crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai during the recent audio launch of Coolie, the upcoming Rajinikanth film. Bahadur, who sat among the biggest stars of Indian cinema such as Akkineni Nagarjuna and Aamir Khan, confesses to relishing the energetic atmosphere.
Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, hits the screens on August 14, marking Rajinikanth’s 50th year in the film industry. Bahadur, a retired BMTC driver, who has been an integral part of Rajinikanth’s incredible journey to the top, obliges to showcase his treasure trove, an album of memorable pictures with Rajinikanth and talk about the story behind some of the photographs.
Escaping the public eye
It’s a well-known fact that Rajinikanth is an ardent devotee of Sri Raghavendra Swamy. The actor even played the Hindu scholar and saint in his 100th film, titled Sri Raghavendrar (1985). A meet-up with Bahadur always leads to a trip to Mantralayam in Andhra Pradesh to worship Raghavendra Swamy. Seen here are Rajinikanth, Bahadur, and other friends, who choose a secluded spot to break for lunch. To avoid media attention and public scrutiny, Rajinikanth and his gang find secluded places during their travel to have a meal. Dharmasthala, Sri Kukke Subrahmanya, and Tirupati are the other go-to temples for Rajini.
A moment with family
Bahadur and family pose for a picture with the superstar at the popular 5-star hotel The Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru. Bahadur reveals that Rajinikanth owned a property right opposite Lalit Ashok, yet chose to rent a room. In a bid to escape the massive crowds around his residence, the superstar preferred to stay in a hotel. Bahadur remembers Rajinikanth looking at his property through the window of his hotel room and finding it hard to believe that he cannot stay in his own house. Such is his stardom, says Bahadur with a chuckle.
Honoured on stage
Bahadur being felicitated at the school run by Latha, the wife of Rajinikanth, in Chennai. He recalls Latha thanking him on stage for being the primary reason behind the rise of Rajinikanth. Every year, he is invited to the annual event, where the superstar never forgets to tell the students about Bahadur’s role in encouraging Rajini to pursue acting and providing the actor with financial help during his early days as a struggling actor in Chennai.
Best friends get nostalgic
Two best friends at the Jayanagar 4th Block Bus Station in Bengaluru. It’s the place where Rajinikanth first met Bahadur, and the veteran star decided to give a surprise visit to the bus depot in 2023. Expectedly, the Baasha star got swamped by people requesting a selfie. Rajinikanth left the bus station after a brief interaction with drivers and conductors. Before reaching the depot, Rajinikanth visited the Ramakrishna Math in Basavanagudi. After his primary education, Rajini was enrolled in the Math by his brother. Bahadur saw his friend chant vedas and mantras as he meditated at the Math for an hour.
ALSO READ: Actor Rajinikanth springs a surprise visit to BMTC bus depot in Bengaluru
Food for love
Rajinikanth indulging in his favourite food. The actor is a big fan of dishes made of chicken, reveals Bahadur. During his visits to Bengaluru, Rajinikanth prefers having food made in Bahadur’s house. The lifelong friend usually takes him a tiffin carrier having chicken curry, chapathi, rasam, omelette, and fish. He is not much of a mutton lover, claims Bahadur. Unless it’s the only option, Rajini never eats restaurant food in Bengaluru, he adds.
A birthday to remember
When friends meet, they party! Bahadur with Rajinikanth on the star’s special birthday. This picture was clicked at Rajini’s residence in Chennai on 12/12/12. The triple date sequence occurs once in a lifetime, and it became even more special for me because it was his birthday, says Bahadur.
Friend and a fan
Raj Bahadur at his residence.
| Photo Credit:
K Bhagya Prakash
Bahadur on the veranda of his house in Chamrajpet, Bengaluru. The house, with posters of Rajinikanth’s films and photographs of him with the Tamil star, resembles a fanboy’s hub.
Trivia time
Raj Bahadur at his residence in Chamrajpet, Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit:
K Bhagya Prakash
As Bahadur goes down the memory lane with The Hindu, the showcase filled with Rajinikanth memorabilia is hard to miss. He also shares an episode about the early days of Rajinikanth the actor.
When Rajinikanth teared up opposite Kapali theatre in Bengaluru due to the happiness of seeing himself on the big screen in his debut Apoorva Raagangal (1975), Bahadur told him that it’s just the beginning of a long ride. He remembers Rajini showcasing his style, be it in his walk, the way he sat, or smoked a cigarette in K Balachander’s Moondru Mudichu (1976), also starring Kamal Haasan and Sridevi. The success of that film made Rajinikanth a dedicated actor, says Bahadur. “He worked continuously, project after project, and was never willing to rest.”
Published – August 12, 2025 06:38 pm IST
