Soundarya Rajinikanth Opens Up About Father's Guidance and Career Choices
In a revealing interview with Galatta Plus, filmmaker-producer Soundarya Rajinikanth discussed her father Rajinikanth's influential advice that steered her away from acting and toward a career behind the camera. Promoting her upcoming production With Love, she offered rare insights into her family dynamics and the cinematic legacy that shaped her path.
Rajinikanth's Concerns Over Female Actors' Screen Time
Soundarya recalled her father's reservations about her or her sister entering acting, rooted in his extensive experience in the industry. "With all the experience appa has, was he for my sister or me coming in front of the camera? Not entirely," she stated. "What he felt was that the life of a female lead in cinema, at least where Indian cinema is concerned, is a face. When you see heroes today, their time playing the lead is a lot longer than what a woman has."
She elaborated that Rajinikanth was protective of their emotional well-being, fearing the transient nature of fame for female actors. "I think at that time, he didn't want us to have that face and then not have it later. He was looking out for our emotional well being," Soundarya explained. Despite receiving interesting offers in her youth, she took his advice seriously, embracing her creative instincts to work behind the lens instead.
Growing Up with a Larger-Than-Life Father
Reflecting on her childhood, Soundarya shared that she never perceived her father as an ordinary person. "Do I ever remember a time when I thought my dad was a normal person? No. Not at all," she said. "I always remember him being this larger than life person and people celebrating him." Her earliest theater memory is watching Thalapathi, vividly recalling the audience's enthusiastic reactions.
She also praised Rajinikanth's authenticity and comfort with his natural appearance. "I have never seen another person so comfortable with the way he looks," Soundarya noted. "With the exception of Rajinikanth, nobody else is so comfortable saying 'this is how I am in real life and this is how I'm in the movies, deal with it.' He's so stylish, no matter what he does. I'm more of a fan than a daughter at times." She highlighted how he gracefully accepted aging, including hair loss, with peace and happiness.
Insights on Rajinikanth's Films and Future Collaborations
As a devoted fan, Soundarya offered candid thoughts on Rajinikanth's recent film Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. "The last 10 minutes stood out for me. I loved the de-aging part, that really worked. But as a Thalaivar fan, I wanted more of him in that film," she admitted. "Did I like it? Yeah. But did I think it was one of my top Appa favourites? Maybe not."
Without hesitation, she named Thalapathi as the definitive Rajinikanth film, describing it with enthusiasm. "Any day. Everybody shut down, nobody can say anything, mic drop," she declared. She also listed Basha, Shivaji, and Padayappa among his finest works, calling Padayappa "the funniest film according to me."
Kochadaiiyaan and a Dream Reunion
Discussing her directorial venture Kochadaiiyaan, Soundarya revealed her motivation to immortalize her father through motion-capture animation. "I wanted to immortalize my dad," she said. "With this technology, you can go on making films with a person. I wanted his image, his body, his face, everything to be there."
On the potential reunion of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan on screen, she proposed a creative concept. "If I had to creatively contribute, I'd say it should be about their journeys, what Rajinikanth did to Kamal Haasan and what Kamal Haasan did to Rajinikanth," Soundarya suggested. "They love each other and have such mutual respect. But before they became friends, what was it? I think that will be very interesting."
