Tamil cinema has witnessed the rise of several iconic stars who began their journeys with humble beginnings and hard work. Today, they command massive box office numbers and have a dedicated fan following. Here is a look at how some of the biggest Tamil stars, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay Thalapathy, Suriya, and Dhanush, looked decades ago compared to their present-day personas.
Rajinikanth
Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, famously known as superstar Rajinikanth, had a very modest start in cinema. His talent was noticed by legendary filmmaker K. Balachander, who gave him the screen name Rajinikanth in his debut film Apoorva Raagangal. In the beginning, Rajinikanth mostly acted in supporting roles. However, his career changed with Mullum Malarum, directed by J. Mahendran. Even today, many consider it one of the finest performances of his career. In 2025, he completed 50 years in Tamil cinema. His last release, Coolie, became the third highest-grossing film of his career after Jailer and 2.0. He is now preparing for the release of Jailer 2. After that, fans will see him share screen space with another Tamil cinema legend, Kamal Haasan, in a new project produced under Kamal Haasan's production banner.
Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan started his journey in cinema as a child artist. He made an impressive debut with Kalathur Kannamma and won the President's Gold Medal for his performance. Known as one of the most talented and versatile actors in Indian cinema, Kamal Haasan has won several National Awards during his long career. Many people consider him one of the finest actors in the country. The veteran star has an exciting lineup ahead. He has big projects like Indian 3, Kalki 2, and the much-awaited sequel Vikram 2 in the pipeline. He will also be joining Rajinikanth in two upcoming projects.
Vijay Thalapathy
Today, actor-turned-politician Vijay Thalapathy is not only one of the biggest stars in Tamil cinema but also serves as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The actor began his career as a child actor in 1984 at the age of 10 in the movie Vetri, directed by his father, S. A. Chandrasekhar. Later, he made his full-fledged debut as the lead in Naalaiya Theerpu, also helmed by his father. As of 2026, he has completed more than three decades in the industry and is now transitioning his focus into politics. The actor's last film remains the political action thriller Jana Nayagan, which is yet to be released theatrically after a legal issue with the CBFC and later getting leaked online. There is now buzz that the film will be released soon.
Suriya
Tamil superstar Suriya is a prominent actor and filmmaker in Kollywood. Interestingly, before entering the film business, Suriya worked in the garment industry for nearly three years. However, due to financial constraints, he entered the film industry to help his family pay off a Rs 25,000 loan that his mother had taken without his father's (veteran actor Sivakumar) knowledge. He then debuted in 1997 with the film Nerukku Ner. Today, he stands as one of the biggest stars and is gearing up for the release of Karuppu, a fantasy action drama starring Trisha Krishnan, directed by RJ Balaji. The film is releasing on May 14.
Dhanush
It was at the age of 16 when Dhanush starred in the 2002 film Thulluvadho Ilamai, directed by his father, Kasthuri Raja, and written by his brother, Selvaraghavan. Interestingly, this was not Dhanush's first dream; before making his own legacy in films, Dhanush had wanted to be a chef. However, fate had other plans, and today Dhanush stands as one of the most versatile artists in the industry, taking on roles as an actor, producer, director, writer, and playback singer. He was recently seen in the action thriller Kara, directed by Vignesh Raja.
