Super Star Rajni

Background

This is the vanity card of Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, also known by his mononymous stage name Rajinikanth, an Indian film actor, who works primarily in Tamil cinema. He began acting in plays while working in the Bangalore Transport Service as a bus conductor. In 1973, he joined the Madras Film Institute to pursue a diploma in acting. Following his debut in K. Balachander's Tamil drama Apoorva Raagangal, his acting career commenced with a brief phase of portraying antagonistic characters in Tamil films. After earning ₹26 crore (equivalent to ₹55 crore or US$8.5 million in 2016) for his role in Sivaji, he was the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan at the time. While working in other regional film industries of India, Rajinikanth has also appeared in the cinemas of other nations, including the American film Bloodstone. As of 2014, Rajinikanth has won six Tamil Nadu State Film Awards—four Best Actor Awards and two Special Awards for Best Actor—and a Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award. In addition to acting, he has also worked as a producer and screenwriter. Apart from his film career, he is also a philanthropist, spiritualist, and serves as an influence in Dravidian politics. The Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016 for his contributions to the arts. At the 45th International Film Festival of India, he was conferred with the "Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year".

1st Logo (June 27, 1992-April 14, 2005, July 22, 2016-)

• 
• 

Visuals: On a black background, the text "SUPER STAR" is seen writing itself. Once the text is complete, three-dimensional gold letters such as "R", "A", "J", "N", and "I", are seen flying itself by letter-by-letter. "RAJNI" zooms backward to put a place between "SUPER" and "STAR". It flashes itself. The text zooms out and the Tamil translation does the same motion as before. It flashes the same as before.

Variant: On the 2005 film Chandramuki, an enhanced version reanimated in CGI was used.

Technique: Simple traditional cel animation, though very effective.

Audio: A sly bass and brass theme with people constantly cheering "Hey!". This is actually taken from the theme music to the music Annamalai. A laser sound effect from Star Wars is played when "RAJNI" flies in letter-by-letter, along with it zooming in backwards and it flashing by itself.

Audio Variants:

• On Veera, a synth fanfare is heard instead, along with whooshes.
• On Sathya Movies' HD remaster of Baashha, the music is dubstep-remixed with whooshes being replaced with sparkles.
• On most films from 2016 onwards, the opening theme of the movie is used.
• Petta (2019) uses a brass arrangement of the classic theme, minus the "Hey!" and zaps.

Availability: Seen on all Rajini movies from Annamalai to Chandramuki. The logo was revived in 2016 starting with Kabali.

Legacy: This logo is quite the favorite to many Indians, given its design and longevity of almost 13 years. In fact, its popularity resulted in it to be used again 11 years later.

2nd Logo (June 14, 2007)

• 
• 

Visuals: On a space background, there is a trail of stars moving around the screen, probably trailing the words "SUPER STAR". A flare appears on them as they change directions. After multiple times, the trail of stars form the text "SUPER STAR". The letters light up at once. Then, there is blue Hindi-like words "RAJNI" showing up letter-by-letter. After this, the 3D text "RAJNI" then zooms out. A flare shines on the letters. The letters then flip to reveal the Hindi translation. A flare shines on the Hindi text.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An upbeat techno tune, followed by chanting.

Availability: Appeared on Sivaji.

3rd Logo (August 1, 2008)

• 
• 

Visuals: Various cut-outs on a black background are seen, including that of a man and the letters of "SUPER STAR". Inside the cut-outs are footage of sparkles and various shapes on a purple background. The logo then gets engulfed by fire, and the text "SUPER STAR" is seen on a purple background. The letters "R", "A", "J", "N", and "I" then fly to the center of the screen, and said letters then fly underneath "SUPER STAR", followed by the same text in Tamil. The Tamil text then burns for a split-second.

Technique: A hybrid of 2D and 3D animation.

Audio: A funky horn fanfare with whooshes.

Availability: Appeared on Kuselan.

4th Logo (October 1, 2010)

• 
• 

Visuals: Over a light blue and black background with multible squares floating around, metalic 3D text that reads "SUPER STAR" forms, letter-by-letter. All of the letters have multible stars, depending on the length of the letter. After this was finished, the same text slides in. The letters then flip. Then, the metalic text that reads "RAJNI" slides in and zooms in, letter-by-letter. After that, the outline of the text from before, zooms out, and then shows the metalic color. Then the text then flip to the translation in Telugu.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The opening theme of the film, followed by multiple sound effects.

Availability: Appeared on Enthiran.

5th Logo (May 23, 2014)

• 
• 

Visuals: Over a space background is a velvet bag. The bag shakes, and then opens up, and then turns around, to spills over multible silver stars, and a golden star. followed by a glass shatter when the stars spill. The golden star then shakes. The silver stars form the letters for "SUPER STAR", letter-by-letter. After this, the same text draws in. Then, there is the golden 3D text "RAJNI" zooming in, letter-by-letter. After that, the golden text then zooms out spinning, and a shine shines on the text. The text flips over to reveal the Telugu translation, and shines again.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The opening theme of the film, followed by a glass shatter when the stars spill, multiple laser sounds for the text zooming, and machine sounds when the golden text zooms, and a another machine sound when the formed golden text zooms out.

Availability: Appeared on Kochadaiiyaan.

6th Logo (December 12, 2014)

• 
• 

Visuals: On a space background, 3D white letters with jewels for "SUPER STAR" move around in various positions. After this, the same text then zooms out. Then, a light flare shines, and then the text on the same style "STAR" zooms in. The text then zooms out, and black 3D letters in the same font "RAJNI" zoom out, which then turns into the white color with jewels, and then zooms out, letter-by-letter. A shine flashes on the letters after the zooming. After this, the camera zooms out on to reveal a constallation of Rajinikanth (a la the current Lionsgate logo). Then the same text all zooms out, letter-by-letter. The text shines. "RAJNI" zooms out, and reveals the Telugu translation, also shines.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The same music from the 2nd logo, which was slightly low pitched, followed by various sound effects.

Availability: Appeared on Lingaa.

7th Logo (November 29, 2018)

• 

Visuals: Part of the opening credits, on a spaceship background, there are the text "SUPER STAR" rotating to the camera, as the camera moves at the letters, letter-by-letter. After this, the camera moves down to a spaceship door, where we see the text "RAJNI" form, letter-by-letter. Then the first half of the text then moves on top of the "RAJNI" text, letter-by-letter. Eletricity sparks show on the bottom text. As the camera shakes, the text then transforms into the translation in Telugu.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The opening theme of the film, followed by multiple sound effects.

Availability: Appeared on 2.0.