Rajinikanth OPENS UP On Alcohol Struggle, Reveals How K Balachander Stepped In During Shoot: What Happened?

Rajinikanth’s struggle with alcohol reportedly reached a turning point during a film shoot. Discover how legendary filmmaker K Balachander intervened and helped the superstar change his approach to drinking.

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Who was the reason Rajinikanth quit alcohol?

Superstar Rajinikanth has millions of fans all over India. For decades, people have loved him for his simple nature, unique style, and amazing acting. But in his early days, Rajini struggled with a drinking habit, a fact he has openly shared many times. An old interview is now doing the rounds, where he talks about the one person and the one incident that made him quit for good.

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Drinking on the shooting spot... Rajini gets caught!

Rajinikanth once shared this story from his early career. "The director called for 'pack up' after a day's shoot. So, I had a few drinks. Suddenly, an assistant director ran up to me and said, 'Sir, we missed a scene. The director is calling you back to shoot it'." To hide that he'd been drinking, Rajini quickly took a shower, changed his clothes, and went back to the set. But he couldn't fool his director, K. Balachander, who immediately figured it out.

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Balachander's one question

K. Balachander walked up to Rajini and asked, "Do you know Nagesh?" When Rajini said yes, Balachander gave him a serious warning. He reminded Rajini of the legendary actor Nagesh's incredible talent and how alcohol had ruined his career and life. "Do you know what a great actor he was? You are nothing compared to him. But he destroyed his life with drinking. If I ever find you drinking on my set again, I won't spare you," Balachander told him sternly.

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That day, Rajini said goodbye to drinking

Those words from his mentor hit Rajinikanth hard. In the interview, he revealed that he decided to quit drinking that very day. "From that day on, I stopped drinking completely. Even when we were shooting in freezing cold places like Jammu-Kashmir, I never touched alcohol again," he shared. This one incident shows how a guru's tough love can completely change a person's life, a turning point that Rajini's fans are talking about all over again.