Editing Rajinikanth (section)

=== 1990–2010: Superstardom ===
[[File:Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan at audio release of Shamitabh.jpg|thumb|right|alt=|Rajinikanth with Kamal Haasan]]

Rajinikanth began the new decade with a mega blockbuster in ''[[Panakkaran]]'' (1990), which was a remake of [[Amitabh Bachchan]]'s 1981 film ''[[Laawaris (1981 film)|Laawaris]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |title=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |title-link=Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-14-342111-5 |location=New Delhi |pages=128 |author-link=Naman Ramachandran |orig-date=2012}}</ref> The film earned him his eighth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil. His next two Tamil films, the [[fantasy film|fantasy comedy]] ''[[Athisaya Piravi]]'', (a remake of [[Chiranjeevi]]'s 1988 film ''[[Yamudiki Mogudu (1988 film)|Yamudiki Mogudu]]'') which also released in 1990 and the family drama ''[[Dharma Durai (1991 film)|Dharmadorai]]'' (1991), did above-average business at the box office. His stint with Bollywood continued since the past decade as he went on to star in more Hindi films. ''[[Hum (1991 film)|Hum]]'' released in 1991 saw him doing the second main lead with Amitabh Bachchan became an inspiration for ''Baashha''.<ref name="IndiaJanDay">{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/15/stories/2006121506571400.htm |title=It's India-Japan Friendship Year |date=15 December 2006 |access-date=20 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520065653/http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/15/stories/2006121506571400.htm |archive-date=20 May 2007 |location=Chennai, India |work=[[The Hindu]] |language=ta}}</ref> In 1991, he worked with [[Mani Ratnam]] in ''[[Thalapathi]]'', which was heavily inspired by the ''[[Mahabharata]]''.<ref name="thalapathi">{{Cite web |url=http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/jun/09/slide-show-1-looking-at-mani-ratnams-landmark-movies.htm |title=Looking at Mani Ratnam's landmark movies&nbsp;– Rediff.com Movies |date=9 June 2010 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006132648/http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/jun/09/slide-show-1-looking-at-mani-ratnams-landmark-movies.htm |archive-date=6 October 2014 |access-date=30 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tamil-superstar-rajnikant-turns-60-fans-celebrate/553338/2 |title=Tamil superstar Rajnikant turns 60, fans celebrate |date=12 December 2009 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=23 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326003855/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tamil-superstar-rajnikant-turns-60-fans-celebrate/553338/2 |archive-date=26 March 2010}}</ref> in which he co-starred with actor [[Mammooty]]; the film dealt with the friendship between two unknown characters based on [[Karna]] and [[Duryodhana]], respectively,<ref name="thalapathi" /> and was set in a more contemporary milieu and was both critically acclaimed and successful upon release.<ref name="rebel_image">{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2010/10/24/stories/2010102450020100.htm |title=Magazine : He's back |last=K. Hariharan |date=24 October 2010 |access-date=23 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028131931/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2010/10/24/stories/2010102450020100.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |archive-date=28 October 2010}}</ref> He received his ninth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil for the film. He went on to appear in remakes of films from other languages, mostly from Hindi and Telugu. ''[[Annamalai (film)|Annamalai]]'', which released in 1992, was yet another friendship-centric film and was loosely based on the 1987 Bollywood film ''[[Khudgarz]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Suganth|first=M|date=27 June 2017|title=Without Annamalai, there wouldn't be Baashha|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/without-annamalai-there-wouldnt-be-baashha/articleshow/59322761.cms|accessdate=14 July 2021|archive-date=28 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228223001/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/without-annamalai-there-wouldnt-be-baashha/articleshow/59322761.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was the first to have the ''Superstar'' graphic title card.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/story-behind-rajinikanths-iconic-title-card-superstar-rajinikanth/articleshow/92784388.cms|title=Story Behind Rajinikanth's Iconic Title Card 'Superstar Rajinikanth'|website=[[The Times of India]] |date=10 July 2022}}</ref> He received his tenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil for the film. ''[[Mannan (film)|Mannan]]'', directed by [[P. Vasu]], a remake of Kannada actor [[Dr. Rajkumar|Rajkumar]]'s 1986 blockbuster ''[[Anuraga Aralithu]]'', also was released in 1992 and became a box office success. Rajinikanth wrote his first screenplay for the film ''[[Valli (film)|Valli]]'' (1993), in which he also made a special appearance. He also starred in the film ''[[Yajaman]]'', in which he played the role of Vaanavaraayan, a village chieftain. His romantic-comedy ''[[Veera (1994 film)|Veera]]'' (1994) was controversial for its climax but went on to become one of the highest-grossing films in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/38534/inspiration-remakes.html |title=Inspiration for remakes |last=Megha Shenoy |date=4 April 2011 |website=[[The Deccan Herald]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021111848/http://www.deccanherald.com/content/38534/inspiration-remakes.html |archive-date=21 October 2012 |access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref> That year, he earned his eleventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil for the action-drama ''[[Uzhaippali]]''.

He joined hands with [[Suresh Krishna (director)|Suresh Krishna]] for ''[[Baashha]]'' (1995), which emerged as an industry record,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-working-with-rajinikanth-baasha-director-tells-all/20121212.htm |title=Working with Rajinikanth: Baasha director tells all |date=12 December 2012 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208151126/http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-working-with-rajinikanth-baasha-director-tells-all/20121212.htm |archive-date=8 February 2013 |access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref> and is routinely touted by fans and critics alike as a major-hit, as the film elevated him from being just another very popular actor to nearly demigod status among the masses.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/news-interviews/Rajinikanth-Old-is-gold/articleshow/4138227.cms? |title=Rajinikanth: Old is gold |last=Pillai |first=Sreedhar |date=17 February 2009 |work=The Times of India |access-date=9 October 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114114139/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/news-interviews/Rajinikanth-Old-is-gold/articleshow/4138227.cms |archive-date=14 January 2016}}</ref> He made a cameo in ''[[Peddarayudu]]'' for his friend [[Mohan Babu]] and also helped him in obtaining the remake rights. The same year, he acted in yet another gangster film, ''[[Aatank Hi Aatank]]'' with [[Aamir Khan]] which was also his last Hindi film in a major role till date.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mio.to//album/Aandavan+%282000%29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904042748/http://mio.to/album/Aandavan+%282000%29|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 September 2014|title=Aandavan (2000) - Deva|via=mio.to}}</ref> His film ''[[Muthu (film)|Muthu]]'', a remake of [[Mohanlal]]'s blockbuster Malayalam film ''[[Thenmavin Kombathu]]'', was another commercial success, directed by [[K. S. Ravikumar]] and produced by K. Balachander, and became the first Tamil film to be dubbed into Japanese, as ''Mutu: Odoru Maharaja''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mid-day.com/photos/b-town-specials/happy-birthdayrajinikanth/2/ |title=Happy birthday, Rajinikanth! |website=[[Mid-Day]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014211458/http://www.mid-day.com/photos/b-town-specials/happy-birthdayrajinikanth/2/ |archive-date=14 October 2013 |access-date=9 October 2013}}</ref> The film grossed a record US$1.6&nbsp;million in Japan in 1998 and was responsible for creating a large Japanese fan-base for the actor.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/brand-rajinikanth/895433/0 |title=Brand Rajinikanth |last=S Saroj Kumar |date=4 January 2012 |work=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]] |access-date=9 October 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006113614/http://www.financialexpress.com/news/brand-rajinikanth/895433/0 |archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> ''Muthu''{{'}}s success in Japan led American news magazine ''[[Newsweek]]'' to comment in a 1999 article that Rajinikanth had "supplanted [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] as Japan's trendiest heartthrob".<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/1999/05/09/dancing-maharajas.html "Dancing Maharajas".] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125150815/http://www.newsweek.com/1999/05/09/dancing-maharajas.html |date=25 November 2010 }} ''Newsweek''. 10 May 1999.</ref> During a visit to Japan in 2006, Indian Prime Minister [[Manmohan Singh]] acknowledged the success of ''Muthu'' in the country during a speech, justifying the positive [[India-Japan relations|relationship between the two nations]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/dec/14prem.htm |title=When the PM wowed Japan's parliament |last=Prem Panicker |date=14 December 2006 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805172727/http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/dec/14prem.htm |archive-date=5 August 2012 |access-date=8 January 2012}}</ref> He received his twelfth and thirteenth nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil for his performances in ''Baashha'' and ''Muthu''.

He also entered [[Bengali film industry|Bengali cinema]] through ''[[Bhagya Debata]]'', which was released at the end of 1995. 1997's ''[[Arunachalam (film)|Arunachalam]]'', another commercial success, earned him his fourteenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil. Rajinikanth released his last film of the millennium with ''[[Padayappa]]'' (1999), which went on to become a blockbuster success, and earned him his fifteenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil. It starred [[Ramya Krishnan]] and [[Soundarya]], the former critically acclaimed for her performance. It was also the last prominent role for veteran Tamil actor [[Sivaji Ganesan]].

After a brief pause, Rajinikanth starred in ''[[Baba (2002 film)|Baba]]'' in 2002, for which he had also written the screenplay.<ref name="baba">{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/08/16/stories/2002081600960300.htm |title=Baba |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=16 August 2002 |access-date=24 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225032939/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/08/16/stories/2002081600960300.htm |work=[[The Hindu]] |archive-date=25 December 2014}}</ref> Released with much fanfare and hype at the time, the film featured a story revolving around the reforming of a gangster, later revealed to be the reincarnation of the Hindu saint [[Mahavatar Babaji]], and fights against political corruption.<ref name=baba/> It fell short of market expectations and the high bids reportedly translated to heavy losses for the distributors. Rajinikanth himself repaid the losses incurred by the distributors.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/may/03gv.htm |title=Film producer GV commits suicide |last=N Sathiya Moorthy |date=3 May 2003 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170107125855/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/may/03gv.htm |archive-date=7 January 2017 |access-date=17 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/05/12/stories/2004051200960100.htm |title=Superstar wannabes |last=Sudhish Kamath |date=12 May 2004 |access-date=17 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071001064811/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/05/12/stories/2004051200960100.htm |archive-date=1 October 2007 |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> The film was received with comments such as "the bloom was off the rose" and that "the gold does not glitter any more".<ref name="Will Sivaji be Rajini">{{Cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/jun/05msg.htm |title=Will Sivaji be Rajini's biggest hit?- History |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607142307/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/jun/05msg.htm |archive-date=7 June 2007 |access-date=6 May 2007}}</ref> [[Pattali Makkal Katchi]] (PMK) leader [[S. Ramadoss]] condemned him for smoking and posing with [[beedi]]s in the film. He was criticised for spoiling the Tamil youth by glorifying smoking and drinking. PMK volunteers attacked the theatres which screened the film and usurped film rolls and burned them.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/Mar232004/n7.asp |title=Rajini keeps everyone guessing |date=23 March 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309043030/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/Mar232004/n7.asp |archive-date=9 March 2007 |access-date=5 April 2007}}</ref>

Two years later, Rajinikanth signed up for P. Vasu's ''[[Chandramukhi]]'' (2005), a remake of the Malayalam film ''[[Manichitrathazhu]]''. Upon release the film was highly successful at the box office, and in 2007 it set the record of being the longest running Tamil film.<ref name="The Final Verdict">{{Cite web |url=http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=13736924 |title=The Final Verdict&nbsp;– History |date=8 May 2005 |website=[[Sify]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224110012/http://www.sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=13736924 |archive-date=24 December 2014 |access-date=24 February 2013}}</ref> ''Chandramukhi'' was also dubbed in [[Turkish language|Turkish]] and in German as ''Der Geisterjäger'' and released in the respective nations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.oneindia.in/2006/04/02/rajnis-chandramukhi-in-turkish-and-german-1143979538.html |title=Rajni's 'Chandramukhi' in Turkish and German |date=2 April 2006 |publisher=[[Oneindia.in]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026145318/http://news.oneindia.in/2006/04/02/rajnis-chandramukhi-in-turkish-and-german-1143979538.html |archive-date=26 October 2014 |access-date=7 June 2011}}</ref> Following ''Chandramukhi''{{'}}s release, it was reported that [[AVM Productions]] was set to produce a film directed by [[S. Shankar|Shankar]] starring Rajinikanth – the largest collaboration yet for a Tamil film. The film was titled ''[[Sivaji (film)|Sivaji]]'' and was released in the summer of 2007, following two years of filming and production. It became the first Tamil film to be charted as one of the "top-ten best films" of the United Kingdom and South Africa box offices upon release.<ref name="United Kingdom Box Office 15–17 June 2007">{{Cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/uk/?yr=2007&wk=24&p=.htm |title=United Kingdom Box Office June 15–17, 2007 |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626043750/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/uk/?yr=2007&wk=24&p=.htm |archive-date=26 June 2007 |access-date=18 June 2007}}</ref><ref name="South Africa Box Office 3–5 August 2007">{{Cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/southafrica/?yr=2007&wk=31&p=.htm |title=South Africa Box Office August 3–5, 2007 |publisher=Box Office Mojo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024011722/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/southafrica/?yr=2007&wk=31&p=.htm |archive-date=24 October 2007 |access-date=8 June 2007}}</ref> Rajinikanth received a salary of {{INRConvert|260|m|year=2007}}, for his role in the film highest in his film career at that time.<ref name="Neha">{{Cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Rapchik-Rajinikanth-mind-it/Article1-606098.aspx |title=Rapchik Rajinikanth, mind it! |last=Sharma |first=Neha |date=29 September 2010 |work=[[The Hindustan Times]] |access-date=9 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224090431/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Rapchik-Rajinikanth-mind-it/Article1-606098.aspx |archive-date=24 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/What-makes-Rajinikanth-the-Boss/articleshow/6762996.cms |title=What makes Rajinikanth the Boss? |last=Varma |first=Anuradha |date=17 October 2010 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=13 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104110543/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-10-17/news-interviews/28228019_1_hero-worship-mgr-sivaji-ganesan |archive-date=4 November 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1062351/report-after-brangelina-its-rajinikanth |title=After Brangelina, it's Rajinikanth |last=Vilakudy |first=Rajaneesh |date=5 November 2006 |website=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014080020/http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1062351/report-after-brangelina-its-rajinikanth |archive-date=14 October 2013 |access-date=9 October 2013}}</ref> He received his sixteenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil for his performance in the film. During the production of ''Sivaji'', [[Soundarya Rajinikanth]] announced her intention of producing a computer-generated imagery film starring an animated version of her father titled ''Sultan: The Warrior''. The film was set for release in 2008,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/tamil/exclusive/2010/rajinikanth-sultan-rechristened-hara-251010.html |title=Rajinikanth's Sultan rechristened as Hara |date=25 October 2010 |work=OneIndia |access-date=27 March 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707231049/http://entertainment.oneindia.in/tamil/exclusive/2010/rajinikanth-sultan-rechristened-hara-251010.html |archive-date=7 July 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2007-12-13/news/27690498_1_soundarya-rajnikant-film-sultan-the-warrior |title=Animated film on Rajnikant to be released in December 2008 |date=13 December 2007 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015023424/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2007-12-13/news/27690498_1_soundarya-rajnikant-film-sultan-the-warrior |archive-date=15 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> however, it entered [[development hell]], and its development status would become unknown over the next few years.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/tamil/news-interviews/The-day-Rajini-took-ill/articleshow/12910784.cms |title=The day Rajini took ill |last=Ramanujam |first=Srinivas |date=29 April 2012 |access-date=9 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015111052/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-29/news-interviews/31475535_1_superstar-rajinikanth-rana-soundarya-rajinikanth |archive-date=15 October 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Rajinikanth 2010 - still 113555 crop.jpg|thumbnail|Rajinikanth at the [[Enthiran (soundtrack)|''Enthiran'' (2010) soundtrack]] release event in [[Mumbai]]|alt=|left]]
He worked with P. Vasu again for ''[[Kuselan]]'', a remake of the Malayalam film ''[[Kadha Parayumbol]]'', which was made simultaneously in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] as ''[[Kathanayakudu (2008 film)|Kathanayakudu]]'', in which Rajinikanth played an extended cameo role as Ashok Kumar, a film star in the Indian cinema, and as a best friend to the film's protagonist. According to Rajinikanth, the film somewhat narrated his early life.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/aug/01ssk3.htm |title=Pasupathy, the real star of Kuselan |last=P |first=Krishnakumar |date=1 August 2008 |website=Rediff.com |publisher=Rediff |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110802201524/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/aug/01ssk3.htm |archive-date=2 August 2011 |access-date=12 June 2011}}</ref> The film, however, performed poorly at box offices and led to many distributors incurring major losses.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/keyword/kuselan/featured/3 |title=Kollywood in a flap |last=Pillai |first=Sreedhar |date=20 August 2008 |access-date=24 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616205822/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/keyword/kuselan/featured/3 |archive-date=16 June 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |url-status=dead}}</ref> Rajinikanth also stated that he would work with [[Pyramid Saimira]] again to compensate for ''Kuselan''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?238204 |title=Hope Floats For SRK |last=Iyengar |first=Pushpa |publisher=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|The Outlook]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028041643/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?238204 |archive-date=28 October 2011 |access-date=30 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=10&contentid=2008121620081216010601113f7794623 |title=Kuselan may spark Tamil film boycott |last=S |first=Shyam Prasad |date=16 December 2008 |work=[[Bangalore Mirror]] |access-date=24 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524180750/http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=10&contentid=2008121620081216010601113f7794623 |archive-date=24 May 2013}}</ref>{{Quote box
| quote = "Is there anything left to be said about a man who, at 61, still manages to star in one of the most successful films of the year, not just in the south, but across India? Superstar Rajni once again proved that he is the actor with the Midas touch with the sci-fi flick Endhiran, where he played an ambitious scientist, a naive robot and an evil android bent on destroying the world [...] He did it with such aplomb that he's been the talk of the town for months. He might do one film in two years, but when he does, he pulls out all the stops."
| source = —[[Rediff.com]] on Rajinikanth's performance in ''[[Enthiran]]'' (2010)<ref name="Rajini in Enthiran">{{Cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-south-best-tamil-actors-of-2010/20101214.htm |title=Rajinikanth in Endhiran |date=14 December 2010 |work=Rediff.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527010449/http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-south-best-tamil-actors-of-2010/20101214.htm |archive-date=27 May 2011 |access-date=12 July 2011}}</ref>
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Rajinikanth worked again with Shankar for the science fiction film ''[[Enthiran]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/chulbul-pandey-now-lives-in-chennai/729300/ |title=Chulbul Pandey Now Lives in Chennai |last=Gupta |first=Shubhra |date=26 December 2010 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=2 January 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211152620/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/chulbul-pandey-now-lives-in-chennai/729300/ |archive-date=11 February 2011}}</ref> The film was released worldwide in 2010 as the most expensive Indian film ever made, ultimately emerging an ''All Time Blockbuster'' and the second highest-grossing film in India of its time.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/report-details.php?articleid=7234|title=Ponniyan Selvan Part 1 Is A Historic BLOCKBUSTER For The Tamil Film Industry|publisher=Box Office India}}</ref><ref name="162crores">{{Cite web |url=http://movies.ndtv.com/Ndtv-Show-Special-Story.aspx?from=bottomrelated&ID=538&StoryID=ENTEN20100154445 |title=Rajini's Endhiran: A sell out in Chennai |publisher=[[NDTV]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106150430/http://movies.ndtv.com/Ndtv-Show-Special-Story.aspx?from=bottomrelated&ID=538&StoryID=ENTEN20100154445 |archive-date=6 November 2012 |access-date=26 September 2010}}</ref> Rajinikanth was paid a remuneration of {{INRConvert|450|m|year=2010}} for the film.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/avatar-technology-powers-rajnikant-in-enthir/673748/ |title=Avatar technology powers Rajnikant in Enthiran |date=28 August 2010 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=24 February 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124071605/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/avatar-technology-powers-rajnikant-in-enthir/673748 |archive-date=24 November 2010}}</ref> He received his seventeenth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Tamil for his performance in the film. The film's success lead to the [[Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad]] to use the film as a case study to analyse the business of cinema and its success story in a post-graduate elective management course called ''Contemporary Film Industry: A Business Perspective''. The course would also study ''Muthu''.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajinikants-Robot-part-of-IIM-A-course/articleshow/7147893.cms |title=Rajinikanth's Enthiran&nbsp;– Case study in IIM A |date=23 December 2010 |access-date=9 April 2011 |location=India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025122818/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-12-23/india/28227042_1_case-study-iim-rajinikanth |archive-date=25 October 2012 |work=[[The Times of India]] |url-status=live}}</ref>