PremiumI'm Rajinikanth's worst critic: Best friend Raj Bahadur on watching Jailer
Before watching Jailer, Raj Bahadur shared insights into his unique dynamic with Superstar Rajinikanth.
Last Updated: 05.07 PM, Aug 11, 2023
As Superstar Rajinikanth's much-awaited movie Jailer debuted at the box office, millions of fans worldwide thronged theatres on Thursday. And one of them was Raj Bahadur, Rajinikanth's closest friend of 53 years. He watched the early morning show of Jailer at a popular single-screen theatre in Bengaluru along with the fans.
Raj Bahadur spoke to the media just before watching Jailer on Thursday. And he shared insights into his unique dynamic with the legendary actor. He revealed that Rajinikanth values his opinions on his work and considers him to be his most candid critic, unafraid to speak the truth about his movies.
Raj Bahadur suggested that given Rajinikanth's stature, people might sometimes hesitate to tell him the truth. But, not him
"The release of every Rajinikanth film is like a festival. He called me and demanded that I watch the movie first and give him my opinion. Because, other people might not give him their honest opinion, regardless of whether the movie is good or bad. But, not me. We have been friends for 53 years. I'm his worst critic and give him my honest opinion without fear. Rajini knows that. That's he looks forward to hearing my opinion," he told TV 9 Kannada.
Raj Bahadur and Shivaji Rao Gaekwad aka Rajinikanth go way back. Once, they both worked together in the state transportation department. While Raj Bahadur was a bus driver, Rajinikanth operated as a ticket conductor.
Raj Bahadur also played a very important role in encouraging Rajinikanth to pursue acting in movies. He also funded Rajinikanth's first trip to Chennai and helped him join the acting institute. Later, Rajinikanth met legendary Tamil filmmaker K Balachander. And the rest, as they say, is history.
At the audio release event , Rajinikanth mentioned his friendship with Raj Bahadur and discussed his role in his success. He also thanked Raj Bahadur in his Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest film honour, acceptance speech.