5 recent movies that prove Rajinikanth is still the 'Thalaivar' of Tamil cinema

Rajinikanth has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2019

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar announced on Thursday that the Dadsaheb Phalke Award for 2019 will be conferred upon Kollywood legend Rajinikanth much to the delight of the fans of the 'Superstar'. The veteran actor, who began his career with the 1975 release Apoorva Raagangal, remains a force to be reckoned with despite the emergence of younger stars. Here is a look at five of his finest films from the last decade.

Enthiran (2010)

Rajinikanth played the role of a talented scientist and the superhero-like robot Chitti in director Shankar's magnum opus Enthiran and did justice to both characters. The sci-fi drama emerged as a big hit at the box office and received rave reviews because of its visual effects and relatable storyline.

Also read: Actor 'Thalaiva' Rajinikanth to be conferred Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Kabali (2016)

Kabali created a fair deal of buzz among fans as it marked Rajinikanth's first collaboration with maverick filmmaker Pa Ranjith. The film featured him in a stylish new avatar, which clicked with 'Thalaivar' fans. It opened to a good response at the box office despite receiving mixed reviews. The cast included Radhika Apte, Kannada actor Kishore, Winston Chao and Sai Dhanshika.

Kaala (2018)

The Billa actor reunited with Pa Ranjith for the 2018 release Kaala, which featured him in the role of a don/gangster. The film revolved around the clash between the hero and a dreaded politician, played by Bollywood actor Nana Patekar. It hit the right notes due to its political undertones and realistic action scenes. Kaala collected nearly Rs 1.77 crore at the Chennai box office on the first day, outperforming Vijay's Mersal.

2.0 (2018)

The film was touted to be a 'spiritual successor' to the previously-mentioned Enthiran and proved to be a gamechanger for the Tamil film industry. It collected Rs 2.64 crore at the Chennai box office on the opening day and set a record. The film featured Rajinikanth in four distinct roles, proving to be a feast for the janta. The biggie, which emerged as 'Blockbuster' in the Hindi belt, featured Akshay Kumar as the antagonist and marked his Kollywood debut.

Petta (2019)

Rajinikanth gave strong proof of his star power when his Pongal release Petta emerged as a hit in Tamil Nadu despite facing stiff competition from Viswasam, which reunited the bankable duo of Ajith Kumar and Siva. The Karthik Subbaraj-helmed action entertainer had a strong cast that included Simran, Trisha, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vijay Sethupathi and Bobby Simha.