Rajinikanth and Brando: carnivalesque performances of two aging superstars

Abstract

Film stars are seldom out of the media spotlight. They are subject to a Bakhtinian ‘carnivalesque’ world in which the intrusiveness of the media turns their every move into performance. This study explores the lives of two very different ‘superstar’ actors: Kollywood’s Rajinikanth and Hollywood’s Marlon Brando. Rajinikanth is a stalwart of India’s Tamil cinema and a revered public figure who has appeared in over 150 films. His fame and adulation increases with each successive film or appearance, despite his advancing years. On the other hand, Brando’s reputation as an actor of global importance became overshadowed by his tumultuous personal life, ballooning weight and reluctance to embrace ageing that reflected a ‘grotesque realism’ and ultimately damaged his reputation. This comparative study investigates how Brando and Rajinikanth’s on- and off-screen personas are refracted as carnivalesque performances through their successive personal and physical crises, and then reconfigured and displayed again for audiences.