3 min readHyderabadOct 10, 2026 11:19 AM IST
Superstar Rajinikanth, who is currently promoting his upcoming film Jailer 2, recently reminisced his life before becoming a movie star and said that even decades later, he misses his job as a bus conductor. Speaking at Jailer 2’s Super Show, Rajinikanth said his connection to the conductor’s job runs deeper than nostalgia. It is, by his own account, a part of his identity.
“I enjoy acting, but I am also deeply interested in working as a bus conductor. I spent five years working as a bus conductor, and even now, I still miss that job,” Rajinikanth said. “Deep in my heart, I have always felt a strong connection to the conductor’s job. To be honest, I have never really felt like a big superstar.”
He said that his memories of that era resurface every time he visits Bengaluru, as this is where he worked as a bus conductor in the 1970s. “Whenever I visit the city, I often find myself thinking about my days as a bus conductor. Whenever I see a bus, I feel very happy,” he said and added, “Recently, when I visited Bengaluru, I realised once again how deeply connected I am to the job. No matter what I do, a part of me will always identify as a bus conductor. Bus conductors will always remain humble in front of big personalities,”
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Rajinikanth is missing Tamannaah in Jailer 2
At the same event, Rajinikanth disclosed that he had personally requested Jailer 2 director Nelson Dilipkumar to include a song featuring Tamannaah Bhatia, whose song ‘Kaavaalaa’ in Jailer became one of the highlights of the film. “The only missing element in Jailer 2 is Tamannaah. I told Nelson to keep one song for Tamannaah,” Rajinikanth said.
However, Nelson responded, “I can’t keep it just because you like it, sir.” Rajinikanth was quick to address the denial and said, “I didn’t say I like it. If I had done whatever I liked, I would have become irrelevant and gone to Bengaluru. I’m still in the field because I’m doing what audiences are loving.”
About Jailer 2
Jailer 2, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures, releases worldwide on October 15. The sequel features Rajinikanth as Tiger Muthuvel Pandian alongside S.J. Suryah, Vidya Balan, Mithun Chakraborty, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu and Mirnaa. Nora Fatehi makes her Tamil debut with the special number Bindaas, replacing Tamannaah’s role from the first film. The film has received a U/A 16+ certificate at a runtime of 165 minutes.