The colour black has a starring role in Rajinikanth’s films, from ‘Apoorva Raagangal’ to ‘Kaala’

Rajinikanth’s nickname in Pa Ranjith’s Kaala works smartly with the movie’s Mumbai setting. Rajinikanth’s character in the April 27 release is a Tamilian named Karikaalan, meaning a man with a burnt leg (possibly a reference to the Sangam period king Karikaalan Cholan). His nickname, Kaala, becomes a nifty way of tapping into a long movie tradition of making references to Rajinikanth’s dark skin tone in real life.

“What kind of name is this?” asks Nana Patekar’s character in a room that is bathed in white. “Kaala means black,” Karikaalan says. He is dressed all in black, wears black sunglasses and a black beaded necklace, carries a black umbrella, and drives a black jeep, in case you missed the point.

“Black is the colour of labour,” Karikaalan tells Patekar’s character. “Come to my chawl and see. All the dirt there will appear colourful to you.”

Rajinikanth rose to stardom despite what were considered disadvantages – his unusual Tamil accent and unconventional looks, his dark skin at a time when most leading men, including his rival Kamal Haasan, were milk-white. His triumph against the odds has created a sub-culture of cheeky jokes, songs and dialogue about his skin tone. Even the screen name of the man originally known as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad has something to do with his complexion, Naman Ramachandran writes in Rajinikanth: The Definitive Biography.