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Flashback Friday: When Rajinikanth spilled the beans about his first love and how she changed his life
Before Rajinikanth met Latha in 1980, there was a girl who stole his heart away and changed his life.
Superstar Rajinikanth got married to Latha on February 26, 1981, at Lord Balaji Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The power couple is proud parents of two daughters- Aishwarya and Soundarya. However, before he met Latha in 1980, there was a girl who stole his heart away and changed his life. The Petta star never expresses or opens up about his personal life but he did to one person. Veteran Malayalam actor Devan, who played an antagonist of Rajinikanth in the movie Baasha, during one of the interviews revealed about the superstar and his first love.
In a throwback interview to Manorama News, Devan opened up about his rapport with Rajinikanth and how they eventually got comfortable about sharing each other's personal lives. "He then narrated his love story; and I must confess that it was one of the unforgettable moments in my life," said Devan during the interview.
Before he became the king of the film industry, Rajinikanth worked as a bus conductor in the Bengaluru buses. One day, Rajinikanth noticed that a young woman was trying to make her way from the front door after which he got into an argument with her. Her name was Nirmala and she was an MBBS student. They started on an unpleasant note but slowly became good friends. From friendship, their relationship turned into something special. Once Rajinikanth invited Nirmala to watch his play at a theatre. 
"After a few days, a call letter from the Adayar film institute had reached Rajinikanth, confirming his admission to the institute. He was surprised as he hadn’t applied for it. However, he later realized that it was Nirmala, whom he lovingly called Nimmy, who sent the application. When Rajini sir asked why she had done it, Nirmala replied, ‘You act very well. I think you are very special. I want to see you on the movie posters. I wan't to see your huge cut-outs in front of the theatres. You should become an actor who is famous all over India. I have imagined all these when I watched you in that play. That is why I applied on your behalf. You should definitely go’. However, Rajini sir didn’t show much interest as it would cost money. Besides, he would have to quit his job to take up the course in Chennai," narrated Devan as how the girl changed Rajinikanth's life and career.
However, Thalaiva refused to go to Chennai but Nirmal pushed him to take the offer. Within a few days, he began his acting journey in Chennai, but lost contact with Nimmy. The actor did try to contact her and even visited Bengaluru but couldn't find her. No one knew where she was.
“As soon as he told me about Nimmy, Rajini sir hugged me and began crying. He then said, ‘Today, I am an actor; yet she hasn’t come looking for me. It is my Nimmy whom I look for wherever I go, be it the Himayala or America. I look for her in the crowds. Devan, why hasn’t she come for me? Why doesn’t she want to see me, even after I have achieved all these?," Rajinikanth opened up to Devan as he missed Nirmala.
“Even when I met Rajini sir recently I asked him whether his Nimmy has come. However, he said no,” concluded Devan during an interview in 2019.
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