Family affair- Rajinikanth poses with wife, daughters ahead of IFFI felicitation ceremony

The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) marked a major milestone in Indian cinema as it felicitated superstar Rajinikanth, who has completed 50 years in cinema. Fondly known as 'Thalaivar' by his fans, the 74-year-old was presented a shawl and memento by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in the presence of Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr L Murugan, as well as actor Ranveer Singh.

Expressing his gratitude to the central government, Rajinikanth stated that 50 years felt more like 10-15 years to him as he loves cinema and acting. “Even if there are 100 births, I would like to be born as Rajnikanth,” he said, according to an official statement.

Rajinikanth poses with family members

Ahead of the IFFI closing ceremony on November 28, Rajinikanth's daughter, Soundarya Rajinikanth, shared a photograph on Instagram of the family. The picture shows the actor, his wife Latha and both their daughters - Aishwarya and Soundarya.

Donning a dark blue shirt and grey trousers, Rajinikanth looked delighted for the prestigious ceremony. "Together at @iffigoa," Soundarya wrote in the caption along with multiple red heart emojis.

Besides them, Rajinikanth’s grandsons, Yatra Raja and Linga, were also present for the special occasion.

The felicitation was part of the IFFI closing ceremony. Rajinikanth has been recognised for his unmatchable contribution to Indian cinema, not only to Tamil films but also to Hindi, Telugu and Kannada movies.

Having starred in more than 170 films in the past five decades, Rajinikanth has received numerous accolades, which include the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2020), Padma Bhushan (2000) and Padma Vibhushan (2016).

Decoding Rajinikanth's IFFI 2025 look

The film festival was held in Goa from November 20-28. Gracing the red carpet with his family members, Rajinikanth was seen wearing a white dhoti and shirt as he posed for cameras at the venue.

Notably, Aishwarya’s directorial project, Lal Salaam, was screened as part of the Retrospective Rajinikanth segment at the film festival.

This year, Rajinikanth was seen in Lokesh Kanagaraj's Coolie, which also featured Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan and Sathyaraj among others. In 2024, he had an extended cameo in Lal Salaam and also starred in Vettaiyan.

Rajinikanth is currently working on Jailer 2, which is a sequel to the 2023 hit film of the same name and will mark his return as ‘Tiger’ Muthuvel Pandian.

FAQs

1. When and where was IFFI 2025 held?

The film festival took place in Goa from November 20 to 28.

2. Why was Rajinikanth felicitated at IFFI 2025?

The legendary actor was honoured for completing 50 years in Indian cinema.

3. What is Rajinikanth's next film?

He will appear next in Jailer 2.