Rajinikanth’s quiet visit to Sridevi’s housewarming held a personal secret not many knew

Rajinikanth and Sridevi were two towering names in Indian cinema, with a professional association that spanned multiple languages and decades. But beyond the film sets, a quiet anecdote from their shared history has often surfaced one that suggests Rajinikanth once contemplated proposing marriage to the late actress.

As per filmmaker K Balachander, who introduced both actors to Tamil cinema, Rajinikanth had strong feelings for Sridevi during the early years of their careers. In a past interview, Balachander recalled a moment when Rajinikanth reportedly visited Sridevi’s house for her griha-pravesh ceremony. The actor allegedly went there intending to express his feelings and propose to her.

But things didn’t go as planned. According to the filmmaker, as soon as Rajinikanth arrived at the house, the electricity went out, plunging the place into darkness. Taking it as an ill omen, he chose to remain silent and left without saying anything.

Despite the seriousness of his feelings, Rajinikanth never revisited the subject. He continued to share a cordial and professional relationship with Sridevi. The two went on to act together in several films across languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi.

Their first collaboration was K Balachander’s Moondru Mudichu in 1976, where a young Sridevi, just 13 at the time, played a significant role. They were later seen in 16 Vayathinile, Johnny, Adutha Varisu, Bhagwaan Dada, and Ranuva Veeran. Naan Adimai Illai in 1986 marked their last Tamil film together, though Rajinikanth made a brief appearance in her 1989 Hindi film Chaalbaaz.

Sridevi passed away in 2018. Her last leading role was in Mom (2017), followed by a cameo in Shah Rukh Khan’s Zero the following year.

Meanwhile, Rajinikanth is preparing for his next big release, Coolie. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film is slated to hit theatres on August 14, 2025, just ahead of Independence Day. It’s expected to clash at the box office with the Hindi action film War 2. Though the story of a proposal never spoken adds a human layer to two cinematic legends, it remains just that a moment quietly remembered.