Today's smart phone and social media fed generation may not fully comprehend how difficult it was to break into Tamil cinema which was a celluloid fortress in the 1980s. Even though a dark colored Rajinikanth with his unkempt hair did make an impact, beating all conventions a hero still needed to be in a certain predetermined looks for producers to sign them.  Enter T.Rajendhar with his modest looks, but loaded with talents who captured the audience's hearts with his melodramatic, but sincere acting as a doting brother or a self sacrificing family man.

T.R. carved his own style mouthing rhyming dialogues that swayed audiences then as much as they do now.  It's not an exaggeration to state that he is the most imitated actor and isn't imitation the best form of flattery?  He belongs to the rare breed of Indian entertainers known as the Ashtavadhani or the master of all crafts as he has handled multiple disciplines in all his films which include screenwriting, production design, music composing, song writing, cinematography , editing, singing and the list goes on.

T.R. needs only a cardboard to make foot tapping music and a microphone to register his voice boldly against any politician however powerful he or she is.  He is unique as he stays himself who is an emotional bundle beneath which there is a courageous artiste and a human being.  We wish the multitalented multi faceted entertainer par excellence T. R. the happiest birthday filled with joy and peace in all the years to follow.