Long before he became a larger-than-life superstar, Rajinikanth was known as Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, a young bus conductor navigating Bengaluru’s busy streets. A recently resurfaced Bengaluru Transport Service (BTS) identity card from 1971 has once again brought that lesser-known chapter of his life into public memory.

The decades-old ID card, now circulating widely on social media, carries his original name, Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, along with his conductor badge number. It identifies him as a conductor on Route No 10A, one of Bengaluru’s BTS services during the early 1970s.

For many fans, the card is more than just a nostalgic document. It serves as a reminder of the remarkable journey that shaped one of Indian cinema’s most enduring stars.

Rajinikanth’s Bengaluru years have long been woven into stories surrounding his rise to fame. Before cinema transformed his life, the actor spent his working days aboard city buses, a period often remembered not merely for hardship but for the personality that would later define his screen image.

Former colleagues and friends have frequently spoken about the young conductor who carried himself with unusual flair. Whether it was blowing the whistle, counting notes with effortless speed, tearing tickets in a distinctive style, or striking up conversations with passengers, Rajinikanth’s charisma reportedly stood out even then. What later became his cinematic trademark was, by many accounts, already visible during his BTS days.