Tamil superstar Rajnikant, who commands a higher price than some Bollywood icons and whose latest film is running to packed houses even 600 days after its release, celebrated his 57th birthday Tuesday - with his family.

The superstar had issued a terse statement a few days ago saying that he did not want any pomp and splendour on his birthday and did not wish to meet any of his fans.

Such is the reclusive nature of the actor that even producer A.V.M. Saravanan - dubbed the movie mogul of the south - had to be content with sending a bouquet to the star's residence in the upscale Poes Garden locality of south Chennai.

"I live for the moment. I have no plans for tomorrow. I love good things in life and that is the way it will be till I pass away," Rajnikant had said years ago when he was just stepping into super stardom - a philosophy he still holds.

Rajnikant, whose mother tongue is Marathi, was born in Karnataka as Shivaji Rao. With very humble beginnings in life as a bus conductor, Rajni decided in the mid-1970s he would become famous by trying his luck in Tamil movies.

After a crash course in acting, Rajnikant was introduced to the silver screen by K. Balachander to play an ageing husband of an unfaithful wife.

Such was his charisma that he upstaged the hero of "Apoorva Ragangal" (Rare Tunes) Kamal Hassan. It didn't matter he didn't speak Tamil properly - he still doesn't. But like the medieval Maratha hero, the celluloid Shivaji too managed to establish an empire in modern day Tamil Nadu.

Fans here copied every style of Rajni even when he played a villain for almost three years, in 20-odd movies.

The wheel has turned full circle and he is said to be playing himself in a movie aptly titled "Shivaji-The Boss" being directed by Shankar for Saravanan.

Not many beyond Tamil Nadu know that Rajni's smash hit a few years ago - "Muthu" - was dubbed into Japanese and became a super hit in the land of the rising sun as well.

Rajnikant commands a price that is higher than Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan's and his last release in April 2005 - "Chandramukhi" - is running to packed houses here despite having completed 600 days in cinemas.

Little wonder, then, his fans lap it up when he romances women less than half his age - though Rajni is now a grandfather.