Rajinikanth reveals how wife Latha helped him quit smoking and drinking when he was a bus conductor: ‘She was the one who changed me with her love’

Superstar Rajinikanth is a force to reckon with. He is 72 but can give many young actors a run for their money when it comes to pulling off action sequences in films with swag and style. The superstar takes his health very seriously and follows a strict diet. But he was not always this health-conscious.

Rajinikanth was recently in attendance at an event hosted by his brother-in-law, actor-playwright YG Mahendra. Speaking at the event, he opened up about his struggles with smoking and drinking and how his wife, Latha, helped him quit both.

“What do I tell about YG Mahendra? He was the one who introduced me to Latha and got me married to her. I am 73 years old now, and the reason for my health is my wife,” the superstar said. “When I was a bus conductor, due to the friendship of some wrong guys, I had many bad habits. I used to eat mutton twice a day. I used to drink daily, and I don’t know how many cigarettes I smoked. After coming to the cinema, with money and fame, imagine how much these would have increased.”

The superstar also spoke about how he used to look down upon vegetarians at one point in time in his life. “Daily morning, I wanted to eat mutton paya, appam, and chicken. I used to look down upon vegetarians. I used to wonder what they actually ate. Honestly, cigarettes, alcohol, and meat are a dangerous combination. Those who do all this without a limit, have not lived healthily even till 60. Many have faced so many health issues before they turned 60. There are many examples. Let’s not mention them,” he added.

The superstar signed off by saying, “She was the one who changed me with her love. With love and the right doctors, she changed me. Thanks to YG Mahendra for that.”

On the work front, Rajinikanth will shortly be seen in Nelson Dilipkumar’s action comedy Jailer. Also starring Tamannaah and Ramya Krishnan, the film is scheduled to arrive in theatres in 2023.