What do Rajinikanth and Rajkumar have in common?

There is a frenzy every time a sibling or child of an actor makes a film debut. When it comes to the film industry, acting really does seems to run in the blood. Sandalwood can boast of rich filmi legacies, starting with the Rajkumars, Thoogudeepas and Lokeshs. On International Day of Families, BT takes a look at the family trees of movie royalties in Sandalwood and some other Indian film industries…
The Rajkumars The Rajkumars are undoubtedly the first family of Sandalwood.Rajkumar’s legacy was carried on the able shoulders of his three sons — Shivarajkumar, Raghavendra and Puneeth. Then came his nephews Sriimurali and Vijay Raghavendra, and 2014 saw the introduction of the third generation Rajkumar, Vinay (Raghavendra’s son).
The Thoogudeepas Thoogudeepa Srinivas was one of the most popular villains of his time. His older son Darshan is one of the top Kannada heroes of our time, while younger son, Dinakar, is also in the film line as a top producer. Darshan’s son, Vineesh, will soon be seen on the big screen in his next, Mr Airavatha.
The Sarjas Shakthi Prasad starred in over 200 films, and his son, Arjun Sarja, went on to be a popular actor in Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam and Telugu film industries. Arjun’s brother, Kishore, was a director, and his nephews — Chiranjeevi and Dhruva (in picture with Arjun) — are popular actors. His daughter, Aishwarya, is also an actress.
The Lokeshs The history of Kannada cinema is not complete without MV Subbaiah Naidu (inset), who starred in the first Kannada talkie, Sati Sulochana. He is the father of actor Lokesh, who, in turn, married actress Girija. Lokesh’s children Pooja and Srujan are actors as well.
Rakshitha and family Before she married director-actor Prem, Rakshitha was the top actress in Sandalwood. Her father, BC Gowrishankar, won six Karnataka State Film Awards as a cinematographer and her mother, Mamatha Rao, was an actress. Rakshitha’s son, Soorya made his acting debut with a cameo in DK. Her brother will debut soon too.
Ravichandaran and family N Veeraswamy is considered one of the pillars of Kannada cinema, while his son, Crazy Star V Ravichandaran, is considered one of the biggest romantic heroes of the 80s and 90s, who continues to enthrall Sandalwood audiences. Now, his son, Manoranjan, is all set to take on the mantle from his veteran actor father.
Jaggesh and family When you think of comedy in Kannada cinema, the first names that probably pop into anyone’s minds are Jaggesh and Komal. The funny brothers, who began as comedians, are now mainstream lead heroes. Over the past few years, Jaggesh’s sons, Gururaj and Yathiraj, have also forayed into acting.
Sundar Raj and family Being born to popular character actors Sundar Raj and Pramila Joshai, many expected Meghana Raj to follow in her parents’ footsteps, which she has done with credibility. Meghana has gone ahead to make a name for herself across not just Kannada, but Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam film industries.
Om Prakash Rao and family Her mother is popular comic actress Rekha Das and father is director-actor Om Prakash Rao. Shravya is one of the new kids on the Sandalwood block, looking to make waves, just like her parents have. While she debuted last year, she’s also working on films that are being helmed by her father.
The Haasans Charuhasan was a popular actor, as is his daughter Suhasini Maniratnam (who married director Mani Ratnam). But it was Charu's brother Kamal, who was more popular. His daughters, Shruti and Akshara (from estranged wife and actress Sarika) are also holding their own in the industry.
The Rajinikanths Rajinikanth, who hails from Bengaluru, is considered to be the patriarch of one of the first families of south Indian film industry. His family includes wife Latha (producer and singer), daughters Aishwarya R Dhanush and Soundarya R Ashwin (filmmakers); son-in-law actor Dhanush. There’s also Dhanush’s family, which includes father Kasturi Raja and brother Selvaraghavan, both of whom a filmmakers. Rajini’s nephew Anirudh is a music composer.