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Raj Bahadur Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 6, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth1945

Age76 (as of 2021)

BirthplaceChamrajpet, Bengaluru

ProfessionRetired Bus Driver

NationalityIndian

FamilyHas one brother

Raj Bahadur Biography

Raj Bahadur is a retired BMTC bus driver from Chamrajpet, Bengaluru, best known as a long-time friend and early supporter of actor Rajinikanth. Born in 194

Early life and background

Raj Bahadur was born in 1945 and grew up in Chamrajpet, a neighbourhood in Bengaluru. He spent his life in the city where he was raised and maintains Indian nationality. He has one brother, with whom he later lived after retiring.

Career

In 1970 Raj Bahadur joined the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) as a bus driver. At the time he began his career with BMTC, the man who would become one of Indian cinema’s most recognizable stars, Rajinikanth, worked at the same corporation as a conductor.

During his working years Raj Bahadur became known not only for his job as a driver but also for the friendship and encouragement he gave to Rajinikanth. Bahadur recognized Rajinikanth’s flair for performance early on when the future star took leading parts in employee association dramas. Convinced of Rajinikanth’s potential, Bahadur urged him to pursue formal training and supported him financially while Rajinikanth attended an acting school in Chennai, sending a regular portion of his modest salary for a period of time.

Raj Bahadur continued driving buses until his retirement in 2005. After retirement he moved in with his brother’s family in Bengaluru.

Public profile

Raj Bahadur’s public profile stems largely from his close, decades-long friendship with Rajinikanth. He is credited with encouraging Rajinikanth to pursue acting and with helping him prepare for early opportunities, including learning Tamil quickly enough to impress director K. Balachander. Their friendship has remained visible through anecdotes of surprise visits and private conversations that illustrate a deep personal bond.

Bahadur once appeared on screen in a small role in Rajinikanth’s 1993 Tamil film Valli; he was paid for that appearance and kept the payment as savings. Over the years Rajinikanth has publicly acknowledged Bahadur’s role in his life and career. In 2021, when Rajinikanth received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the National Film Awards, he dedicated the award to Raj Bahadur and mentioned him in his acceptance remarks, praising Bahadur for having identified and encouraged his acting talent.

Personal details

Raj Bahadur’s height is listed at approximately 170 cm (5 feet 7 inches). He has black eyes and salt-and-pepper hair. His hometown and birthplace are both recorded as Chamrajpet in Bengaluru. As of 2021, Bahadur was 76 years old.

Latest updates

After retiring in 2005 Bahadur lives with family in Bengaluru. He and Rajinikanth continue to remain in touch; Rajinikanth is known to visit Bahadur informally and unexpectedly, sometimes in disguise to avoid attention. Those visits often include lengthy conversations and the two friends consulting each other about important life decisions.

Bahadur has expressed appreciation for Rajinikanth publicly acknowledging him on prominent occasions, describing Rajinikanth’s gesture of remembrance as a sign of humility and loyalty to friends.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Raj Bahadur, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Valli

Small acting role in Rajinikanth’s 1993 Tamil film; received payment which he kept as savings.

1993
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) as a bus driver in 1970
  2. Recognized and encouraged Rajinikanth’s acting talent and financially supported his acting studies
  3. Retired from BMTC in 2005
  4. Appeared in a small role in the 1993 film Valli
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Raj Bahadur born?

Raj Bahadur was born on 1945.

What is Raj Bahadur known for?

Raj Bahadur is known for retired Bus Driver.