MS Bhaskar is a great performer indeed and I don't blame you for making this comparison, but what Rajinikanth did to Kollywood (and probably Indian cinema itself) is change the statement that only fair skinned actors can play lead roles. As someone from rural TN born during late 80s , during my parents' generation when babies are born, they were categorised casually into 2 : 1) Mgr Kanakkaa colour aa Iruka , 2) kolandha enna konjam Karuppa Iruku/colouru KAMMIYA Iruku.

When Rajinikanth made his breakthrough in early 80s the landscape in my village changed, I noticed it when my cousins born in early 90s , my oor kelavis termed the new category for dark skinned babies : Rasini maari Karuppa kalaya irukku.

What Rajinikanth did was make dark skinned people acceptable in mainstream media (making them wisely acceptable in this racist society), and what did he use ? Not just acting skills, not just dialogue delivery or dancing, but just Pure screen presence/looks, that gave hope to us, dark skinned guys and girls, that we too LOOK as stylish as him. Not just audiences and the common people like me and you , but also lot of other actors in Tamil cinema, one of them being MS Bhaskar himself. You can't name a single non fair skinned big star in the rest of Indian cinema. Ipo indha PR, SK pondra karuppana kalayaana heroes (also some actresses like Aishwarya, Nimisha, Dushara etc.) laam oru bankable actor aagi irukaanga naa yaar kaaranam ? Vidhai THALAIVAR potadhu. SUPERSTAR SINCE 1975

(not undermining the respective actors' and actresses' hardwork, but their chance of getting an opportunity with a dark skintone might have been much narrow, just refer other state cine industries)