Cinema, Karam, Kapi

Few would have noticed, but it was the first time that Superstar Rajinikanth donned the role of a grand father in his August 2023 outing titled “Jailer”. While the actor, who will complete 50 years in Indian Cinema in 2025 has been the darling of Producers & Distributors for two decades continuously in the 80s and 90s, the actor’s charisma started waning around the turn of the millennium. His own production film “Baba”, one of his career best according to his ardent fans, was the worst flop of his career. Thereafter, the actor’s films have been nothing short of a roller-coster ride. As I write this article after 5 days since the release of Jailer, the film is said to have grossed Rs. 350 Cr (USD 65 mn approx.) worldwide at the box office as per market estimates.  Day 1 - ₹ 95.78 cr     Day 2 - ₹ 56.24 cr     Day 3 - ₹ 68.51 cr   Day 4 - ₹ 82.36 cr   Day 5 - ₹ 49.03 cr  Total - ₹ 351.92 cr   For a 72-year old actor, at the fag end of his career, this is nothing short of a miracle of

The first dialogue Superstar Rajinikanth utters in Petta is “Naan Veezhven enduru ninaithayo” after bludgeoning a few bad guys in his inimitable style. One cannot but remember the golden words of Neelambari “Vayasanalum un stylum azhagum  innum  pogale” - except that she actually said that 20 years back when Thalaivar was 49 years young. From this scene which is 4 minutes after the film reels on till the last scene - where Thalaivar ends with a pistol shot, its Superstar galore for over 150 minutes. Every fan who came out after watching the film has only one thing to say about Director Karthik Subburaj - “Only someone who has consumed Rajinikanth in every vein, muscle, blood and brain can create such a screenplay” - so true. KS has literally “Rajinified” the viewers with such a strong and gripping storyline which is a potpourri of Superstar’s antics for 40 years which most of his  ardent fans have enjoyed every bit and byte, literally . Kaali joins a convent in a hill sta

I looked up to Dhanush during early 2000s. He had a unique demeanor. He was not the typical white-skinned or six-pack guy who would enthrall the first row to last row audience with his smashing fight sequences, romance sessions or emotional outbreaks. And today, he is one of the most sought after actor in Tamil and Hindi Cinema with huge openings at the Box Office every time his film releases. The next in line, I hope is Siva Karthikeyan. A young lad from small town Trichy who started doing comic performances on Tv, went on to have the largest movie cut-out in Tmail Nadu, just like his idol Superstar Rajnikanth. Yes, Siva made it to the top of the publicity screen outside Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai ahead of his latest release Remo right after the poster of Thalaivar for Kabali. This means a lot to him. I saw the film after three weeks of release at PVR at noon. The theatre was half full (I am being an optimist here!) which is not bad at all, given that pirated DVDs are out within 24h