Highlights:
- ‘Padayappa’ re-releases on Rajinikanth’s 75th birthday
- Fans celebrate a first-day-first-show experience at Chennai’s Rohini Silver Screens
- The 1999 hit returns to cinemas after being withheld from TV and streaming by Rajinikanth
A milestone birthday and a milestone re-release
December 12 is always a landmark day for Rajinikanth’s fans, but this year carries extra significance. As the Tamil star turns 75, his 1999 blockbuster Padayappa returns to theatres, drawing packed crowds from early morning.
At Chennai’s Rohini Silver Screens, fans gather for a full first-day-first-show celebration. The cinema is covered with posters and birthday banners, while a DJ plays Rajinikanth’s most popular songs at the entrance.
A chance to relive a classic
Among the early arrivals is Yogaraj D, a professional dancer from OMR, dancing with friends to the music. “I was too young when Padayappa came out and never saw it on the big screen,” he says. “This is my chance to feel that magic.”
For Satish K, a 34-year-old IT worker from Poonamallee, the re-release revives a childhood memory. “I was in class three when it released,” he recalls. “I watched it at Raghavendra Theatre in Tiruvottiyur. It had everything: comedy, action, style. Experiencing it again feels incredible.”
Satish adds that Rajinikanth’s punch dialogues and public speeches have guided him through difficult periods. “Whenever I feel low, I listen to his words. They lift me up.”
Why this re-release matters
Padayappa returns to cinemas after Rajinikanth personally kept the film away from TV and streaming platforms. In a recent video, he said he wanted the re-release to be a true celebration for fans inside theatres. Directed by KS Ravikumar with music by AR Rahman, the film is also remembered for Ramya Krishnan’s acclaimed turn as Neelambari, one of Tamil cinema’s most iconic antagonists.
The excitement is clear among the hundreds who arrive at Rohini on a chilly Friday morning. Veteran fan “Rajini” Balaji, who watched the film’s first show in 1999, says the response from younger audiences stands out. “It’s great to see Gen Z celebrating him the same way we did years ago. His films and his style stay evergreen.”
As Rajinikanth famously declares in Padayappa: En Vazhi Thani Vazhi, his path remains his own.
Roshan writes that he admires the way the story is told and the intensity behind the filmmakingInstagram/ hrithikroshan
