“Do you have an extra ticket?” At Satyam Cinemas, film buffs are not embarrassed to beg total strangers. They have no inhibitions when it comes to Rajinikanth. I am one of the unfortunates who could not make it to the first-day-first-show. “Well, at least First Day Show (FDS), if not for FDFS,” I console my friend.
The mall is festive on the day of the release. People click selfies in front of Rajinikanth cutouts; Vinod, a doctor, plonks down on the sofa with a backdrop of a Rajini poster. He tries to pose like thalaivar. “How can you not be a Rajini fan, when you are in Tamil Nadu?” he says.
College students have come in hordes to catch the FDFS. ‘Neruppu da’ plays in the background, as students rush to buy popcorn and hot dogs. Some wear Kabali t-shirts and, noticing my camera, request me to take a picture. They are joined by their friends and, before I know it, my frame is filled with 20 smiling Rajini fans!
As the first lot streams into the theatre, the others hang around hopefully for tickets for the evening show. After much negotiation and strategy, we finally managed a 4.00 p.m. show ticket. I wait to hear what those watching the FDFS have to say. The response is mixed. Some look let down, others content. “It is a lot more emotional. Less commercial than what you expect after watching the trailer,” says Manish Jeishanker, a college student.
Some fans are feeling let down. Sivaraja Gopinathan, a software professional, says he wanted more. “The intro was satisfying. The second part was too dramatic and dragging. You can’t really call it a Rajini film.” But Bijithra contends, “Regardless of age, he has an amazing screen presence. This might not be his best film. But, this is surely a one-time watch.”
Sreelakshmi, Devishree and Gayathri are delighted. “It was just neruppu da,” says Devishree. “I will rate the film 3.75 out of 5.” The gang sneaked tissue papers into the movie hall to throw in the air when the superstar came on screen. Businesswoman Ekta Makhija’s five month old squealed and jumped when Rajinikanth appeared on screen, she says. “I think she got excited hearing the noise,” Ekta laughs. Revathy, an industrialist and Rajini fan, left her twins at home to catch the FDFS. “I really like the girl, who played Kabali’s daughter. It is a completely different Rajini movie.”
Everyone was raving as much about Radhika Apte as about Rajini. Unlike other superstar films, which treat women as a secondary subject, Kabali gives due importance to its women, says Girish Jeishankar, a college student. I can’t wait to watch the film, more so with all these mixed reactions. Memories of meeting Rajini a few months ago in Malaysia flood my mind as I rush into the dark film hall. Five minutes into the film, my wait is over and I watch an aged, weary Rajini emerging out of the Malaysia jail. But he is does pull-ups like a pro! I whistle to my heart’s content, along with other Rajini fans in front. The hall fills with thunderous claps. Boys in front jump up from their seats to welcome their hero. When they see their thalaivar in close quarters, they clap more and whistle. When Rajini says, ‘Magizhchi’, people go mad. But there is absolute silence during the intense, emotional moments like when Rajini and his wife meet after 25 long years. It easily one of the most beautiful emotional scenes I have seen.
The second half ends with more stunts and whistle-worthy dialogues. There are references to the sartorial tastes of Gandhi and Ambedkar. It adds a political dimension to an otherwise regular narrative. But the political facts are not in-your-face. Even though there are hints about political turmoil among Tamils in Malaysia, it is subtle. But clearly the excitement and adrenaline rush has petered off. The audience seems confused. Is this how a Rajini film is supposed to be? Or, is there something wrong with us that we did not enjoy it as much as we did thalaivar’s other films?
