In another scene, Naatu Dorai makes lavish contributions to a local deity, and Annaatthe quips, “ Illadhavangalukku kudutha, saamiye sandhosha padum.” Where some older Rajinikanth films like Mannan or Padayappa, for instance, dispensed the occasional problematic instruction, like dictating how women should lead lives, this film makes no such mistakes. The actor’s offscreen, spiritual presence has added to the effect of such writing in films, the lines between character and actor blurring, when he, for instance, tells Naatu Dorai (Prakash Raj), that the value of life must be measured by the laughter created while alive and the tears accumulated when dead. Right off the bat, the film also indulges in another Rajinism: The dispensing of wise one-liners. The actor, playing Kaalayan aka Annaatthe, is a sprightly presence and found engaging in playful banter, along with the ever-dependable Soori as his sidekick. The beginning portions of Annaatthe are straight out of enjoyable Rajini films from the 90s. This plays straight into Siva’s own strengths, as evidenced best in the enjoyable Viswasam-which could easily slot into the 90s as a superhit film, and with the added benefit of propagating better ideas concerning women and children.Ĭast: Rajinikanth, Keerthy Suresh, Nayanthara, Prakash Raj, Abhimanyu Singh, Jagapathi Babu Simply put, it’s a film that is designed to cater to everyone, a story where Rajini’s character typically begins with comedy, and then, goes on to get emotional and violent.

You can try to reinterpret the actor (as Ranjith did), or you can seek refuge in nostalgia and attempt to recreate old magic? Siva has opted for the latter and attempted to make what he called in our conversation to be a ‘Superstar’ film. So, if you’re a director allowed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of making a film with such a unique actor, what do you do? It seems to me you have two choices.

I doubt there’s a single other actor out there who can convince you that he’s, at once, capable of great violence, and at once, a posterboy of innocence and vulnerability. It’s a rare connection he has forged with the audience over decades.

When Rajinikanth laughs, happiness courses through you.

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