While for most actors, opening day is the day of reckoning, for someone of Rajnikanth's stature it is merely regular business. With his upcoming movie that is releasing on June 7, Kaala, the superstar is expected to serve up a blockbuster and a box office goldmine. The trailers of the movie have created quite the frenzy on social media. But a week before its release, Kaala has stirred up a controversy after Rajnikanth voiced his stand on the Cauvery dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Now, the movie has been banned in Karnataka.
It will surely hit Kaala's India business and also affect distributors and traders in Karnataka but it is not likely to slow down the Thalaivar juggernaut. Rajnikanth's recent movies such as Kabali, Enthiran, Lingaa, which was a flop, Sivaji, have all touched Rs 100 crore. While the box office collection of Kabali is under dispute, it is estimated to have earned more than Rs 600 crore worldwide. Enthiran also raked in around Rs 290 crore.
Not only in the Southern states, Kaala made on a rough estimate of Rs 90 crore, is expected to do well in the rest of the country as well since it will be released in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi, hence, pulling in audiences from across India. Moreover, with countries like Japan, where Rajnikanth has been an immensely popular star since his 1996-release Muthu that ran for 23 weeks, is also expected to add to the moolah.
Moreover, Kaala seems to have all the right ingredients for a blockbuster. To begin with, the team behind Kabali, helmed by Pa Ranjith is the force behind Kaala. Additionally, it has an excellent supporting cast, including Nana Patekar as the antagonist, Pankaj Tripathi and Huma Qureshi.
Produced by Dhanush, Kaala will bring back the good old tale of the righteous hero taking on the powerful bad guy. Set in Mumbai's Dharavi, Rajnikanth plays the character of a don, son of the soil who takes a stand against the formidable landlord. This aligns with his political stance as well - the man who is always with the poor. Even some of his past movies have shown a similar inclination. It is also important for the superstar for the movie to do well as it will likely affect his political ambitions.
Now, one controversy after another can always mar one's political front but for the movie business, any publicity is good publicity. Not only the Cauvery dispute, in May last year gangster Haji Mastan's foster son asked the filmmakers to refrain from showing Mastan in a negative light or to bear the consequences. Ranjith had to clarify that the movie was not based on the gangster and was entirely fictional. Then there was also a dispute on the film's name with K Rajashekaran claiming the former name of the movie, Kaarikalan, after which the makers registered with Kaala.
The film's PR team is also on an overdrive and are planting stills from the movie in public spaces. Whether you have seen the trailer or not, you will know all you need to know about the movie.
So, will Thalaivar pull in audiences to the theatres? Undoubtedly.