To mark the 75th birthday of Superstar Rajinikanth, his iconic blockbuster Padayappa was re-released in theatres with special promotions aimed at drawing audiences back to cinemas. While the re-release was received positively and performed decently by re-release standards, it could not surpass the record collections set by Thalapathy Vijay’s Ghilli.
Despite being termed a success among re-releases, Padayappa fell short of expectations and failed to create new benchmarks. Ghilli continues to hold the record as the highest-grossing South Indian re-release with ₹30 crore, a figure that now appears out of reach for Padayappa as its theatrical run is nearing completion.
During a promotional interaction, Rajinikanth hinted at a possible sequel focusing on the iconic Neelambari character, which generated strong buzz in Tamil film circles. Many believed that this curiosity, combined with Rajinikanth’s unparalleled fan base, would propel the re-release to record-breaking numbers, much like his earlier films that defied box-office trends even amid mixed reception. However, those expectations did not translate into historic collections.
One major factor could be the decision to restrict the re-release largely to Tamil Nadu. A simultaneous Telugu re-release might have significantly boosted revenues, given the film’s enduring popularity across South India. With its run now nearing the end, Padayappa is expected to settle for a respectable, though not record-breaking, performance in the re-release market.
Directed by KS Ravi Kumar and produced by Arunachala Cine Creations, Padayappa features music by A. R. Rahman, with Ramya Krishnan and Soundarya playing the female leads.
