CHENNAI, July 22: Rajinikant-starrer ‘Kabali’ today released across the country with frenzied fans swarming the theatres to have an early morning glimpse of their ‘Thalaivar’ (leader).
The film released in about 5,000 screens across India including 1000 in the state, with some of them having early morning shows of the Pa Ranjith-directed movie.
Cut outs and banners of the actor were erected outside popular theatres, as the film had created much buzz among the actor’s diehard fans and cinema goers since his previous venture Lingaa had failed at the box office.
In some places, fans complained of lack of availability of tickets as they were bulk-booked by individuals and companies well in advance but there was an overall mood of joy outside the theatres that screened the multi-crore film produced by ‘Kalaippuli’s Thanu.
The film had already been released in some foreign countries including the US where Rajnikant reportedly watched his latest offering to his fans.
The ‘Neruppuda’ song has already become a chartbuster.
Santosh Narayanan has scored the music for the film, which also stars Radhika Apte, Dhanshika and Kalaiarasan in key roles.
Meanwhile, fans who had flown from Bengaluru to watch a special screening as part of an arrangement with Air Asia, complained of a rescheduling of timing and screening place.
They insisted that they wanted to watch the movie along with the actor’s fans in a Chennai theatre as promised but were offered a screening elsewhere.
The company said there was a ‘mistake’ on its part in not informing the rescheduling and assured to ‘compensate’ the fans.
The film had cleared a last minute hurdle yesterday after the Madras High Court declined to restrain its release on a petition by a film distribution firm seeking compensation for losses reportedly incurred by them over distribution of “Lingaa”.
The film was released to packed houses amid fanfare and frenzy across Kerala, where tickets were sold in advance and many of theatres showed ‘houseful’ boards.
Elated fans, who came out of the theatres after watching the movie, said the film has the real “Rajini touch” with stunt, music and typical punch dialogues.
It was released in over 300 screens across the Kerala, where there are a large number of Rajinikant fans.
While in Palakkad, bordering Tamil Nadu, in at least 25 theatres the film has been released, in the state capital, eight theatres are screening it with the first show starting at 4.30 am.
Cutting across age barriers, movie buffs queued up in front of cinemas in the wee hours to buy tickets.
More number of shows, in different times, were arranged to manage the heavy rush of fans, theatre sources said.
Rakesh Ramakrishnan, a Kochi-based software engineer who managed ticket for the first show, said ‘Kabali’ rose to the expectations of Rajini fans.
“The movie has all ingredients to satisfy Rajini fans like stunt, punch dialogues, super songs etc. There is enough masala for everyone to celebrate,” he told PTI. “We were a bit disappointed about Rajini’s last outings like ‘Lingaa’ and ‘Kochadaiyaan’. But, ‘Kabali’ washed away all those disappointments,” the 23-year-old techi, who took special permission from the office to adjust his work schedule to watch the movie, said.
Television channels showed hard-core Rajini fans, including aged men and women, standing in queues to fetch the tickets in many theatres.
Fans of the ‘Thalaivar’ celebrated the release of ‘Kabali’ in different ways including in social media. A three-minute music video, brought out by a fan in Kochi, has become viral on the online. (PTI)
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