Rajinikanth Failed to Beat Vijay’s Record

To celebrate the 75th birthday of Superstar Rajinikanth, team re-released the actor’s iconic hit Padayappa. The movie’s re-release was promoted in the Tamil film circles to attract more footfalls to theatres. However, it could not beat the collections of the re-release of Thalapathy Vijay’s Ghilli.

Despite Padayappa being termed a success among the re-releases, the film failed to exceed expectations and set new records in the segment.

Ghilli remains the highest-grossing South Indian re-release with ₹30 crore. Rajini’s cult classic Padayappa now looks unlikely to reach that mark as its run is nearing the end.

The collections of the film for three days are as follows:
Gross in TN: 8.5 Cr
Gross in Rest of India: 1.5 Cr
Gross in Overseas: 2 Cr
Total Gross: 12 Cr

During a promotional interaction, Rajinikanth hinted at a possible sequel centered on the iconic Neelambari character, which created strong buzz in Tamil film circles. Many believed this curiosity, combined with Rajini’s unmatched fan base, would help Padayappa’s re-release set new benchmarks much like how his earlier films shattered box office records, even during mixed or disappointing theatrical runs.

However, that expectation did not translate into record-breaking numbers for Padayappa. One reason could be the decision to limit the re-release to Tamil Nadu alone. A simultaneous Telugu re-release might have boosted collections further, considering the film’s popularity across South India. With its theatrical run nearing the end, Padayappa now looks set to settle for a respectable but not historic re-release performance.

Directed by KS Ravi Kumar, Padayappa is produced by Arunachala Cine Creations, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. Ramya Krishnan and Soundarya played the leading ladies.