Five reasons to watch Rajinikanth in Lingaa first day, first show

1. There's two for the price of one Rajinikanth

Rajinikanth plays a dual role in Lingaa which releases on Friday – a district collector and another surprise avatar that the film’s team has kept under the wraps. Lingaa’s story is set in the pre-independence era and revolves around the construction of a dam. Rajinikanth will be seen in a larger-than-life avatar, helping villagers against a corrupt system. It has mostly been shot in Karnataka, which is also Rajinikanth’s home state. This is also why director KS Ravikumar is said to have roped in Bangalore-based producer Rockline Venkatesh to ensure that the film gets enough buzz in the state.

2. It's a lifeline for those disappointed by Kochadaiiyaan

Lingaa is, as many industry insiders say, Rajinikanth’s response to naysayers after his previous film Kochadaiiyaan failed at the box-office. It is also his quickest project since he earned the title of superstar. Within a month of Kochadaiiyaan’s release, after a leading Tamil daily named Vijay as the next superstar, the cast and crew of Lingaa are said to have geared up, all guns blazing, to reiterate who the real superstar is and worked extra hard to finish the film in less than six months, making it his second release of the year. The shooting was completed in less than 100 days, with reportedly few or no breaks.

3. It's a partnership whose time has come

Lingaa is special for the Rajinikanth-KS Ravikumar team, as their previous collaboration Rana was shelved after the superstar fell ill in April 2011. Even though the superstar got busy with Kochadaiiyaan, directed by Soundarya Ashwin and written by KS Ravikumar, Lingaa in many ways is said to be a resurgence project directed by Ravikumar with Rajinikanth after the abrupt end to Rana.

4. It's the first film to be released on his birthday

It will be the first ever film in Rajinikanth’s career to be releasing on his birthday, December 12. Therefore, the annual chaos and celebration are expected to hit a new high this year in theatres and multiplexes across the state. There will be the customary paal abhishekam, where Rajinikanth’s king-size cut-outs will be showered with milk and honey before the show is on, with fireworks in different parts of the city. At Chennai’s Kasi Theatre, fans will cut a cake for the superstar, to mark his 65th birthday and watch a special show of the film at 1am. The film will release in more than 2,500 screens across the country and close to 10,000 screens worldwide.

5. The music is by maestro AR Rahman

Music for the film has been scored by AR Rahman. It is already making waves for the Academy-Award winning composer’s refreshing, new approach and style. Songs like Mona Gasolina, En Mannava and Indiane Vaa are already becoming anthems across radio and television shows.