Kollywood
Padayappa Re-Release Box Office: Rajinikanth's classic fills the void left by Vaa Vaathiyaar; Pre-sales create havoc with No. 1 ranking
The Thalaivar phenomenon is proving to be timeless. Rajinikanth's 1999 blockbuster Padayappa, which has been re-released to celebrate the Superstar's birthday, has taken the box office by storm. What was initially planned as a celebratory limited release has transformed into a full-blown theatrical dominance. Reports indicate that the pre-booking trends for the K.S. Ravikumar directorial have been nothing short of extraordinary, with the film currently ranking No. 1 among all recent re-releases, surpassing previous records set by other cult classics. The massive surge in screen count for Padayappa comes as a direct result of a major shake-up in the release calendar. With the sudden postponement of Karthi's Vaa Vaathiyaar and the film Lockdown due to legal and financial issues, exhibitors were left with a void for the December 12 weekend. Seizing the opportunity, theater owners have allocated the majority of these prime screens to Padayappa. Consequently, almost all Main Screens across Tamil Nadu are now playing the Rajinikanth starrer. With no major releases scheduled until Christmas (December 25), the film has a clear two-week window to rack up record-breaking numbers. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The buzz is not limited to Tamil Nadu; the craze has spilled over into neighboring Karnataka as well. In Bengaluru, the response has been described as sensational. Despite a limited release strategy in the city, the occupancy rates are sky-high. Data reveals that as soon as bookings opened, 12 out of 25 shows were already near full capacity, with over 2,480 tickets sold in a flash. The hourly trending metrics suggest that the film is outperforming many modern releases in terms of occupancy. Padayappa remains one of the most celebrated films in Rajinikanth's career, largely due to the iconic face-off between his character and the antagonist Neelambari, played powerfully by Ramya Krishnan. Combined with A.R. Rahman's electrifying background score and the nostalgic value of seeing the late Soundarya on screen, the film offers a perfect theatrical experience. With the current momentum, trade analysts predict that Padayappa is set to rewrite the history books for re-release collections in South Indian cinema.
