Ahead of the mega re-release of his 1999 blockbuster, Padayappa, superstar Rajinikanth has shared an interesting, lesser-known fact about the film’s casting — that actor Aishwarya Rai was actually his first choice to play the role of the villainous Neelambari.
The K S Ravikumar-directed film is all set for a special re-release as a birthday gift for Rajinikanth. The re-release has once again stirred new discussions about the celebrated movie co-starring Ramya Krishnan, Soundarya and Sivaji Ganesan.
In a special video released for the film’s revival, Rajinikanth revealed the rigorous casting for the legendary negative role. "We wanted Aishwarya Rai to do the character of Neelambari," Rajinikanth said. "We tried to reach out to her after a lot of difficulties. If she had said yes to the movie, I was willing to wait for even two to three years because that character was like that. It was imperative for that role to click — but we heard that she was not interested."
The actor further revealed that other big names such as Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit were also in consideration. However, the team was specifically on lookout for a heroine with "that power in the eyes" and "an arrogance in the character". It was director Ravikumar who finally suggested Ramya Krishnan, who played the role of the fiery and unforgettable Neelambari with great élan and won widespread acclamation among fans and critics alike.
Interestingly, Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai shared screen space a decade later in the big pan-Indian science-fiction hit, Enthiran (2010).
In that same video, Rajinikanth confirmed more good news for fans: a sequel, titled Neelambari: Padayappa 2, is now official. Meanwhile, both Rajinikanth and Ramya Krishnan are currently filming for the sequel to the 2023 blockbuster Jailer, titled Jailer 2, slated for a June 2026 release.
Padayappa had the distinction of being the all-time biggest hit in Tamil when it was first released, and its re-release will be a veritable feast for the fans celebrating their superstar's milestone birthday.
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