'Padayappa' re-release: Rajinikanth reveals why his cult classic stayed away from OTT for 25 years

Superstar Rajinikanth's 1999 cult classic 'Padayappa' will be re-released on the big screens on December 12, sharing the same date as the veteran actor celebrates his 75th birthday. The re-release will be a special phenomenon for the fans, as the movie in the current age, where films are available on online platforms, was never released on any OTT platform. Let's find out why.

Rajinikanth explains why he decided not to sell OTT rights.

It's common in today's time that films are being enjoyed by fans and audiences during their digital release. However, the Rajinikanth starrer stayed away from the online services. As per a report by India Today, Rajinikanth chose not to sell the film's rights to any streaming platforms, as he believes that the film should be only enjoyed on the silver screen.


He said, "I did not give the rights to any telecast player, despite multiple requests. I wanted people to watch it only on the big screen. It should be a kondattam (celebration) for fans on my 50th year in cinema, being the producer and writer of the film.

Insights about 'Padayappa'

The movie itself is close to the legendary actor. While announcing the film's theatrical re-release, he shared a video on his X (formerly Twitter) handle where he shared about the film titled 'The Return Of Padayappa, 75th Birthday Special.' He mentioned the film's quick 70-day shoot and his memorable time working with Sivaji Ganesan.

A sequel to the film is likely to be made, which will be about the character Neelambari. He also shared the planned title would be 'Neelambari: Padayappa 2.'

Rajinikanth's first choice to play Neelambari

Talking about the character Neelambari in the film, it was played by 'Baahubali' actor Ramya Krishnan. However, it too has a backstory where Rajinikanth shared that he always wanted Aishwarya Rai to play it. Interestingly, he and his team spent almost three months to make her join the project.

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