As fans gear up for the theatrical re-release of ‘Padayappa’ on December 12, coinciding with his 75th birthday, Rajinikanth shared an intimate look back at the making of his 1999 blockbuster. In a special video, the superstar revealed his original wish to cast none other than Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the fiery Neelambari, the film’s iconic antagonist.
“I wanted Aishwarya Rai for Neelambari. We even thought of waiting two to three years if she agreed, because the role demanded that kind of impact,” Rajinikanth said.
But despite his enthusiasm, the superstar discovered that Aishwarya was not interested in the project. Other leading actresses like Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit were considered, but the team needed someone whose eyes could carry the character’s power and arrogance.
It was director KS Ravikumar who finally suggested Ramya Krishnan, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Interestingly, fate has a twist of its own. Aishwarya eventually played Nandini, a character that partly inspired Neelambari, in Mani Ratnam’s epic two-part film ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ (2022). Rajinikanth himself drew inspiration for Neelambari from Nandini in Kalki’s beloved Tamil novel ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.
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“I have always loved Kalki’s work and wanted to bring Nandini’s spirit to the screen. That’s how ‘Padayappa’ came to life,” he explained. Though he suggested the title ‘Padayappa’, KS Ravikumar was unsure initially. Rajinikanth insisted. And the name stuck.
‘Padayappa’ featured a cast including Sivaji Ganesan, Soundarya, Abbas. AR Rahman’s music added to its charm. The film’s shooting wrapped in just 70 days with the grand climax filmed in Mysore involving thousands of extras.
Over the years, the film has been the subject of several rumours, including speculation that Neelambari was inspired by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Rajinikanth recounted how Jayalalithaa, despite the rumours, watched a special screening and reportedly appreciated the film.
“I campaigned against her in 1996, and by 1998 we were working on ‘Padayappa’. She wanted to see the film herself, and after watching it, she liked it. Even then Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi saw the movie,” he revealed.
Fans of Rajinikanth are now eagerly awaiting the chance to relive the ‘Padayappa’ magic on the big screen this December 12 with its re-release.