Rajinikanth and Pa Ranjith team-up: 7 things that fans expect

So very recently, Dhanush broke the earth shattering news that he will be producing Superstar Rajinikanth’s next film. What’s more, the Thalaivar is teaming up with ‘Kabali’ director Pa Ranjith once again. But this time, the fans expect a lot more than they did for ‘Kabali’. So here are a few expectations that need to be fulfilled in this film.

More of Rajinikanth’s uniqueness

Rajinikanth did a fabulous job as a director’s actor as he followed Pa Ranjith’s instructions word by word in 'Kabali'. But adversely, it killed the inimitable style and swagger of the Thalaivar, which is a staple of any Rajinikanth movie. So, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a potboiler but there definitely needs to be more of the Superstar’s charisma on screen so that the fans leave the theatres satisfied.

Faster and more engaging screenplay

One thing is for sure, this movie needs to have a faster screenplay than ‘Kabali’. There were many instances in ‘Kabali’ when the movie became really sluggish, the reason being really slow screenplay. However, it also doesn’t need to be at a breakneck pace like any movie directed by Hari. But in the end, a little pace in screenplay is always appreciated, especially if it's an action film.

Retain Santosh Narayanan

No matter what happens, the team must retain music composer Santosh Narayanan. He delivered an absolute gem of an album with ‘Kabali’, one of the best Rajinikanth albums in a really long time. This promising music director has the potential to put all his competitors out of business and we know that if given time, he can recreate the ‘Kabali’ magic again or deliver something even better. So, Santosh Narayanan is a staple and his involvement is non-negotiable.

Strong villainous characters or strong conflict

If the story of the film is more action-centric and commercial, then a superb villain, who can match Rajinikanth in every frame, is a must. If not match, then at least the baddie should hold his own and not look weak. This was a very big problem in ‘Kabali’, so the director and casting team need to keep this in mind while choosing the villain. Remember, the bigger the actor, the better. In case it is more drama-based, then it needs a very compelling conflict or challenge from which even Rajinikanth should struggle to get out.

A newer, refreshing cast

We have nothing against the supporting cast of ‘Kabali’, but with the exception of Radhika Apte, Sai Dhansikaa and Winston Chao, almost the entire supporting cast were taken straight from the movie ‘Madras’. It was also directed by Pa Ranjith and while it is nice to see that he is giving all these people a steady platform, it made many wonder if they were actually watching ‘Madras’ or ‘Kabali’. So, a little reshuffling in the cast will do wonders for the new project. New faces and talents are welcome.

Rajinikanth should play his age

The best thing that came out of ‘Kabali’ was that people finally got to see Rajinikanth playing his age. It was awesome to see him as an ageing gangster with the perfect suits to match his style and charisma. So, the story should be written in mind keeping the age of Superstar and he should never be made to play a young, commercial hero again. In spite of tons of makeup, his age looks pretty apparent and it becomes harder to believe and relate to his character in the movie.

Need a teaser and a trailer

‘Kabali’ was kind of misleading to many people. From the teaser, it looked it was going to be a brilliant commercial actioner. What they got instead was an emotional gangster drama with a lot of subtlety and Malaysian culture references. Obviously, many did not take well to this sudden change in themes. So in this project, a proper teaser and trailer telling the fans what to expect would be great. No matter what the story may be, it will still have a huge buzz because it is a Thalaivar film after all!