Rajinikanth's birthday celebrations go global as ‘Padayappa’ re-releases in France

Fans celebrated the re-release of the classic 1999 film 'Padayappa' on December 12, 2025 as a way to wish Rajinikanth a happy 75th birthday. Fans flocked to movie theatres in droves across the country to view the film; the atmosphere was electric in every theatre where the film was shown. Numerous videos on the internet show how much of a following Padayappa still has over twenty years later and that these movie viewings were treated as more than just a standard film screening.

Viral France theatre video takes social media by storm

One example of an incredible video that has surfaced was from a French cinema where the audience cheered, danced and screamed when Rajinikanth was displayed on-screen. The majority of the audience appeared to be Asian and Indian fans who were very enthusiastic and thoroughly enjoyed watching Rajinikanth perform in a movie theatre. This viral video surprised many users on social media and demonstrated to some that Rajinikanth has an enormous international fan base and that the appeal of Padayappa is truly larger than life and transcends the borders of India.

A landmark re-release for Tamil cinema

December 12 was a day to remember for Rajinikanth fans because the action flick was re-released, and it was also Rajinikanth's 60th birthday. Fans got to celebrate the film's nearly 25-year run since it first came out and its ongoing success. It's cool when movies like this get re-released. It shows that people still dig the films that influenced what they watch and keep inspiring others.

Rajinikanth confirms ‘Neelambari: Padayappa 2’

Ahead of his birthday, Rajinikanth confirmed plans for a sequel titled ‘Neelambari: Padayappa 2’, bringing renewed excitement among fans. The sequel will reportedly focus on Ramya Krishnan’s iconic character Neelambari. Recalling the film’s original craze, the actor mentioned that women once broke theatre gates to watch ‘Padayappa’, calling it an unprecedented experience in his long career.

Why ‘Padayappa’ remains a theatrical experience

Rajinikanth revealed that the film was deliberately kept away from OTT and satellite platforms, allowing only Sun Pictures to handle its exhibition. He emphasized that ‘Padayappa’ was always meant for the big screen, a belief reinforced by the overwhelming response during the re-release. According to the actor, revisiting the film in theatres after 25 years makes the experience even more special.

Rajinikanth’s recent and upcoming projects

After being away for a bit, The Thalaiva starred in 'Coolie' (2025), directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The movie also had Nagarjuna Akkineni, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj in it, plus Aamir Khan made a quick appearance. Next up, Rajinikanth will be in 'Jailer 2', directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, which should be out in 2026. People of all ages love Rajinikanth, and he'll keep being popular with his old and movies.

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