Aishwarya Rai Had Rejected Rajinikanth’s Blockbuster ‘Padayappa’; Film Set for Theatrical Re-Release After 25 Years

Chennai – Rajinikanth’s iconic film Padayappa, which originally released 25 years ago, is set to hit theaters once again on December 12. The blockbuster, which starred Ramya Krishnan in a leading role, had shattered box office records, earned multiple awards, and remained in theaters across 86 screens for over 100 days. It was later remade in Telugu as Narasimha, which also became a hit.

In a recent video shared ahead of the re-release, Rajinikanth revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes story about the film’s casting. “Initially, we wanted Aishwarya Rai for the pivotal role of Neelambari. I was ready to wait two to three years if needed, as the character’s success was crucial. However, she showed no interest,” he said.

Following Aishwarya Rai’s rejection, the makers approached several leading actresses, including Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. Director K.S. Ravikumar eventually suggested Ramya Krishnan, whose performance perfectly captured the character’s intensity and pride.

Padayappa had set numerous benchmarks in Tamil cinema. Released with 210 prints and 700,000 audio cassettes worldwide, it became the highest-grossing Tamil film of its time and earned five Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. The film is also considered Rajinikanth’s first movie to surpass ₹50 crore globally.

Excitingly, Rajinikanth confirmed that a sequel, titled Neelambari: Padayappa 2, is in development. The team is currently finalizing the script and will begin production once the storyline is ready.

With its theatrical re-release, Padayappa promises to rekindle the magic of one of Tamil cinema’s most celebrated blockbusters, delighting both longtime fans and a new generation of moviegoers.