Mumbai: Rajinikanth has given fans a double treat. To mark his 75th birthday on December 12 2025 the superstar has scheduled a theatrical re release of his 1999 blockbuster Padayappa. In a long video shared on his official social media handles he looked back at the making of the film recalled its unforgettable mania and confirmed that a sequel is in early discussion. The sequel will focus on the ruthless nature of Ramya Krishnan as Neelambari and it will likely be named Neelambari Padayappa 2.
A superstar remembers the Padayappa craze
In the video Rajinikanth recalled how Padayappa created scenes of mass frenzy when it first released. He claimed that during the 50 years he had been in the film industry, he had never witnessed the sight of women breaking down gates in order to enter theatres like they did Padayappa. That memory is a big part of why he wanted the film to be celebrated on his birthday and why the makers chose a theatrical re release instead of putting it on streaming platforms.
Neelambari takes centre stage Padayappa 2 in the works
Fans will be excited to know that Rajinikanth did not stop at nostalgia. He confirmed that plans are being made to bring out a decent sequel and that in case the story cleans up the movie will reappear in the form of Neelambari Padayappa 2. It will focus on the antagonist Ramya Krishnan reintroduced in key role which promises a fresh angle on the original tale. Rajinikanth said the team is working on the story and that he is hopeful it will excite audiences much like the first film did.
Casting choices
The superstar also revealed some behind the scenes casting choices that surprised many. He explained that the makers originally wanted Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to perform the role of Neelambari and that they were willing to wait years for the right answer because the role demanded a very particular intensity. When that did not work out several top actresses were considered before K S Ravikumar suggested Ramya Krishnan. The performance of Ramya became one of the most discussed villain roles in contemporary Tamil cinema.
Why Padayappa is returning to cinemas not OTT
Rajinikanth made it clear that Padayappa was always meant to be a theatre film. He revealed in the video that he wrote the story and produced the film under his friends names and that he chose not to sell Padayappa to any OTT service or television network. He instead left theatrical screenings to Sun Pictures since the film in his opinion should be shown on big screen. That announcement is the reason why the film fans will have a short and exclusive opportunity to re watch the film in the movie halls on December 12 2025.
The original film and its lasting legacy
Directed by K S Ravikumar Padayappa was released in April 1999 and starred Rajinikanth as Aaru Padayappan and Neelambari was played by Ramya Krishnan and Vasundhara by Soundarya. The film also featured the legendary Sivaji Ganesan in one of his final major roles as Dharmalingam. At the time Padayappa became the highest grossing Tamil film of the year and over time it achieved cult status especially for Neelambari’s headstrong modern persona. The re release on Rajinikanth’s 75th birthday reinforces the film’s place in popular memory and sets the stage for a sequel that puts a famous antagonist centre stage.
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