Superstar Rajinikanth said he is confident that his upcoming action-thriller 2.0, a sequel to his 2010 blockbuster, Robo, slated to be released worldwide on November 29, will surpass Rajamouli’s Baahubali franchise. The Superstar, who addressed the gathering at the pre-release event of 2.0 in Hyderabad on Monday has sung praises for his director Shankar and the film.
“We wanted to make Robo in 3D, but it didn’t work out. Shankar made up his mind to shoot his next film entirely on 3D camera and I wasn’t surprised by his decision owing to my past working experiences with him. I believe the magnitude of success Baahubali franchise received was due to its story and visual splendour. As for 2.0, the film was shot in 3D and has a wonderful story with over 40% per cent of the footage replete with special effects. I’m confident of its success and convinced that it’s going to be a bigger hit than Baahubali,” says Rajini.
The Kabali actor is content with the hype the film has garnered and said he is enthusiastically awaiting its release. “I feel I’m a newcomer all over again. I’m eagerly waiting for the film to open in cinemas. It feels exactly the way it did when I made my debut in Apoorva Raagangal (1975),” reveals the 67-year-old actor.
While elaborating on the film, director Shankar explained how he got the idea of making such a magnum opus. “I have imagined a group of people who are busy glancing at their mobile phones. The film brings in a lot of relatability and has an emotion that will tug at your heartstrings. A mobile phone has become an important conduit in our lives and it has become an essential thing for us to keep pace with the trends or happenings. 2.0 has a message that works for everyone on a global stage. The film is an out-and-out action-thriller with a social dimension to its story.”
It almost took four years to make 2.0, while thousands of technicians have worked diligently to make it a visual extravaganza. The filmmakers have failed to meet the deadline several times and the film got further delayed to November 29. Speaking about the film’s delay, Shankar said, “We wanted to release the film last year, but a VFX company failed to keep its promise and we have realised that its difficult for them to work on these complex special effects. So, we have hired another reputed company to complete the work and it took several months for things to fall in place.”
The director has urged the audience to watch 2.0 in 3D, only in theatres. “The film has been made with a lot of effort to introduce good cinema to our audience. So, to get the best cinematic experience, I request you to watch the film in 3D. Trust me, it’s going to be a thrilling experience.”
Actor Akshay Kumar, who has clocked 28-year journey in Hindi cinema, says he felt like a student working in this film. “The film has taught me so many (good) things. It was not a film for me. It was a school where I went to study with Shankar as its principal. In my career, I must not have learnt anything as much as I learnt in this film.”
The Padman actor can’t thank his director enough. “I thank Shankar for giving me an opportunity to work in this film sharing screen space with the biggest Superstar Rajinikanth. I have understood that Rajinikanth has a unique way of weaving his magic on people with a small line. I’m playing the baddie and it was an honour getting punched by Rajinikanth,” says Akshay.
— Murali Krishna CH
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