Tamil cinema icon Rajinikanth has once again surprised fans by revealing new information about Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan while announcing the re-release of his iconic 1999 film Padayappa.
Speaking about the film, Rajinikanth disclosed that Aishwarya Rai was originally the first choice for the powerful role of Neelambari, a character that was ultimately played by Ramya Krishnan. He said the Padayappa team had been keen to cast Aishwarya in the role and made several attempts to approach her.
“We wanted Aishwarya Rai to play Neelambari. We tried hard to reach out to her,” Rajinikanth was quoted as saying. “Had she agreed, I wouldn’t have minded waiting for two or three years, because the character was that important.”
After Aishwarya declined the role, the filmmakers considered several other prominent actresses. Rajinikanth said names such as Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit were discussed. “We wanted someone with a powerful gaze and a sense of pride that would truly embody Neelambari,” he said. Eventually, director K S Ravikumar proposed Ramya Krishnan, whose performance later became one of the most iconic portrayals in Tamil cinema.
Rajinikanth also delighted fans by confirming that a sequel to Padayappa is currently in development. Titled Neelambari: Padayappa 2, the film will continue the story from the first instalment.
Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai later worked together in director S Shankar’s 2010 blockbuster Robot (Enthiran), in which Rajinikanth played a dual role as scientist Vaseegaran and the android Chitti, with Aishwarya starring opposite him. The film was widely acclaimed for its visual effects, storytelling and performances, and is regarded as a technological milestone in Indian cinema.
Directed by K S Ravikumar, Padayappa starred Rajinikanth, Ramya Krishnan, Soundarya and Shivaji Ganesan, and went on to become the highest-grossing Tamil film of 1999. The film is set to be re-released as part of celebrations marking Rajinikanth’s 75th birthday.
