Opinion | Will Vettaiyan be Rajinikanth’s first sleeper hit in decades?

The advance booking for Superstar Rajinikanth's Vettaiyan has opened, and the picture it presents is notably different from that of Jailer a year ago. While the pre-release ticket sales, especially in Tamil Nadu, are respectable, they’re not as overwhelming as one might expect for a Rajinikanth starrer. This is significant, considering Rajinikanth’s films are typically front-loaded—the majority of the revenue comes in during the opening weekend, driven by massive fanfare and first-day-first-show hysteria.

But Vettaiyan seems to be taking a different approach. Rather than aiming for a blockbuster weekend, the filmmakers appear to be playing a longer game, one that banks on a sustained theatrical run. For the first time in over three decades, it looks like Rajinikanth may have a "sleeper hit" on his hands—an anomaly in a career marked by either huge blockbusters or outright disasters. Vettaiyan might be the first film in Rajinikanth's illustrious career in a long time to start off modestly, build momentum through word of mouth, and ultimately become a massive success.

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Director TJ Gnanavel seems well aware of this shift in expectations. In interviews leading up to the release, he has discouraged audiences from expecting the same kind of 4AM shows and fan frenzy that accompanied Jailer. Instead, he’s positioning Vettaiyan as a content-driven film, one that engages what he calls "the super actor in the Superstar." This is a critical shift, one that challenges Rajinikanth’s established formula of delivering mass entertainers that lean heavily on style, punch dialogues, and heroic elevations.

Gnanavel's approach seems to resonate with fans of Rajinikanth who have longed to see more of the actor behind the larger-than-life persona. The director, who gained acclaim for the socially charged Jai Bhim, has expressed his admiration for Rajinikanth’s acting talents and his belief that it’s the actor’s charisma, not just the “swag,” that has sustained his number-one position in the Indian film industry for nearly 50 years.

In Vettaiyan, Gnanavel promises a blend of what fans expect with something fresh—a performance-driven narrative that allows Rajinikanth’s acting prowess to shine through, even as it delivers moments of fan service. There’s a shade of nostalgia here too, with Gnanavel drawing parallels to Mullum Malarum, a film that showcased Rajinikanth's raw, natural talent before his rise to superstardom. The director has openly shared his intention to rekindle that spirit, even adding a tribute to the iconic “Ketta Paya Sir” line from Mullum Malarum in the soundtrack.

Even composer Anirudh Ravichander, who, according to Gnanavel, was pushed out of his comfort zone to create music that supports the film’s emotional weight, rather than just delivering the crowd-pleasing, hero-elevating beats his scores are known for. It’s a sign that Vettaiyan is aiming to be more than just a fan spectacle; it’s striving to provide a richer, more layered cinematic experience.

If Vettaiyan succeeds in this endeavour, it could mark a new chapter in Rajinikanth’s career—one that proves he’s still capable of surprising audiences, not with style or swagger, but with the depth of his performances. Rajinikanth’s decision to take on such a project, at this stage in his career, is a bold one. And for fans who have missed seeing the actor beneath the star, Vettaiyan could be the film they have been waiting for.

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