We have seen films of late legendary actors like MGR and Sivaji given a digital fillip and running to packed houses. Recently, a producer also announced that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s yesteryear flick Suriya Gandhi is being digitised.
Now, with Superstar Rajinikanth’s Kabali breaking box-office records, we hear that talks are on for the actor’s cult classic gangster film and all-time mega blockbuster Baasha to be re-released in digital format by its producer and former minister RM Veerappan.
Directed by Suresh Krissna, Baasha released in 1995 and went on to become a massive hit, in which Rajini played an auto driver with a deadly past. The Superstar became an overnight rage among the auto drivers of Tamil Nadu — and his punch line ‘Naan oru dhadavai sonna, nooru dhadavai sonna maadhri!’ was immortalised. Deva’s songs were also another mainstay of the movie, which ran for 368 days grossing record collections. Even today, Baasha, which is a regular on television channels every Rajini birthday, grosses maximum revenue, a source from the trade claims.
Confirming the news to DC, producer T.G. Thyagarajan, son-in-law of RM Veerappan, said, “Yes, we are in the process of re-releasing Baasha in the digital format. The negatives had been restored when the Hindi dubbed version was released earlier. Now, the mastering of songs by Deva is complete with DTS, and the re-recording in 5.1 surround sound and other digitisation is underway.”
Ask him about the release, and the producer, who is currently making a film with Thala Ajith, says that he needs to discuss with his father-in-law about it. All said and done, with Baasha’s makeover release, millions of Rajini’s fans are in for a visual treat!
