Aishwarya Rai Was First Choice For Neelambari In ‘Padayappa’: Rajini
He recalled insisting on the title. “Like my earlier films Annamalai, Muthu and Baasha, I suggested the title Padayappa. My director KS Ravikumar was not happy, he felt it was not trendy then. I was adamant”
To mark blockbuster Padayappa’s 25th anniversary and Rajinikanth’s 75th birthday, the cult classic re-releases in 4K on December 12. In a strategic move, as producer and story writer, Rajinikanth joined pre-release promotions, sharing memories of the film.
He recalled insisting on the title. “Like my earlier films Annamalai, Muthu and Baasha, I suggested the title Padayappa. My director KS Ravikumar was not happy, he felt it was not trendy then. I was adamant.” Later, I met spiritual guru Dayanand Saraswati. He asked about my upcoming projects. ‘It sounds good,’ was his instant response when I mentioned Padayappa, adding that it is another name for Lord Muruga.
On casting the antagonist, he said, “We wanted Aishwarya Rai to do the character Neelambari but found it very difficult to reach out to her. If she had said Yes, I was willing to wait for even 2–3 years. But she was not interested. We wanted an arrogance in the character, and it was Ravikumar who suggested Ramya Krishnan’s name.”
Character similar to J Jayalalitha?
He addressed 1997 rumours that Neelambari caricatured former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. “In 1996, I campaigned against her. She heard the rumours linking herself to the Neelambari character and wanted to see the film. Many advised me not to agree, but I felt it wouldn’t be an issue and arranged a screening. I heard she liked it. The then Chief Minister, Kalaignar Karunanidhi, also watched the film,” Rajini shared. “When I saw 2.O and Jailer 2 happening, I wondered, why not Padayappa 2? The title will be Neelambari: Padayappa 2. We are working on it.” Rajini also said he hasn’t sold OTT or satellite rights for Padayappa, except for limited telecasts on Sun TV, believing the film should be experienced in theatres for its full cinematic impact.
