5 reasons why Rajinikanth's Kabali is a MUST-WATCH

Deepa Gauri tells us what to expect from Rajinikanth's 159th film made at a cost of INR110 crore, with more than double that sum already earned thanks to distribution right

The Human Side: Kabali presents Rajinikanth not in all superstar heroics but also tries to explore the 'common man' side with vulnerabilities and failings; that would be a welcome change for even non-Rajini audiences. Purportedly not a 'formula film,' Kabali also has Rajini going back to his 1970s/80s look, hair flapping, printed shirts flaunted, and the gutsy body language in full form.

Style Quotient: The role of Kabaleeshwaran is reportedly inspired by Chennai's underworld dons - who were not the trigger-happy kind as you see today, but were seen as generous patriarchs who take up the cause of the common people. Nothing new in that per se but the makeover of Rajini from underdog to underworld don, absolutely stylish at that, could give you the goose pimples. The last time he did a similar role was in Basha; needless to say the film was a super-duper hit.
Director's Skill: The credentials of Pa. Ranjith are impeccable. Kabali is only his third film but both his earlier films, Aattakkathi and Madras define his talent to push the boundaries and deliver the unexpected. He keeps his narrative taut and tight, and has worked as assistant in both schools of Tamil filmmaking - mainstream commercial under N Linguswamy (Run-fame) and indie-spirited entertainers under Venkat Prabhu (Chennai 600028-fame). He digs reality, and his inspirations in cinema are The Battle of Algiers and City of God.
Strong cast: While Rajinikanth is the undisputed star and rules Kabali in practically every frame, the film has a very talented cast to support him. Radhika Apte, a brilliant actor, plays the central female role while Dinesh Ravi, who got his breakthrough in Ranjith's debut film Aattakkathi, has a central character. Playing the antagonist is Winston Chao, a Taiwanese actor.
Racy music: Pa. Ranjith's association with music composer Santhosh Narayan goes back to Aattakkathi, which was also his debut film. The music of Kabali is feisty. His brief was to compose the music not with Rajinikanth in mind but with the film's underlying emotional core. The title song was composed one dark night when Chennai was reeling under the impact of the floods.

• South Stars