Tamil superstar Rajinikanth seems increasingly drawn to multi-starrer projects over solo-hero ventures. After films like Jailer and Vettaiyan, he now shares the screen with Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, and Upendra in his latest release, Coolie. Does Rajinikanth need to rely on other stars to draw in crowds?“Rajinikanth doesn’t need other stars to draw audiences—his aura and charisma remain intact,” says director Hemant Madhukar. “He has worked with Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kannada star Ravichandran in the past, always confident in his role. But he also understands that sharing space with big names from other industries helps expand the market for his films and ensures producers recover their investment through pan-India appeal.”Madhukar credits Coolie’s bumper openings equally to its star-studded cast and the Rajinikanth–Lokesh Kanagaraj combination. “Lokesh is becoming the Rajamouli of Kollywood, delivering hero-centric action spectacles from Kaithi to Leo. Add composer Anirudh to the mix, and you have a sensational combination that fuels unprecedented hype,” he notes.He draws parallels to Hollywood and Bollywood, where multicasting is used to widen reach, boost collections, and generate buzz with younger audiences. “One ticket price for many stars—that’s the new fad,” he quips.Still, Madhukar acknowledges the drawbacks. “Sometimes, fans focus on who got more screen time. A few Nagarjuna fans felt his role was too short in Coolie. But stars like Nagarjuna know exactly what they’re signing up for, and the impact of a role matters more than its length. Aamir Khan’s part was brief yet powerful. Big heroes understand this, and such criticism should be overlooked.”Returning to the topic of lasting star power, Madhukar concludes, “I think Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, and Amitabh Bachchan are the only three Indian stars who’ve survived rivalries and market shifts for four to five decades, all while staying relevant to young audiences. My father admired them, I do, and now my son does too. That’s the secret to their enduring stardom.”
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