Amitabh to play Rajinikanth’s role in Kabali

Rajinikanth’s Kabali is a phenomenal success in South India but to ensure the movie gets its due in Hindi-speaking regions; plans are reportedly on to make a Bollywood remake with Amitabh Bachchan in the lead. Kabali opened to a thundering response on Friday (July 22) with thousands of Rajini fans flocked to single screens and multiplexes to watch the first day first show of the movie.

The movie was released over 12,000 screens across India and as well as in the US, UK and Malaysia. The film was also dubbed in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Malay languages.

While most of the audiences preferred watching the movie in Tamil for its flavour and dialogues, its Hindi version fell a little short.

So in order to bring more Hindi-speaking audiences to theatres, the makers of Kabali have now decided to cast Bollywood’s Shahehshah Amitabh Bachchan to bring in his stylish antics and deep baritone for Rajinikanth’s role as Kabaliswaran, according to the reports.

Bachchan will star in the remake of Kabali. The reason Rajini’s Tamil films don’t do well when dubbed in Hindi is because they are very culture-specific.

Kabali is set in the Tamil community in Malaysia. The flavour, culture and dialogues are all peculiar to the Tamil community, a source told the HindustanTimes.com.

Rajinikanth and Big B have worked together in movies like Andha Kanoon (1983), Geraftaar (1985) and Hum (1991). They share a great camaraderie and have huge respect for each other.

In fact, many Hindi films starring Big B were remade in Tamil with Rajinikanth. (Kabali BO collection day 1: Film makes earth-shattering start)

 
Bachchan is also a self-confessed fan of Rajinikanth. “Rajini is phenomenal. The largest, the best and truly the BOSS. The adulation, the following is incomparable,” he had said earlier, “We are friends, colleagues. His modesty is legendary. His simplicity in his existence and in his demeanour is also legendary. We all know that he is The Emperor. I abhor epithets, but for him I will make exceptions, for he is truly exceptional. Look where he came from and what he has become.” (Kabali movie review: This Rajinikanth film is a drag)