A jailer who was once a don: the continuing Rajinikanth story

Baasha, a timeless Rajinikanth classic, celebrates 30 years with enduring appeal, iconic dialogues, and box-office success.

Just as Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 announcement dropped on digital platforms on Pongal Day, it is time to leap backwards by three decades. The harvest festival of 1995 witnessed the release of an iconic Rajini film, one that has an enduring appeal even now. Baasha was truly a milestone in the superstar’s career.

Released on January 12, 1995, the blockbuster turned 30 recently. If Rajini’s career is an ode to superstardom, there are specific movies that further enhanced his stylised charm. Having become the numero uno in Tamil films in the 1980s, Baasha reaffirmed Rajini’s box-office draw in the 1990s.

To catch the movie at his fortress, Egmore’s Albert theatre, offered an extraordinary thrill. Directed by Suresh Krissna and with foot-tapping numbers by Deva, the movie highlighted the life of an autorickshaw driver with an intriguing past. Juxtaposing Rajini as the common man and then weaving in a Bombay flashback of heft, panache and menace, the movie ticked all the commercial boxes. The big brother caring for his siblings, the loyal friend avenging a buddy’s murder, and the impish romantic hero wooing Nagma were tropes evident through the film. In a classic scene, Rajini says: “Unmeya sonnen (Just told the truth).” It is a take-off point for the layers that defined his past, the clout he wielded, and a hat-tip to the usual ‘don with a golden heart’ template.

The film ran for months and its magnetism spilled across borders through southern India. For many years, at Bengaluru’s Ravi theatre in Vivek Nagar, a mandatory annual re-release of Baasha was a rite of passage. The regulars piled on, repeated every dialogue, sang along with the chartbusters, and tumbled out of the hall in a state of delirium.

Much before this OTT era, it was claimed that at any given point, at least one theatre in Tamil Nadu was screening MGR’s Ulagam Suttrum Valiban. This was a film that did a relay run through the State. Baasha seemed to be cut from the same cloth. A hero’s greatness is amplified through the strength of the villain. Rajini was fortunate to lock horns with Raghuvaran. The latter with his bassy guttural voice, and pauses thrown in for good effect, plus his height, was apt for the role.

Baasha also weaved in punchlines to good effect. Rajini often says, “Naan oru thadava sonna, adhu nooru thadava sonna madhiri (When I say it once, it is like saying it a hundred times).” This device of reiteration is employed through the cult movie that is a true reflection of the good old masala film. Baasha has aged well, and another re-release is round the corner.