'Baba' 2.0: Rajini eyes redemption

On Independence Day two decades ago, 'Baba' hit the screens to the crazed fanfare typical of any Rajinikanth film. But it flopped and put an end to a phenomenally successful Rajini phase, headlined by blockbusters such as Baashha (1994), Muthu (1995), Arunachalam (1997), and Padayappa (1999).

In those hits, Rajinikanth played an underdog who rises to destroy his enemies. 'Baba' caught Rajinikanth's fans off-guard. They didn't know what to make of the story of a hot-headed atheist transforming himself through spirituality.

The film, criticised for its overstuffed plot, is one of the biggest failures in Rajini’s career. It is hitting the screens again, with the hope that 20 years on, it will get a better reception? The Suresh Krissna directorial, in a remastered avatar, and trimmed by 30 minutes, comes two days ahead of Rajinikanth's 72nd birthday. But what can a flop accomplish with a re-release?

"I can understand if 'Baashha' was releasing again because it was a mega-hit," says Baradwaj Rangan, national-award-winning film critic. "I am curious how 'Baba' will fare at the box office.”

He believes the producers may be banking on a lean month. “No big Tamil films are lined up in December. The last couple of months have remained quiet with not many movies making a mark in theatres. That's an advantage for 'Baba'," he says.

After the debacle, Rajini realised he had let his fans down. "The problem with stars is that people want them to do the same thing but in different ways," says Rangan.

Back then, the 'Superstar' was teasing his fans about his entry into politics with politically coloured films and characters. Many felt 'Baba', in which the protagonist delivers political dialogues and takes on corrupt leaders, was a blatant attempt to sell Rajini as a politician.

The film was big on fantasy. Rajini's character is the reincarnation of a great saint from the Himalayas. He is later blessed with special powers. "Suddenly, there was a big explosion of spirituality. It came out of nowhere, and he hadn't led his fans up to it," says Rangan.

Apart from the concept, the film, as a whole, wasn't appealing to critics and movie buffs. "They took a populist route to tell a serious story," explains Rangan. "It's about a man who begins to realise he is a divine birth and transforms himself. You are telling this idea in a mainstream format with song and dance. Also, you see the hero go to the Himalayas. The two moods didn't gel. It wasn't a film well put together," he argues.

But the fantasy genre is doing wonders today. 'Kantara', 'Karthikeya' and 'Brahmastra' have tasted massive success. So, Suresh Krissna is hopeful people will be kinder to 'Baba' this time.

“We are now ready to suspend our disbelief,” says Suhasini Srihari, research scholar and an ardent follower of Rajinikanth films. "There is a lot to talk about 'Baba'. The film represents the working class and talks about existentialism," she says.

Of course, 'Baba' will ride on the nostalgia wave, with fans desperate to see a younger Rajini on the big screen. There is enough Rajini in it, with his trademark dialogues, a rap song, a mnemonic two-finger symbol — likened to 'apana mudra' from yoga — and comedy from Goundamani.

"When I watched it back then, I felt a little odd," says film critic Kairam Vaashi. "It was a dark film, lacking the energetic spirit of Rajini films. I will go watch it again as I feel guilty I did not support Rajini when he tried something different back then."

For a long time, Suhasini would flaunt the 'Baba-mudra' around her friends. “For 90s' kids, it was a cool thing to do," she says.

Rajini and flops

Rajini has had underperforming films like ‘Siva’ (1989), ‘Athisaya Piravi’ (1990), ‘Pandiyan’ (1992). Another film that Rajinikanth wrote the screenplay for was ‘Valli’ (1993) and that was a flop too, notes Rangan.

His own story

Rajinikanth wrote the story and screenplay of ‘Baba’. He also produced the film, and went on record to say he had been inspired by Paramahansa Yogananda’s book ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’.