Rajinikanth to resume shooting for 'Annaatthe' from December 15 in Hyderabad; Covid-19 measures in place

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth will resume shooting for his latest flick ‘Annaatthe’ in Hyderabad from Tuesday, probably his last before the 2021 assembly elections in which his yet-to-be-launched political party is set to contest.

Rajinikanth, his daughter Aishwarya, co-star Nayanthara, among others, took a chartered flight on Sunday to reach Hyderabad where enough arrangements have been made to protect them from Covid-19. Sources said the entire team, including Rajinikanth, underwent the Covid-19 test before boarding the flight.

‘Annaatthe’ (elder brother), directed by popular filmmaker Siva, is being produced by Sun Pictures, the production arm of Sun Network owned by Kalanithi Maran.

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The actor had indirectly admitted in October that he had undergone a renal transplant in 2016 and that doctors had warned him that he may easily catch the infection due to his low immunity power. The shooting was postponed several times, but the actor agreed to complete the film before he takes his political plunge — Rajinikanth has promised to announce the date of the launch of his political party on December 31. Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are due in April-May 2021.

As part of its efforts to minimise risk for the actor, Sun Pictures has created a bio-bubble environment at the hotel where Rajinikanth will be staying inside the Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad.

“The entire team was tested for Covid-19 in Chennai before they left for Hyderabad. This is part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) adopted by all production houses. Additionally, Sun Pictures has taken measures like creating a bio-bubble environment to minimise the risks of catching the infection,” a source in the actor’s camp told DH.

Read: The unpredictability of Rajinikanth and his politics

Sources in the production house said nearly 40 per cent of the film is yet to be completed and the process would need another 45 days. “The bio-bubble experiment was successful during the IPL tournament and we have decided to recreate that for 'Annaatthe' shooting. Enough safety measures have been taken to minimise the risks,” a source in Sun Pictures said. The arrangement will ensure that only authorised people enter the floor where the crew is staying, the source added.

The actor is expected to return to Chennai by the end of this month to make an announcement about his political party on December 31. “The schedule of his movie shooting is unclear. But it is confirmed that the party launch date will be announced on the last date of 2020 and there is no change,” the source added.

Also read: Will Rajinikanth's bet on 'spiritual' politics, 'change' mantra catapult him?

Over the past week, the actor was involved in hectic discussions with Rajini Makkal Mandram Chief Coordinator Ra Arjunamurthy and supervisor Tamilaruvi Manian, a former Congressman. Rajinikanth has announced he will launch the party which would contest in all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu during the assembly elections.

With his arrival, the 2021 assembly election is expected to be a crowded affair with too many players. Already, Rajinikanth’s long-time colleague in the tinsel town, Kamal Haasan, has launched his party, presenting himself as an alternative to the two Dravidian majors — DMK and AIADMK.