Will mixed inside talk affect Rajinikanth's Darbar?

Rajinikanth, the one and only 'Superstar' of Tamil cinema, is gearing up for the release of Darbar, slated to arrive in theatres on January 9, 2020. The film, featuring him in the role of a fierce cop, has created a great deal of buzz among fans and this suggests that things are heading in the right direction.

Now, the Darbar pre-release report is out. According to Cinejosh, a Telugu website, the AR Murugadoss-helmed flick has a solid first half that works because of numerous well-placed twists. The actioner, however, fails to live up to expectations after the interval, ending up being a routine entertainer.

Moreover, Rajini's scenes with Bollywood star Sunil Shetty too are not as effective as expected. While the sequences are thrilling, they are not as intense as the ones seen in the cult classics Baashha and Padayappa. All in all, Darbar might not be everyone's cup of tea but it might click with the 'Thalaivar Army'.

If the initial reports are anything to go by, Darbar might not enjoy a positive Word of Mouth (WOM). This, however, might not be a big issue as it is a solo release. Rajini's previous Pongal release Petta, which received mixed reviews, managed to do well despite releasing alongside Ajith Kumar's Viswasam. Unlike the Karthik Subbaraj's movie, the cop drama will have a free run in Tamil Nadu in its first week, which virtually guarantees good collections.

The potentially unfavourable buzz might, however, take a toll on Darbar in the Telugu states, where it is set to face stiff competition from Mahesh Babu's Sarileru Neekevvaru and Allu Arjun starrer Ala Vaikunthapurramloo. This is also likely to affect the biggie in the Hindi belt as dubbed movies normally need a positive WOM to rake in the moolah 'up North'.

Either way, the next few days are crucial for Rajinikanth loyalists.

Meanwhile, the 2.0 hero has already turned his attention to the eagerly awaited Thalaivar 168, helmed by top director Siruthai Siva. The rural-drama features Meena and Khushboo as the leading ladies.