Cast: Rajinikanth, Nagarjuna, Upendra, Aamir Khan, Soubin Shahir, Satyaraj, Shruti Haasan
Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj
Music: Anirudh Ravichander
Genre: Action, Drama
Release Date: 14th August 2025
Runtime: 2hr 49mins
Super Star Rajinikanth returns to the big screen this time joining hands with director Lokesh Kanagaraj. The film brings together a massive cast that includes King Nagarjuna, Upendra, Aamir Khan, Soubin Shahir, Satyaraj and Shruti Haasan. With music by Anirudh Ravichander, the hype around the movie has reached the sky. Let us take a closer look at what is in store for the audience.
Story
Simon (Nagarjuna) takes the Visakhapatnam port on a 99 year lease and runs his operations under the name King Pin Logistics. Behind this name he is involved in smuggling gold and luxury watches. Working for him is Dayal (Soubin Shahir). In this backdrop Rajasekhar (Satyaraj) who works for Simon dies unexpectedly. Deva (Rajinikanth) who is a close friend of Rajasekhar suspects that it is not a natural death and sets out to find the truth. In the process the mystery of who killed Rajasekhar is revealed along with the reasons behind it. The film also unfolds the background of both Rajasekhar and Deva and the real identity of Simon. To know all these details the audience must watch the movie on the big screen.
Performance
Super Star Rajinikanth impresses once again with his strong screen presence. King Nagarjuna as Simon does a great job, especially in the first half, but his role becomes less important in the second half which is a bit disappointing. Soubin Shahir as Dayal is outstanding and brings a lot of life to his character. Shruti Haasan plays Preethi well and fits her role. Satyaraj’s role is short and doesn’t get much to do.
Upendra appears just before the climax, but his character feels wasted as he could have been used better. With so many big names in the cast, expectations were naturally high, but director Lokesh Kanagaraj could not give equal importance to all. Some characters shine while others fade away without making the needed impact. Overall, the film has its moments, but it leaves a feeling that the talent on screen was not fully used.
Technical aspects
Lokesh Kanagaraj’s attempt to bring together a huge star cast is ambitious, but the screenplay does not give enough space for all characters. While a few mass moments work well, the uneven pacing and underutilisation of some stars affect the overall impact
Anirudh Ravichander stands out as the saviour of the film, lifting many otherwise flat scenes with his powerful background score and energetic songs. His work adds intensity to action moments and emotion to key sequences. The action scenes are well executed, stylishly choreographed, and shot with great visual appeal All other departments have done their work well, contributing to the film’s grand look and feel.
Analysis
The film begins on a strong note with the port area and King Pin Logistics being introduced in style. Each key character is established one by one, setting a solid base for the story. The narrative takes a serious turn with the death of Rajasekhar, and from the pre-interval stretch to the interval block, the movie works very well. The interval scene in particular gives fans a strong high and raises expectations for the second half.
However, the second half loses focus as the story seems to wander without clear direction. Even the main hero’s role feels like it drifts around with no strong purpose. A few fight sequences backed by terrific background score, some surprise cameos, and vintage Super Star moments towards the end manage to lift the mood to some extent. Still, the overall experience leaves general audiences unsatisfied, with Lokesh Kanagaraj appearing almost clueless about where to take the story, testing the patience of viewers in the latter half Lokesh Kanagaraj’s writing here feels heavily inspired by his old movies, with certain character types and plot beats being predictable. Some roles even feel like reworked versions of his previous creations, which reduces freshness and makes it easier to guess what’s coming next.
Positives
• Super Star screen presence
• Anirudh’s background score
• Fight scenes
Negatives
• Thin story plot
• No emotional connection
• Unutilised stars
Verdict
Lokesh Kanagaraj sets up the characters well but loses grip in the second half as the story goes nowhere. Action scenes and cameos save it to some extent. Rajini fans will enjoy the interval and vintage moments, but overall it is an average watch.
Rating : 2.25/5
