After '2.0' and 'Petta', Rajini eyeing more hits before political plunge?

Rajinikanth in 2.0 Rajinikanth in '2.0' | Facebook account of '2.0'

It was a day of grand celebrations on Saturday for the fans of Rajinikanth who have been waiting to watch him play Chitti the robot once again in director Shankar Shanmugam's upcoming 2.0. At Chennai's swanky Sathyam Cinemas, the red carpet was rolled out for Chitti. To be released on November 29 worldwide, the build-up to the trailer launch of 2.0 on Saturday has been a grand gala event in Chennai.

Fans of Rajinikanth have pinned high hopes on 2.0, the most expensive Indian film ever made.

Budgeted at Rs 450 crore, 2.0, a sci-fi action adventure is the most 'advanced' Indian film ever made with more than 2,100 VFX shots. 2.0 has brought together Rajinikanth and Bollywood star Akshay Kumar for the first time.

The teaser of 2.0 released a few months ago, creating huge hype. Now the 2.0 trailer release has set Rajinikanth fans on fire. For Rajinikanth fans who have been expecting their hero to launch his political career soon, this mega movie has raised their expectations. With Rajinikanth's last film, Kaala, failing to make a mark in the box office, the expectations for 2.0 have gone up among his fans. The trailer release has excited fans of Rajinikanth.

2.0 will be releasing in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi on November 29 worldwide and is expected to take a mega opening. Rajinikanth has pinned his hopes on 2.0, more than his fans.

In fact, for the first time in the last two decades, there will be two big-budget films of Rajinikanth hitting the screens in a gap of 50 days. While 2.0 releases on November 29, Rajinikanth's next release will be Petta, which will hit the screens on January 10, 2019.

It seems the two films and their box office performance will set the road for Rajinikanth's next political action. Produced by Sun Pictures, sources say Petta will have more of a political colour in the script.

Now under post-production, Petta is a multi-starrer with big names in the industry like Vijay Sethupathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sasikumar, Bobby Simhaa, Trisha and Simran. Petta is anticipated to make it big in the box office after 2.0.

Sources say, after the success of these two films, Rajinikanth will continue to have an active career in films unlike his colleagues in the industry who took up politics. Apart from 2.0 and Petta, sources say Rajinikanth has plans to sign a movie with director A.R. Murugadoss, which might go to floors after the release of Petta.

The talk in Kollywood is that movie that will be directed by Murugadoss will have Rajinikanth playing a larger-than-life hero and that the story could be a vintage 'MGR film'. The film will also have a message that seems like the old MGR films.

With Rajinikanth aiming high in his political career, and having promised “MGR rule”, such a script in the film directed by Murugadoss is expected to help him prepare for a perfect political launch.

While it has been almost a year since Rajinikanth made public his idea of getting into politics, it seems he will weigh the pros and cons and take the active plunge only after a few more hits on the silver screen.

Thus, it remains a 'wait and watch' situation for Rajinikanth fans who eagerly await his political plunge.