Anyone who has seen Rajinikanth growing up knows that he is a different beast on-screen compared to his much simpler persona off-screen – a mark of a good actor if there’s one. The star who shows up in real life sans makeup, tailored suits, or wig tends to go all out with his characters. Voluminous hair, sunglasses, cigars and an effortless swagger have become his trademarks through the years for a reason. In 2002, Rajinikanth tried to portray this dichotomy in his personality on-screen, but failed commercially with Baba. The filmmakers who grew up watching him, though, including Nelson Dilipkumar with Jailer 2, have gotten this formula down pat.
