Vidya Balan, who joins Rajinikanth in ‘Jailer 2’, expected the superstar’s arrival on the sets to be nothing short of grand, befitting his larger-than-life image. Instead, he walked in quietly as she chatted with the director and other crew members, leaving her pleasantly surprised by his understated presence.
Speaking to ‘Variety India’, Vidya recalled the moment with surprise and admiration. She was already on set, talking to director Nelson Dilipkumar, the cinematographer and some assistant directors, when she noticed someone approaching from a distance.
“I was already on set, chatting with the director and the DOP and some of the assistants. We were all standing in a circle, just chatting and laughing. Someone began to walk towards us from a distance,” she said. “I expected that his entry, you know, there would be trumpets at his entry. But he just walked in silently.”
Balan said the understated first meeting was consistent with her experience of working with Rajinikanth throughout production. “There is so much to learn and appreciate and imbibe. There is no ‘shosha’,” she said, using the Hindi word for pretension or showiness. “And look at how he just presents himself as he is. I think that’s why audiences love him so much, because he’s so authentic.”
She also recalled a moment from the first or second day of their interaction that immediately put her at ease. Rajinikanth told her that he watched her social media reels and found them funny. “I remember he told me about my reels on, I think, the first or second day that I met him. He said, ‘I keep watching your videos and they’re so funny’. And I immediately got put at ease, right?” she said.
Vidya Balan was asked whether sharing the screen with an actor of Rajinikanth’s stature brought pressure. She acknowledged the significance of the opportunity but said his manner made her feel comfortable before she could even register any such pressure.