Why Japan LOVES Rajinikanth? The idol rose to prominence with his 1995 film Muthu, which ran for 23 weeks and grossed $1.6 million, making it the highest-grossing Indian film in Japan.
Superstar Rajinikanth is one of the most bankable stars in Indian cinema. He has entertained audiences with his passionate presentation for decades. Even at 75, his obsession remains unabated.
Fans go into a frenzy every time a Rajinikanth film is released, with enormous hoardings of the actor adorned with garlands and long queues outside cinema venues. But did you know Rajinikanth is also hugely famous in Japan? Yes, you read it correctly. The Japanese are also major admirers of Rajinikanth.
How It Started
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In Japan, Rajinikanth rose to stardom with his 1995 film Muthu, which was released three years later. Muthu, directed by K.S. Ravikumar and produced by Kavithalayaa Productions, was released in Japan as Odori Maharaja (Dancing Maharaja) on 50 screens, according to The Hindu.
Muthu spent 23 weeks in Japanese cinemas and grossed $1.6 million, making it the highest-grossing Indian film in Japan.
In 2006, then-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh mentioned Muthu's amazing reception in his speech to the Japanese parliament.
"I am glad to learn that Odori Maharaja is popular among the young folks here. "Our children were ecstatic to see Odori Asimo, the dancing robot," the prime minister stated.
According to the Hindustan Times, the Japanese MPs applauded when Manmohan Singh mentioned Odori Maharaja during his address.
After Muthu, Rajinikanth's Darbar was a huge hit in Japan. According to a Hindu Business Line article, it grossed more than 230 million Yen in ticket sales. In Japan, the film is titled Dalbar Revenge and was released in July 2021.
A video has been circulating on social media in which a Japanese couple describes how they went from Osaka to India, especially to witness Jailer.
According to Yasuda Hidetoshi, the leader of Rajinikanth's fan club in Japan, "To see the Jailer movie, we have come from Japan to Chennai."
Not only that, but the Ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshi Suzuki, was spotted dancing to the catchy song "Kaavaalaa" from the film Jailer, which stars Tamannaah Bhatia and Rajinikanth.
