Kabali re-establishes Rajinikanth's brand power

The movie's pre-release business of Rs 206 crore proves the actor is a blue-chip even Warren Buffett would love to have in his portfolio

He's the evergreen blue chip on the Indian cinema stock market. His previous two outings may have been unmitigated disasters at the box office, but his fabulous reputation remains intact.
 
Rajinikanth's latest movie Kabali is a testament to that fact. Any year that has a release of the 'Super Star' is an event year. This time it's no different and the smartphone culture has only heightened the expectations.

 
Private offices in Chennai and Bengaluru declared Friday a holiday so their employees could go see the first day shows, AirAsia India launched special flights for people in Bengaluru who wanted to watch the movie in Chennai where the Rajini craze reaches stratospheric levels.

 
Even corporate have stepped in for a slice of the Rajini pie – Muthoot Fincorp, Emami's 'Fair and Handsome', Cadbury Five Star are among the big brands associated with the movie.

 
Of all the brands that are associated with the movie "Kabali", it is Emami's 'Fair and Handsome' brand for fairness cream that is the most curious.

There have been songs and dialogues in Rajinikanth's movies praising his dark skin. Yet, here is a skin fairness cream that associates itself with Rajinikanth's movie. What’s more, the movie itself has a scene where Radhika Apte's character tells the protagonist that his dark skin is extremely attractive. This is the kind of surrogate endorsement only Rajinikanth can pull off.

Even without factoring in the various brand tie-ups, producer Kalaipuli S Thanu has already raked in a cool Rs 206 crore in pre-release business. Now that's a blue chip even Warren Buffett would love to have in his portfolio.