Jailer: Rajinikanth asked Malayalam superstar to turn down negative role in Nelson film

Rajinikanth starrer Jailer is currently running successfully in the theatres. It has grossed Rs 351.92 crore worldwide. Given the  current trend and the Independence Day holiday, it is likely to breach the Rs 400 crore mark on Tuesday. Along with the lead actor, the supporting cast is also receiving praise for their performances in Jailer.  The antagonist Vinayakan, in particular, has garnered attention with his work. However, the actor wasn’t the first choice of the makers to play this role. Another prominent Malayalam star was supposed to face off against Rajinikanth in the movie. 

3 things you need to know 

• Jailer is directed by Beast famed Nelson Dilipkumar. 
• The film debuted in theatres on August 10. 
• Vinayakan played the role of Varman, the main antagonist in the film. 

Who was the first choice to play Varman? 

In an interview with a Tamil YouTube channel, Rajinikanth's reel son Vasanth Ravi, said that Superstar had informed him that Mammootty would be playing Varman. 

"Mammootty Sir was first decided as the antagonist. It was Rajini sir who said this on location. However, Rajini sir said that he felt bad about giving such a role to Mammootty and felt it was not right. Rajini sir himself then called Mammootty sir over the phone and told him they can do another film together.' said Vasanth Ravi. 

(Mammootty was the first choice to play Varman in Jailer | Image: X)

What is  Jailer about? 

Jailer is the story of a retired cop (Rajinikanth) who enjoys spending time with his family. He is forced to reconnect with his violent side when his son (Vasanth Ravi) disappears under mysterious circumstances with many assuming that he is dead. The action-comedy stars Ramya Krishnan as the leading lady opposite the lead actor. She previously worked with Rajinikanth in Padayappa (1999). The cast also includes Tamannaah Bhatia, Shiva Rajkumar, Mohanlal, and Sunil in key roles. 

Jailer received a U/A certificate from the CBFC and has a runtime of 2 hours, 49-minutes. Production house Sun Pictures teamed up with the popular banner Ayngaran International, for the overseas distribution and release of this much-hyped Nelson film.