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A full house screamed throughout last night’s Times Square premiere of “Jailer,” a grisly and comedic action Indian thriller starring Rajinikanth, the marquee-topping, Tamil-speaking septuagenarian and self-advertised “Super Star.” Or at least, everybody alive in that auditorium seemed to be cheering for Rajinikanth.

Rajinikanth (“Robot,” “Kaala”) is now 72 years old. His “Jailer” character, a retired cop and prison warden named Muthu “ Tiger ” Pandian, has a sassy young grandson and a knack for murdering villains. Beheadings and fatal stabbings are a Muthu specialty. He also has a vast network of shady old friends, played by a deep bench of Indian character actors and fellow leading men, who help Muthu kill the bad men who threaten his family.

In “Jailer,” the bad men are led by Varman (Vinayakan), a manic crime boss who kidnaps Muthu’s adult son Arjun ( Vasanth Ravi ), also a cop, and threatens to behead Arjun’s grandson Rithvik (Rithvik Jothi Raj), an aspiring YouTube star, while Rithvik and Muthu get ice cream. Varman’s men taunt Muthu by doing a grotesque dance of joy in the street. He retaliates by hacking at some of them with a gigantic blade: “After a point I don’t talk, I slash.” If you come to “Jailer” for anything but Rajinikinath, you will probably leave disappointed.

“Jailer” simultaneously is and isn’t a typical Rajinikanth vehicle. It’s more self-conscious and more committed than some of his other recent vehicles, as far as reconciling the tonal whiplash banked into the Indian cinema’s kitchen sink, mass-audience-minded masala style. The makers of “Jailer” toggle between emotional registers with confidence and alarming frequency, like whenever Muthu helps Rithvik film a gardening program for his YouTube channel, and then resumes his bloody feud with Varman. In a musical montage that only makes sense after a long-delayed plot twist, Muthu and Rithvik bask in each other’s company while an acoustic guitar plays and a singer paints a sunny picture of a man who, in Rithvik, also sees “my leader ... my son.” Meanwhile, Arjun tortures one of Varman’s men, and also orders a fellow cop to not give water to his blood-soaked victim. The acoustic guitarist never takes a break.

The persistent extremity of Varman’s character-defining violence also gives old man Rajinikanth a mandate to be merciless. It’s sometimes even touching to see him match Varman since, as our antihero’s theme song boasts, “He will make your next generation dance to his tunes.” Rajinikanth is perhaps unusual when compared to, say, a Sylvester Stallone or a Steven Seagal , in that he still attracts the sort of young idolatrous filmmakers who all seem obsessed with making the now biologically mature star look eternally iconic. A friend who saw “Jailer” in Los Angeles last night joked about how many times Rajinikanth enters a new room with dramatic flair. In Times Square, each new slow-motion turn to the camera was met with screams. So were Rajinikanth’s lusty action scenes, especially when he finally notices Varman’s barrels of sulphuric acid.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if director Nelson Dilipkumar knows what he’s doing, either with his star or this movie’s volatile mix of tones and styles. “Beast,” Dilipkumar’s loopy third-generation “ Die Hard ” clone, gives some helpful context since “Beast” pits the relatively young four-quadrant star Vijay against a shopping mall full of terrorists, one of whom he also beheads. In “Jailer,” Muthu is an older man with a legacy to consider. On-screen, Rajinikanth occasionally bumps his head against his emotional range’s low ceiling, like when Muthu cries about Arjun’s fate. In this scene, Rajinikanth leans as hard into his angles as he does whenever Muthu loses it and cackles like a lunatic with a secret.

Before an “INTERMISSION” intertitle flashed across the screen—they never pause for intermission at the AMC Empire 25—Muthu tells us that now that he’s got nothing to lose, he can stop juggling three different faces and just wear one. He says this to his family members after he warns them to stay perfectly still, so that he and his action-pose-ready friends can pick off some more bad men. After the “INTERMISSION” title, there’s an extensive new subplot involving an extra-marital affair, a bad toupee, the comedian Sunil, and the starlet Tamannaah Bhatia . Everybody acts as a version of themselves in “Jailer,” but only Rajinikanth’s performance pulls everything together by sheer willpower.

Rajinikanth is 72 years old, so it’s weirdly moving to see that, every two or three years, he can still crank out a freewheeling star vehicle as vigorous and exhausting as “Jailer.” Just outside Theater 25, I overheard a 40-something-year-old man ask an older companion what he thought about “Jailer.” I couldn’t make out the older fellow’s response, but his chuckle and little shake of the head suggested that he was still enjoying Rajinikanth’s eternal summer.

In theaters now.      

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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Film credits.

Jailer (2023)

170 minutes

Rajinikanth as Tiger Muthuvel Pandian

Shivaraj Kumar as Ravana

Jackie Shroff

Sunil Varma

Ramya Krishnan

Tamannaah Bhatia

Vasanth Ravi

Nagendra Babu

• Nelson Dilipkumar
• Arunraja Kamaraj

Director of Photography

• Vijay Kartik Kannan

Playback Singer

• Anirudh Ravichander
• Rajinikanth

Original Music Composer

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Jailer (I) (2023)

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‘Jailer’ Review: Rajinikanth returns to supreme form in Nelson Dilipkumar's film

Director nelson dilipkumar’s ‘jailer’, starring rajinikanth, vinayakan and vasanth ravi, is a proper paisa-vasool commercial entertainer. with solid performances and good camera work, ‘jailer’ is strictly a theatre watch, says our review..

Listen to Story

• 'Jailer' released in theatres on August 10.
• The film is helmed by Nelson Dilipkumar.
• Jackie Shroff, Mohanlal and Shiva Rajkumar play cameo roles in the film.

Release Date: 10 Aug, 2023

Rajinikanth is truly back and how! Whenever Thalaivar scores a hit, it almost feels personal. After ‘Annatthe’, which received unfavourable reviews, it has been quite a while since Rajinikanth delivered a solid entertainer. And for Nelson Dilipkumar, who is coming back from Thalapathy Vijay’s ‘Beast’, getting ‘Jailer’ right was much-needed. And he did a great job!

‘Jailer’ opens with a group of people involved in idol smuggling, with its main leader as Varma (Vinayakan). Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) is an honest police officer who wants to track the idol smuggling network and bust them. However, Arjun gets kidnapped by Varma, and everyone in the police department fears that he is dead. His father, Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth), an ex-police officer himself, is distraught.

Muthuvel Pandian is a doting father as well and now wants to take revenge. He goes on a killing spree, which leads him to Varma. But that’s not the end. Varma gives Muthuvel a daunting task as well. And Muthuvel agrees to it on one condition. The whys, whats, and hows are explored in nearly three hours.

Director Nelson Dilipkumar is known for his impeccable comedy timing, and he incorporates dark comedy in all his films. ‘Jailer’ is no different. In fact, Rajinikanth gets a subdued introduction as a retired man taking care of the household chores. He helps his grandson with his YouTube channel, buys vegetables for the house, and has absolute fun. It is great to see Thalaivar do mundane stuff as opposed to the stylish antics we’d always see. But Nelson has struck a balance in tapping into both sides of Rajinikanth, which is essentially why ‘Jailer’ works.

It is Rajinikanth who does all the heavy lifting in ‘Jailer’. The story of ‘Jailer’ has shades of Kamal Haasan’s ‘Vikram’. The two films are about a father going to any lengths for their sons, even if it means taking on a criminal gang. While ‘Vikram’ sticks to its genre righteously, ‘Jailer’ is a commercial actioner, with the right doses of action. The initial portions of Jailer have Rajinikanth attempting black comedy. While the comedy works in some parts, it also falls flat in many places. The film takes its sweet time to get into the main conflict. But Rajinikanth makes up for his subdued performance whenever the film lags.

‘Jailer’ is a film that celebrates the film industry at its core. We have Shiva Rajkumar, Jackie Shroff, and Mohanlal with their explosive cameos setting the screen on fire. And seeing these greats share screen space with Rajinikanth offers several whistle-worthy moments. The film also has many callback moments to Rajinikanth's superhit movies like 'Baasha' and 'Enthiran', among others, which add a nice touch of nostalgia.

The interval sequence, which shows Rajinikanth's epic transformation, is a total banger! It is one of those sequences that brings forth the best of everyone. And when Anirudh's 'Hukum' plays, you are sold!

‘Jailer’ also has its own shortcomings. While the story is extremely predictable, there are places where you’d begin to question how Rajinikanth has people all over the country to chip in and help him. The flashback to his early days as a police officer looks unconvincing. Several murders take place, but there are no repercussions. The story begins in Arakonam and travels to Kavali, Bangaluru and several other cities in India. And sometimes, we feel that ‘Jailer’ is incohesive.

‘Jailer’ is Rajinikanth’s return to form. Even at 72, his charisma and style make you scream in theatres. After Rajinikanth, it is Vinayakan, who has stolen the show completely. His piercing gaze and deadly wrongdoings make him a worthy villain for Rajinikanth. Vasanth Ravi, too, has a meaty role in the film.

While the performance of Rajinikanth is an asset to ‘Jailer’, it is also Anirudh Ravichander, who acts as a solid pillar of support for the film. His thumping background score will make you enjoy Rajinikanth’s swag. Whenever the ‘Hukum’ song plays on screen, the theatre erupts in joy.

Cinematographer Vijay Kartik Kannan’s frames are grand and offer visual extravaganza. Editing by R Nirmal complements the film's mood as well. Ramya Krishnan, Sunil, Tamannaah, Yogi Babu and several others appear in short-lived roles.

‘Jailer’ is a film that celebrates Rajinikanth for what he is. There are sparks of Nelson’s intelligence in ‘Jailer’ which makes it quite enjoyable.

Jailer Movie Review: Superstar Rajinikanth Carries Nelson's Film On His Shoulders

Written By : Sonil Dedhia

Edited By: Shrishti Negi

Last Updated: August 10, 2023, 12:02 IST

Mumbai, India

• 10 August 2023 | Tamil
• 2 hrs 48 mins | Action, Comedy, Crime
• Starring: Rajinikanth, Shiva Rajkumar, Ramya Krishnan, Mohanlal, Mirnaa Menon
• Director: Nelson Dilipkumar
• Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Jailer Review: Rajinikanth film promises loads of action and fun-filled moments that any ardent fan of the Thalaivar could ask for.

Superstar, Thalaivar or Rajini – these are a few names that make millions of hearts pound by mere utterance! After dominating the industry for five decades and doing more than 80 films, the superstardom of actor Rajinikanth remains unfazed. The actor returns to the big screen to regale his fans with Jailer which is helmed by filmmaker Nelson and features cameos of the biggest superstars from the Indian film industry.

So, does Rajinikanth deliver with Jailer? The answer is blowing in the wind as the Thalaivar huffs and puffs and mows down all opposition to his overpowering altruism. He is larger-than-life-and his introductory sequence is a thesis on on-screen heroism and yet determined to be in sync with a more real persona than he routinely plays. Unsure of how Rajini’s fans would react to a completely made-over mega-star, director Nelson finds a middle ground in narration. Jailer is sometimes gritty, often giddy.

Rajinikanth’s charisma is intact and on full display in virtually every frame of the film. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else in this potboiler to stir up a soup that isn’t entirely dependent on the lead actor to give it the gravitas that could make up for its obvious lack of substance. Jailer is directly aimed at Rajinikanth fans, yet it doesn’t accomplish much to breathe new life into a masala film.

Tiger Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth), who was a jailer, lives his retirement life happily with his wife (Ramya Krishnan), son Arjun (Vasanth Ravi), grandson, and daughter-in-law (Mirnaa Menon). He spends his time helping his grandson run a YouTube channel. Muthuvel’s son Arjun is an honest cop. While tracking a high-profile case, he goes missing and Muthuvel discovers he was killed by a notorious gang. But, there is more than what meets the eye. To find out the truth behind the matter, Muthuvel decides to take matters into his own hands and find out the truth.

The film is marred by poor screenplay and weak writing. The plot is predictable and has nothing novel to offer. The first half is decent and the pre-interval sequences set the expectation high for the second half.

But make no mistake. Jailer is a Rajinikanth vehicle fuelled by his invincible image as the man of the masses. Dressed in crisp linen shirts and trousers we see him striding arrogantly in his cool new avatar. He is great, flashing that smile from behind his salt and pepper look, and enjoying being (relatively) more restrained here. His recent releases, Kaala and Annaatthe gave us a glimpse of the actor in subtler, more delicately written parts and he continues it with Jailer. But mind you, the actor is still a victim and stays trapped in his on-screen image. From the moment he enters the plot, he takes over the proceedings, making everyone else seem hopelessly redundant. In Jailer, he alternates between crowd-pulling gimmicks and a more subdued avatar. The mix is exciting if somewhat unsettling for his diehard devotees.

We also have some interesting cameos from Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, Kannada star Shiva Rajkumar and Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff who do not have much to do apart from adding the star value. The same goes for Yogi Babu and Sunil who are present only to add some comic relief in the film. Vinayakan who plays the main antagonist in the film is menacing and plays his part well.

Jailer promises loads of action and fun-filled moments that any ardent fan of the Superstar could ask for. Everything that Rajini does in Jailer is targeted at his fans. While the star does not miss a trick, director Nelson makes the mistake of not working enough on the screenplay. Working with a weak plot riddled with holes and convenient twists that one can see from miles away. The film is mediocre. Thalaivar isn’t!

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Jailer movie review and release LIVE UPDATES: Rajinikanth-Nelson Dilipkumar’s film opens to positive reviews

Jailer movie release live updates: helmed by nelson dilipkumar and bankrolled by kalanithi maran under the sun pictures banner, rajinikanth's jailer has already achieved an impressive pre-booking total in india..

Rajinikanth’s Jailer Movie Release and Review Live Updates:   “Thalaivar” Rajinikanth , much to the delight of his hardcore fans, has returned to the big screen with Jailer . The film has hit a mammoth 900 theatres across Tamil Nadu. Helmed by Nelson Dilipkumar and bankrolled by Kalanithi Maran under the Sun Pictures banner, Jailer stars Mohanlal, Jackie Shroff, Ramya Krishnan, Tamannaah Bhatia, Vinayakan and Yogi Babu in pivotal roles, alongside Rajini. Its songs have been composed by Anirudh Ravichander.

Jailer has already achieved an impressive pre-booking total of Rs 14.18 crore in India, as reported by industry tracker Sacnilk. The Tamil version of the film has generated Rs 12.82 crore in revenue from the sale of 5,91,221 tickets, while its Telugu variant accumulated Rs 1.35 crore in advance bookings through the sale of 77,554 tickets, taking the grand total of tickets that flew off the shelf to 6,68,775. A few days ago, the Tamil Nadu Film Exhibitors’ Association had sent a note to all theatres in the state, urging them to release the film in all cinema halls.

Jailer marks Rajinikanth ‘s return to the silver screen after a gap of two years. The actioner also marks Rajinikanth’s first collaboration with director Nelson Dilipkumar, known for helming films such as Kolamaavu Kokila, Doctor and Beast.

Meanwhile, the excitement surrounding the movie reached an all-time high when offices in Chennai and Bengaluru, according to Economic Times, announced a holiday for its employees on Jailer’s release day, August 10. “Other actors release their movies during Holidays. Rajinikanth releases a movie and it becomes a holiday,” Joy, a netizen rightly noted while sharing this news.

Follow the latest updates about Rajinikanth starrer Jailer.

Director #Vijay son 3 year old #Dhruvvaa after watching #Jailer #Rajinism forever ? #ThalaivarNirandharam #Rajinified @rajinikanth @Nelsondilpkumar @sunpictures @anirudhofficial @iamvasanthravi pic.twitter.com/sraBzW5hW3 — SS Music (@SSMusicTweet) August 10, 2023

Director-writer Rathna Kumar shared on Twitter, "#JAILER. Refreshing to see Thalaivar @rajinikanth sir Swag especially in INTERVAL & CLIMAX?. Whatte performer he is?. His walk & the way he plays with Cigar itself is enough for the Ticket price ??. Congrats @Nelsondilpkumar bro. It's not easy to be you ??. Amazing Cinematography @KVijayKartik. Lensing, Framing, Colors, Staging everything is world class. You made your Idol look like one?. Sethukki Irukka ??. And @anirudhofficial bro. Yet another Anirudhra Thaandavam ????. Congrats Team ??."

Raghava Lawrence wrote on Twitter, "#Jailer Blockbuster Hit!! I felt Goosebumps theater moments after Baasha. Thailavar verithanam @rajinikanth ?Thalaivar nerandharam! Thanks to @Nelsondilpkumar Sir, Kalanithi Maran Sir @sunpictures and @anirudhofficial Sir! My wishes to the whole team ? Thank you @rajinikanth sir ??????."

Director Arunraja Kamaraj tweeted, "A superstar Treat  ?????????????????????? thank u all for pouring all the love Towards #Jailer ???????????? @Nelsondilpkumar @anirudhofficial @sunpictures."

"Thalaivaru Nirandharamm ?? #Superstar charisma and style ?? @rajinikanth sirrrrrrrrrr ? Ur an emotion for every Fan Boy ?? #Jailer ? congrats @Nelsondilpkumar bro and @anirudhofficial brotherrrr what a cracker from you ? ?," Shanthanu Bhagyaraj said via Twitter.

Ashok Selvan, who was last seen in Por Thozhil, posted on Twitter, "#Jailer - Thalaivar-u Nirantharam ?? Enjoyed the film. My ?? to @Nelsondilpkumar na @anirudhofficial @iamvasanthravi @KVijayKartik and the whole team. #Superstar @rajinikanth ??."

Talking to ANI, Yasuda, a Japanese fan of Rajinikanth, said, “We as a couple have come from Japan to Chennai to watch Rajinikanth’s ‘Jailer’ film first-day first show. We were excited to watch our thalaiva film. We have watched it and loved it.”

DD Neelakandan shared on Twitter, "Mind blowing #Jailer. Mass scene onnu onnum saavadi peiyadi, Thalaivar whatttttaaaa performer, every close up la acting pinitaru. All the way THALAIVAR PADAM. @anirudhofficial has given his BESTTTT, technicians top notch, dop, editor, stylist ?, Vinayakan veriii LAL ettan n Shivanaaa masss oh masss. Screamed our lungs out, be ready #THALAIVAR fans. Thank you @rajinikanth sir for this ??. Lastly Director @Nelsondilpkumar aceddd ????? #ThalaivaruNirantharam." 

Karthik Subbaraj tweeted, "#Jailer Speechless...... Goosebumps ...... Thalaivaaaa ??? on fire in every frame..@Nelsondilpkumar extraordinary writing & Loved the Humour all thro ?? @anirudhofficial Special blast ?? @sunpictures cast n crew...Hat's off for Theri Massss Thalaivar Padam ????."

#Jailer in cinemas near you! pic.twitter.com/NozDe2Q1D6 — Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) August 10, 2023

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has earned praise for his performance in Rajinikanth starrer Jailer.

#Jailer - #RohiniMainScreen Superb first half ?.Except Suneel scenes in the second half ? It's Superstar #Rajinikanth 's one man show? Interval & Climax were Goosebumps ?? Excellent response for #Mohanlal & #Shivarajkumar extended role? Anirudh BGM are backbone ? pic.twitter.com/WB9lKxf17R — K L Nnarayana (@K_L_Nnarayana) August 10, 2023

Sharing a clip from a theater, a fan posted, " #Jailer -#RohiniMainScreen Superb first half ?.Except Suneel scenes in the second half ? It's Superstar #Rajinikanth's one man show?Interval & Climax were Goosebumps ??Excellent response for #Mohanlal & #Shivarajkumar extended role?Anirudh BGM are backbone ?."

AB George shared via Twitter, "#Jailer special shows charting all over #Kerala ?? Thursday, working day ?? 5+ crores gross collection is expected today... First, second & 3rd show bookings ?? MASSIVE RECEPTION ??."

Rajinikanth and Nelson Dilipkumar rediscover the alchemy of a good masala film. Jailer is Rajinikanth and Nelson's version of Kamal Haasan's Vikram, but with a delectable twist. Saying that doesn't take away anything from this fun-filled entertainer.

READ FULL JAILER REVIEW HERE

Dhivya Dharshini tweeted, "Mind blowing #Jailer Mass scene onnu onnum saavadi peiyadi, Thalaivar whatttttaaaa performer, every close up la acting pinitaru. All the way THALAIVAR PADAM @anirudhofficial has given his BESTTTT, technicians top notch, dop, editor, stylist ?,Vinayakan veriii LAL ettan n Shivanaaa masss oh masss. Screamed our lungs out, be ready #THALAIVAR fans Thank you @rajinikanth sir for this ?? Lastly Director @Nelsondilpkumar aceddd ????? #ThalaivaruNirantharam."

#Rajinikanth #Jailer #Rajinified pic.twitter.com/2Be9PbPMdg — abhilash gajendran (@abhigajendran) August 10, 2023

In a clip share online, Rajinikanth fans can be seen happily dancing as Jailer is screened.

Sreedhar Pillai shared a long tweet that read, "#Jailer Review : Paisa Vasool #Thalaivar walks in 15 minutes into the film as Tiger Muthuvel Pandian and just takes over, oozing with charisma & style.  Interval block transformation & climax scene he excels. After a long time in a @rajinikanth film the villain character is very strong & #Vinayakan is deadly & devastating. @iamvasanthravi in the son’s role does a neat job. @mohanlal, #Shivarajkumar & #JackieShroff makes courtesy cameo appearances. @Nelsondilpkumar packages it without tinkering with the superstar’s template image & Rajini references . The family scenes buying veggies, running a YouTube channel with his grandson is fun. But flashback scenes are predictable,there is some lag in 2nd half, comedy falls flat and violence is a bit too much. @anirudhofficial is the heart beat of #Jailer, his bgm is in sync with the superstar swag and #Hukum is addictive! On the whole  #Jailer is an out and out #Rajinikanth mass entertainer! My Rating: 3.25/5."

Picture speaks ??? That’s the review blockbuster written all over . could see max positives reviews ???? Still sinking in Interval Post interval Pre - climax Climax Paisa vasool for these 4 scenes itself ?? Jeichita Nelsa @Nelsondilpkumar ????? #Jailer |… pic.twitter.com/b3ae9ltple — Suresh Balaji (@surbalu) August 10, 2023

A Rajinikanth fan @surbalu tweeted, "Picture speaks ??? That’s the review blockbuster written all over.  could see max positives reviews ???? Still sinking in  Interval  Post interval  Pre - climax  Climax  Paisa vasool for these 4 scenes itself ?? Jeichita Nelsa @Nelsondilpkumar ?????#Jailer | #JailerFDFS | #JailerBlockbuster | #JailerReview."

#Jailer - #Tamannaah has totally rocked with her Kaavaalaa performance?? Wish there could be more space or a scene to showcase her performance in the movie!! pic.twitter.com/iXRGkHbob6 — AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) August 10, 2023

Tamannaah Bhatia did a special song 'Kaavaalaa' in the film Jailer.  @CinemaWithAB tweeted, " Jailer - #Tamannaah has totally rocked with her Kaavaalaa performance?? Wish there could be more space or a scene to showcase her performance in the movie!!"

#JAILER . Refreshing to see Thalaivar @rajinikanth sir Swag especially in INTERVAL & CLIMAX?. Whatte performer he is?. His walk & the way he plays with Cigar itself is enough for the Ticket price ??. Congrats @Nelsondilpkumar bro. It's not easy to be you ??. Amazing… pic.twitter.com/SPLRkHu9BU — Rathna kumar (@MrRathna) August 10, 2023

Writer, director Rathna Kumar tweeted, " #JAILER. Refreshing to see Thalaivar @rajinikanth sir Swag especially in INTERVAL & CLIMAX?. Whatte performer he is?. His walk & the way he plays with Cigar itself is enough for the Ticket price ??. Congrats @Nelsondilpkumar bro. It's not easy to be you ??. Amazing Cinematography @KVijayKartik. Lensing, Framing, Colors, Staging everything is world class. You made your Idol look like one?. Sethukki Irukka ??. And @anirudhofficial bro. Yet another Anirudhra Thaandavam ????. Congrats Team ??."

Jailer's music director Anirudh Ravichander tweeted, "Thalaivar Nirandharam ??? Nelsaaa ???."

#Jailer - Though #Mohanlal and #Shivarajkumar have less space, their character was well driven ? - Had equal mass opening shots like superstar #Rajinikanth ? - One mass scene? - Climax was a blaster ??‍? pic.twitter.com/gL7xIhK1Ed — AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) August 10, 2023

@CinemaWithAB tweeted, "#Jailer - Though #Mohanlal and #Shivarajkumar have less space, their character was well driven ?- Had equal mass opening shots like superstar #Rajinikanth? - One mass scene? - Climax was a blaster ??‍?."

Karthik Subbaraj tweeted, "#Jailer Speechless...... Goosebumps ...... Thalaivaaaa ??? on fire in every frame.. @Nelsondilpkumar extraordinary writing & Loved the Humour all thro ?? @anirudhofficial Special blast ?? @sunpictures cast n crew...Hat's off for Theri Massss Thalaivar Padam ??????."

It looks like Rajinikanth's Jailer will be the biggest Tamil opener of the year. The film is on its way to making Rs 49 crore in India on opening day. READ MORE

Despite today being a Thursday, Rajinikanth's film Jailer reported a  71.41% occupancy on Tamil screens in the morning shows. Mostly films see 15-25% occupancy.

A Twitter user @aishkalpathi posted, "#Jailer was just tooooo good. Such a treat to watch #Superstar in this Avatar!! Hats off @Nelsondilpkumar ???? Happy #Thalaivar Day indeeed ???? already can’t wait to watch again!! Don’t miss in theaters ??."

Rajinikanth-starrer Jailer is likely to earn around Rs 42 crore in India on its first day for all languages with Tamil Nadu accounting for Rs 25 crore, Karnataka for Rs 11 crore, Kerala for Rs 4 crore, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for Rs 7 crore and the rest of India for Rs 2 crore, as per industry tracker Sacnilk.

#Jailer - Winner? [ #ABRatings - 3.75/5] Superb first half & Above average second half? Few Lags in the second half !! It's Superstar #Rajinikanth 's one man show? Interval & Climax were Goosebumps ?? Excellent response for #Mohanlal & #Shivarajkumar extended role? Anirudh… pic.twitter.com/N7TeEqYJE7 — AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) August 10, 2023

@CinemaWithAB tweeted, "Jailer - Winner? [#ABRatings - 3.75/5] Superb first half & Above average second half? Few Lags in the second half !! It's Superstar #Rajinikanth's one man show? Interval & Climax were Goosebumps ?? Excellent response for #Mohanlal & #Shivarajkumar extended role? Anirudh BGM & Songs are backbone ? Nelson has bounced back stronger this time ??."

A user @idlebrainjeevi tweeted, "#Jailer final report: It has blockbuster written all over it. 2nd half is more into action elements (first half is evenly divided in action, family and entertainment). Violence is little excessive. Interval action scene and climax action sequences standout (major contribution from Anirudh). A major blockbuster for the superstar Rajini after Robo and 2.0. An absolute treat for the fans! #JailerReview."

Mohanlal took to Twitter to post his look from Rajinikanth starrer Jailer and wrote, "#Jailer in cinemas near you!."

The premiere collection of Jailer in USA is expected to touch the $1 million mark.

The bookings for the Rajinikanth-starrer Jailer in the USA have been fantastic. With an immense response in the USA, Jailer has earned around $750K to become the number 1 Indian film in the territory for 2023.

VIDEO | Fans shower flower petals on the posters of Rajnikanth-starrer ‘Jailer’ in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, which is releasing today. pic.twitter.com/IeDoNh74Yn — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 10, 2023

Rajnikanth fans in Chennai, Tamil Nadu have been celebrating his film Jailer's release as a festival.

#Jailer celebrations in full form worldwide?? #JailerDay @rajinikanth @Nelsondilpkumar @anirudhofficial @Mohanlal @NimmaShivanna @bindasbhidu @tamannaahspeaks @meramyakrishnan @suneeltollywood @iYogiBabu @iamvasanthravi @mirnaaofficial @kvijaykartik @Nirmalcuts @KiranDrk … pic.twitter.com/HknllJ4tRY — Sun Pictures (@sunpictures) August 10, 2023

Sun Pictures compiled some videos to showcase how fans and celebs have welcomed Rajinikanth's film Jailer on the big screen.

#Jailer : ???????? SAILER Well Paced Plot Driven Wholesome Entertainer. || #JailerFDFS | #JailerReview || Superstar #Rajinikanth as Tiger Muthuvel Pandian is Charismatic, Valiant and Indomitable throughout the movie. Huge comeback from Nelson with a gripping story line and… pic.twitter.com/DFBN8034b2 — Manobala Vijayabalan (@ManobalaV) August 10, 2023

Film Industry Tracker Manobala Vijayabalan shared his review for Rajinikanth-starrer Jailer. He tweeted, "#Jailer:  ???????? SAILER Well Paced Plot Driven Wholesome Entertainer."

VIDEO | A Japanese couple has travelled from Osaka to Chennai, Tamil Nadu to watch Rajinikanth's new film 'Jailer'. "To see the Jailer movie, we have come from Japan to Chennai," says Yasuda Hidetoshi, Rajinikanth fan club leader, Japan. pic.twitter.com/04ACrc4Q5c — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 10, 2023

A Japanese couple has travelled from Osaka to Chennai, Tamil Nadu to watch Rajinikanth's film Jailer. Yasuda Hidetoshi, Rajinikanth fan club leader from Japan told PTI, "To see the Jailer movie, we have come from Japan to Chennai."

Don't think this man is added to the film only to make the film grand ? His scenes in the film are very effective ? BGM by #Anirudh & Presentation By #Nelson ? The Complete Actor - #Mohanlal ? Audiences are in for a treat ? #Jailer #JailerReview #JailerFDFS pic.twitter.com/rES5uyC2Pg — Kumar Swayam (@KumarSwayam3) August 10, 2023

A fan @KumarSwayam3 tweeted, "Don't think this man is added to the film only to make the film grand ? His scenes in the film are very effective ? BGM by #Anirudh & Presentation By #Nelson ? The Complete Actor - #Mohanlal ? Audiences are in for a treat ?#Jailer #JailerReview  Jailer FDFS."

? @dhanushkraja Right now in @RohiniSilverScr to watch #Jailer FDFS ? #CaptainMiller pic.twitter.com/iioKLHrwMk — Dhanush Trends ™ (@Dhanush_Trends) August 10, 2023

Photos of actor Dhanush arriving to see Rajinikanth starrer Jailer has been shared online. Dhanush and Rajinikanth's daughter, Aishwarya announced their separation in 2022. They have two songs together.

Rockstar @anirudhofficial literally setting the screens on Fire at @VettriTheatres at #Jailer FDFS? pic.twitter.com/fc556jFPRS — Jeya Suriya (@MSPMovieManiac) August 10, 2023

Fans join Anirudh Ravichander to sing Jailer's song at Chennai's Vettri Theatre. The Rajinikanth-starrer released amid a festival-like fervour.

With man of the moment @anirudhofficial at @VettriTheatres for #JailerFDFS pic.twitter.com/3AZgNEv0Gm — Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) August 10, 2023

Entertainment Industry Tracker Ramesh Bala tweeted, "Entire team #Jailer is here at @VettriTheatres @anirudhofficial @meramyakrishnan @iamvasanthravi @soupersubu and others.."

#JailerFDFS This is Not TN this is #Bangalore ??? Tharamaana Sambhavam ????? #Jailer #JailerFDFS #JailerBlockbuster #Thalaivar #SuperstarRajinikanth pic.twitter.com/msewxQHOXv — ONLINE RAJINI FANS? (@OnlineRajiniFC) August 10, 2023

A clip from a Bengaluru theatre shows fans shouting and cheering at Rajinikanth's introduction scene.

Ungal abimaana thiraiyarangugalil ?? #JailerDay @rajinikanth @Nelsondilpkumar @anirudhofficial @Mohanlal @NimmaShivanna @bindasbhidu @tamannaahspeaks @meramyakrishnan @suneeltollywood @iYogiBabu @iamvasanthravi @mirnaaofficial @kvijaykartik @Nirmalcuts @KiranDrk @StunShiva8 … pic.twitter.com/PYUKuD1h7z — Sun Pictures (@sunpictures) August 10, 2023

Sharing a clip, Sun Pictures posted, "Ungal abimaana thiraiyarangugalil (In your favourite theatres) ?? #JailerDay."

Twitter user @kousik23 shared, "#Jailer is a blast ! Career best for Nelson. He nails the screenplay with exact proportions of Fun, thrill and Thalaivar moments...  It's the best mass film since  Sivaji ..  It's a festival ????? Industry hit!!!!  Thalaivara ah ipadi paathadhu podhum. Life time settlement .. #JailerReview #JailerFDF."

Ramesh Bala took to Twitter to post, "#Jailer 1st Half - Excellent reports from Rest of India FDFS and Overseas Premiere / FDFS.. ?."

#KarthikSubbaraj entry at #Vettri Cinemas for #ThalaivarDharisanam ??‍???‍???‍? #SuperstarRajinikanth #JailerFromToday #JailerFDFS pic.twitter.com/93lk6vIxfY — Sarvajit Krishna Mohan (@SarvajitKM) August 10, 2023

Karthik Subbaraj was seen arriving at a theatre to watch the film. He also tweeted this morning, "#Jailer Day ?? Team #JigarthandaDoubleX wishes for a Sirapaana Tharamaana Blockbuster Success ?? @Nelsondilpkumar @sunpictures @anirudhofficial & whole cast n crew ???? #JailerFDFS #ThalaivarNirandharam."

. @soupersubu surrounded by media & Thalaivar Fans...at @RohiniSilverScr #JailerFDFS pic.twitter.com/0IQCMbLq8Y — Chowdrey (@Chowdrey_) August 10, 2023

Jailer fever has gripped everyone. Lyricist and filmmaker Super Subu was spotted at a theatre.

Pandigaya kondadunga ley…???? #JailerFDFS #Jailer #rohinisilverscreens @RohiniSilverScr @NikileshSurya @imravee @Sathish8151 @Lakshmannnnnn @anirudhofficial @Karthikravivarm pic.twitter.com/mUK2YgNTQp — asifpopz (@asifpopinzz) August 10, 2023

In a clip, a huge crowd of fans can be seen dancing to Jailer's song.

Early reviews of the Rajinikanth-starrer have started to make their way to social media, and his fans are celebrating by making the hashtag 'Jailer FDFS' trend.

Talking about the box office prospects of Jailer, film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi said, "In Tamil Nadu and the Tamil-speaking belt across the country, Jailer is looking like an absolute storm. The kind of advance bookings that you see around the film is unprecedented. It is possibly on its way of becoming one of the highest-opening Tamil films of all time. A huge huge buzz there."

BookMyShow has already sold 900,000 tickets of Jailer with southern states leading the charts. READ MORE.

Ramya Krishnan is playing the wife of Rajinikanth’s Muthuvel Pandian in Jailer, and she assures that people will see the performer in the superstar in the upcoming film. Ramya and Rajini famosuly sparred on screen in Padayappa. READ MORE.

Vasanth Ravi plays the son of Rajinikanth's Muthuvel Pandian in Jailer. Talking about the film, Ravi said, "Jailer has fresh content. Yet, you would have heard the story, but the way it is presented is completely new and going to be surprising. Nelson has tried something that he hasn’t done with his previous films… in terms of the emotional layer, which will be a big surprise." READ MORE.

Rajinikanth heaped praise on Anirudh Ravichander at the audio launch of Jailer. He said, “Ilaiyaraaja is known for setting up a scene brilliantly. He himself will tell you how to do a scene. AR Rahman, on the other hand, is brilliant with instrumentation. I see both of them in Ani (Anirudh Ravichander). What I like about Ani is that he wants the film to win more than his music. His father and mother should be proud of giving this world such a talent."

“He made me do one take 8 to 9 times. It was in front of Ramya Krishnan for one particular expression. Even Ramya got a bit awkward as I was doing it again and again. This Padayappa lost his face in front of Neelambari because of Nelson. He will not let you go unless he gets what he wants,” Rajinikanth said at the audio launch of Jailer.

At the audio launch of Jailer, Rajinikanth said, “On the sets, one day he came and sat near me and asked, ‘Sir, please tell me about your love stories. I have heard about it from a lot of people. But want to get it from you. The story (Jailer) is all set now. Let’s charge ourselves. So please tell me.’ I was like why should I tell him my love story to charge him.”

Rajinikanth starrer Jailer is all set to hit screens worldwide on August 10. 

The showcase video of Jailer that dropped a week ago introduced Rajinikanth’s character ‘Tiger’ Muthuvel Pandian, a simple, soft-spoken guy who has another personality that is hidden from the people around him. Tiger, with a smile on his face, slashes the bad guys with his sword and looks downright scary when it's time for justice to be served.

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Jailer Movie Review: Rajinikanth Film Gets A Thumbs, Internet Believes It Could Run In Theatres For 3 Months

Jailer movie review and release updates: rajinikanth is back on the screens after a brief period and everyone has been going crazy over the movie. with advance bookings being massive, the film has blockbuster written all over it..

Updated Aug 11, 2023, 06:29 IST

Jailer Review, Ratings, and Release LIVE: Follow the latest updates about Rajinikanth and Tamannaah Bhatia starrer Jailer Movie.

Jailer Review Live Updates: Anirudh Ravichander Performs Live In Theatre

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VIDEO | A Japanese couple has travelled from Osaka to Chennai, Tamil Nadu to watch Rajinikanth's new film 'Jailer'. "To see the Jailer movie, we have come from Japan to Chennai," says Yasuda Hidetoshi, Rajinikanth fan club leader, Japan. pic.twitter.com/04ACrc4Q5c — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 10, 2023

Jailer Review Live Updates: Fans Go Gaga Over Mohanlal's Mathew

#NelsonDilipkumar knows how to present a superstar from other industry Complete Actor @Mohanlal As Mathew In #Jailer 🥵🔥 Entry , Climax Pure Thook 🔥🔥 Pakka Treat For #L Fans pic.twitter.com/DkisrC2yju — ʀ๏ 𝚑𝚊 ɴ (@THALA79124739) August 10, 2023

Jailer Release Live Updates: Twitter is all praise for Anirudh

Jailer review lives updates: thalaivar craze in singapore fans welcome him with puja.

Thalaivar fans alapparai in Carnival Cinemas Singapore! Only happens for #SuperstarRajinikanth #Jailer #JailerFDFS #ThalaivarDharisanam pic.twitter.com/Mv6QmiEqm6 — SG Cafe 𝕏 (@_sgcafe) August 10, 2023

Fans Loose Calm As Jailer Hits Screens. Watch Video

No concert can match the crazy vibe of #FansFortRohini #ThalaivarNirandharam #Jailer FDFS pic.twitter.com/f3bJ2rifbG — Rohini SilverScreens (@RohiniSilverScr) August 10, 2023

Jailer Is A TREAT For Thalaiva Rajinikanth Fans!

#Jailer - WINNER 🏆 A Treat for Thalaivar Fans!! — Christopher Kanagaraj (@Chrissuccess) August 10, 2023

Jailer Review Live Updates: 4000 Screens For Thalaivar

Jailer release live updates: offices declare holiday, jailer release live updates: rajinikanth fans celebrating him in canada.

#Jailer celebrations started in Canada 💥💥💥💥 #Rajinikanth #SuperstarRajnikanth #Thalaivar #ThalaivarNirandharam #ThalaivarAlapparai #JailerBookings #JailerTickets #JailerFDFS pic.twitter.com/blm7Xs5Gfm — Achilles (@Searching4ligh1) August 10, 2023

Jailer Release Live Updates: Rajinikanth Craze Takes Over Twitter

Jailer release live updates: vasanth ravi on working in the film, jailer release live updates: jailer showcase.

Jailer Release Live Updates: Rajinikanth On Working With Nelson

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2023 ‘ஜெயிலர்’ Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar

Muthuvel Pandian, a retired, stern yet compassionate jailer lives a peaceful life with his family, but trouble knocks his door when his cop son’s tryst with an antique mafia gang goes awry and forces Muthu to step back into a dark world he had voluntarily took a break from.

Rajinikanth Vinayakan Vasanth Ravi Yogi Babu Ramya Krishnan Mirnaa Rithvik G. Marimuthu Harshad Jaffer Sadiq Sunil Varma Redin Kingsley Mohanlal Shivaraj Kumar Sunil Reddy Tamannaah Bhatia VTV Ganesh Jackie Shroff Saravanan Padam Kumar Karate Karthi Sugunthan Billy Murali Aranthangi Nisha Mahanadhi Shankar Sooraj Pops Dancer Ramesh Haji Mohammad Udhayabanu Mageswaran Show All… Kishore Nagendra Babu Girish Kulkarni Makrand Deshpande Jani Master Ananth Murugan Martin

Director Director

Nelson Dilipkumar

Producer Producer

Kalanithi Maran

Writer Writer

Editor editor, cinematography cinematography.

Vijay Kartik Kannan

Executive Producer Exec. Producer

Raja Sridhar

Production Design Production Design

D.R.K. Kiran

Art Direction Art Direction

Stunts stunts, choreography choreography.

Jani Master

Composer Composer

Anirudh Ravichander

Songs Songs

Subu Arunraja Kamaraj

Sound Sound

G. Suren S Alagia Koothan

Costume Design Costume Design

Pallavi Singh Muthul Hafeez

Makeup Makeup

C. Harinath

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Aalim Hakim

Sun Pictures

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

Hindi Kannada Malayalam Tamil Telugu

Alternative Titles

Thalaivar 169, Rajini The Jailer, 狱卒, Carcereiro, रजनी The जेलर, ജയിലർ, జైలర్, ಜೈಲರ್, Gardiyan, 제일러

Action Thriller Crime Comedy Adventure

Releases by Date

10 aug 2023, releases by country.

• Theatrical UA
• Theatrical 15
• Theatrical NR

165 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by jack ★★★★★ 17

all those late night binge watches of breaking bad and better call saul has finally paid off for my man nelson.

Review by 𝘿𝙤𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙢𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙯 ★★★ 6

This was pretty lame and entertaining at the same time. Story and plot were all over the place. After all it’s a Nelson movie so my expectations were low. I’ve gotta admit Anirudh is the top music composer right now in India. Thalaivareeee 🫡🔥 Still at the age of 73 he’s got the Superstardom to carry an average lame movie and make it a Blockbuster. Rajini is the only true Superstar 🛐 Rajini, Lalettan and Dr. Shivrajkumar smoking with Anirudh Bgm, yeah that’s one of the best theatre experience of this year.

Review by Michael James ★★★★ 31

At age 73, will Rajinikanth be able to pull off the same level of superstardom on and off screen? Jailer just reaffirmed what Ramya Krishnan stated in Padayappa- " Minsaara kanna… Unna yen ellarukkum pudichirukku theriyuma.. Vayasaanaalum, Un style’um azhagum, innum unna vittu pogala "

Paisa vasool commercial entertainer. Nelson does come up with a wacky enough plot line, shuffling between genres with twists n turns, but the lack of a coherent narrative in the latter half, hurts the rhythm and makes the plot points feel a bit jumpy. However when it comes to staging, direction and mass level elevations, he hits bulls eye. Even in a typical narrative, he keeps throwing in fresh exciting ideas with solid visual choreography. He cleverly keeps…

Review by Patrick Willems ★★★ 15

A truly deranged movie

Review by Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine ★★★★ 6

A Passage to India: Dawn of the Wobble

“Superstar” Rajinikanth returns to our marathon with his latest action film that sees him arguably at his most badass. The action is arguably even better than the two films I’ve seen featuring the legendary Indian action star. I definitely didn’t expect it to be this gruesome and bloody. Probably because he doesn’t have as much hand-to-hand combat, but Raji is much more believable and still oozing with such an incredibly magnetic and infectious charm. The scene when Raji slices that bad guy’s head had me fist pumping and shouting “Spaghetti!”. But at the same time, in many ways, it plays like a dark comedy with a lot of pretty good humor; some…

Review by ash ★★★★ 4

Uun Alumba Paatthavan Ungoppan Whistle-a Kaettavan Om Mavanum Paeranum Aattam Poada Veppavan - Ivan

Movie did full justice to the above mentioned lyrics. This is the best Thalaivar movie I've seen after 2010.

Rajini is just electrifying and the charisma he gives out is unparalleled. He is in his top form here. Idk what to say man , petta had goosebumps moments of thailaivar but this only has that kinda scenes throughout.

The story is quite predictable but that is covered up by everyone's performance and the soundtrack by anirudh which was 🔥. But I have to say that there was not a single dull moment or "this could've been avoided" scene in the movie. Cinematography was cool but not…

Review by brutalkangaroo ★★

Whole lotta buildup to whole lotta nothing, and repeat.

The scene where Rajnikanth meets Vinayakan for the first time is the best (and most frustrating) example of said issue. The way the scene builds up with Jackie Shroff's phone call, Rajni's exit from the Xylo, and him walking towards Vinayakan with a hundred goons is straight-up goosebumps material. But there's no satisfying payoff (aka Thalaivar just wilding out maybe) to all that hype because after that the story just moves to the next plot point.

Lalettan out here built like Totoro, and he cute as hell. That "entha mone" gave me enough dopamine to survive the next few days.

(At this point നെൽസൺ കോമഡി ആണെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു എഴുതിത്തള്ളുന്ന കോമാളിത്തരത്തെപ്പറ്റി പറയുന്നതിൽ പ്രസക്തി ഇല്ലാത്തത്കൊണ്ട് പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ഒന്നും പറയാനില്ല)

Review by Dhanush ★★ 11

i think i saw a different movie than everyone else here.

Review by jack ★★★★★ 6

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

cigaratte pudikiradhe cinema

Review by VishalT ★★★½

Enjoyed it as I expected . Of course there are flaws like the writing is all over the place, I couldn't emotionally feel at places anything but when you have a Star like Rajinikanth who with his terrific screen presence covers up all these flaws. Sat and just watched the Man do what he does best. We are all mentalans Grace.

Review by Blair Russell ★★½

Perhaps something got lost in translation...

I hate to do this; besides not viewing enough Indian movies for the at least dozen Letterboxd mutuals from that part of the world, but too often I've selected modern efforts that don't exactly jive with me. It's not easy to track down those movies between various different platforms, they sometimes vanish without warning, then trying to determine what could be to my esoteric tastes... still, I should try to choose better.

The premise sounded promising. The film starred Tamil language legend/superstar Rajinikanth as a former jailer who has a police officer son and an incredibly irritating grandson who loves having a YouTube show with 96 followers. Boy, the “humor” in this “dark comedy”…

Review by chan ★★½ 1

if i was ramya krishnan i’d have simply shot myself in the head instead of listening to grandpa’s mirattal

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Jailer Movie Review

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After a long hiatus of 5 years, the long wait of Superstar Rajinikanth fans comes to an end as his ‘Jailer’ gets released worldwide. The film marks the fourth directorial outing of Nelson (Beast, Doctor and Kolamaavu Kokila). Kannada actor Shivarajkumar and Malayalam icon Mohanlal have made special appearances in the film. The movie has an ensemble star cast comprising Ramya Krishnan, Vasanth Ravi, Jackie Shroff, Yogi Babu, Vinayakan and many others.

The film is about a retired police officer Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth), whose son, a honest police officer (Vasanth Ravi) goes missing after involving in the mission of trapping the miscreants lead by a notorious criminal (Vinayakan) involved in the idol smuggling.

The running length of the film is almost 3 hours, and it’s really been a big question if Nelson would be able to keep the audiences engrossed. The first half moves at the right pace without any hassles. The emotions and silence of Rajinikanth followed by his humorous stroke with Yogi Babu and other characters slightly raises up the momentum. The post-interval sequences does have some slight slow moments, but they are back to the right pace soon. Just when you think why the climax face-off between Superstar and the villain Vinayakan has occurred so soon, we are given a twist and surprise. From there, it might look like slightly stretched, but Nelson’s craftsmanship in ‘Dark Comedy’ keeps us engaged.

Many filmmakers in the name of idolising Rajinikanth have overdone the job, but Nelson has carefully delivered an ‘actual Rajinikanth’ movie. The special appearances of Shivarajkumar and Mohanlal are the greatest highlights in this movie. Malayalam actor Vinakayan is terrific. Very rarely we get to see a powerful villain in the movies of Rajinikanth and this is the one.

Musical score by Anirudh is good, and although the ‘Kaavala’ song has nothing to do with the main plot, we still have the unexpected Rajinikanth humour here as well.

The climax is a treat to all the Rajinikanth, Shivarajkumar and Mohanlal fans.

On the whole, ‘Jailer’ is a wholesome treat for the family audiences and fans. After SP Muthuraman, KS Ravikumar and Karthik Subbaraj, Nelson gives a blueprint for filmmakers, who are going to direct Rajinikanth movies in the future.

Verdict: A perfect entertainer that will engross family crowds and fans together.

User Review

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• Here's the first review of Rajinikanth's 'Jailer'!

Here's the first review of Rajinikanth's 'Jailer'!

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Gulte Telugu news

Jailer Movie Review

Article by Nanda Gopal Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 10:13 am, 10 August 2023

168 minutes   |   Action   |   10 August 2023

Cast - Rajinikanth, Ramya Krishna, Vinayakan, Sunil, Jackie Shroff, Mohanlal and Shiva Rajkumar

Director - Nelson

Producer - Kalanithi Maran

Banner - Sun Pictures

Music - Anirudh Ravichander

Superstar Rajinikanth has been waiting for a solid success. He teams up with Nelson who made Beast with Thalapathy Vijay. The duo’s Jailer garnered good buzz. Rajini’s fans are going gaga over the film. Will Rajini make a comeback and deliver a blockbuster? Let’s check out.

What is it about?

Muthu (Rajinikanth) is a retired man who has no big goals in life, but leads a normal life with a beautiful family. His son Arjun is a sincere police officer dealing with dreaded criminal Varma (Vinayakan). Arjun risks life and fights against Varma and goes missing. Muthu learns about his son Arjun’s death. He shifts to violence path. He takes revenge against his son’s killers and goes against Varma. But things aren’t easy as Varma threatens Muthu’s family. Muthu has a past. What is his flashback? How Muthu takes on Varma and what are the shocks that he gets in between. The rest of the film is how Muthu deals with Varma.

Performances :

Undoubtedly, Rajinikanth excelled in his role. He single-handedly pulled off the film. His style and swag are what entice his fans. Director Nelson made sure there are elevations for Rajini and gave some fan moments. His look and dress are impressive. His old getup is terrific in particular. Even in vintage character, Rajini didn’t miss his swag. It’s a treat to fans to see him in different shades. His dialogues and subtle performance is the strength of the film. Sunil’s sequence is wasteful and irritating. The film has an ensemble cast and significant cameos like Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar, Naga Babu. Jackie Shroff is seen in a decent role. Yogi Babu’s comedy is alright. Some comedy scenes in the first half are engaging. 

Technicalities :

Nelson weaved a very old story and presented it by making some fancy touch ups. He failed as a writer and does a decent job as a director. But that is not enough to steer the film of this magnitude. Anirudh Ravichander shines and rescues the film. The Hukum song is well composed. The background score adds weight to the crucial sequences. Visuals are appealing. Action scenes have been shot well. The scale of the film is large and grand.

Highlights :

Rajinikanth’s Style & Swag Action Scenes & BGM

Drawbacks :

Villain’s Characterisation & Conflict Failed Emotion Dragged Portions in Second Half

Jailer starts well, without wasting time. Rajini makes a simple entry as a family man. The plot of the hero’s son being a sincere guy and facing problems is as age old as hills. How the hero takes control to protect his family and takes revenge is the Jailer’s plotline. This is packaged with a lot of other factors. The packaging is where some worked and some failed miserably.

The emotion of father-son is not handled well and it backfired. The villain’s characterisation is irritating at portions. He is crooked and gruesome, but he is not taken seriously. The comedy portions in the first half are decent. But they could have been better. 

The writing of Jailer is where the problem is. It is formulaic and predictable. The scenes lack enough gravity to hook to the film. The Sunil episodes in the second-half are very forced. That’s where the film nosedived. And then it travels on a predictable path. Rajini couldn’t rescue the film owing to its writing. The film appears to be dragged and stretched.

The climax is somewhat decent though. The guest appearances of Shivaraj Kumar and Mohanlal are not effective enough. Director Nelson made a futile attempt despite getting such a solid cast and crew. He tried to make Vikram-like film but couldn’t deliver it. On the whole, Jailer is strictly made for Rajini fans. Barring this, it has nothing much to offer.

Verdict: Only For Rajini Fans!

Rating: 2.5/5

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Jailer Movie Review: Rajinikanth's Vigilante Flick Fails to Pack a Punch

Cast: Rajinikanth, Ramya Krishna, Vasanth Ravi, Mirnaa Menon and others

Director: Nelson Dilipkumar

After the not-so-impressive ‘Annaatthe’, Kollywood superstar Rajinikanth returns with an action film ‘Jailer’ and his transition from a timid person into a raging vigilante has its moments.

Talking about Jailer Plot, Tiger Muthuvel Pandian, a dreaded jailer in Tihar, is now spending retired life with his loving family. Everyone in his family, including his grandson, makes fun of his softness. All goes well, until his son and a cop (Vasanth Ravi), who was chasing an idol-stealing gang, goes missing. The police who are also hand-in-glove with the gang, try to cover up the case claiming he died by suicide.

The incident forces Rajini to take up the mission of finding his son, for which he has to first trace the dreaded gang involved in it. Kollywood director Nelson Dilipkumar, instead of packing his screenplay with comedy scenes, should have focused on the reactions of people to the missing idols (quite a sensitive issue for administration and god-believers.) That way the plot would have eventually turned into a fight for a social cause. However, in Jailer, Rajnikanth wages a battle only to protect his family, which limits his larger-than-life image.

Like mentioned earlier, the story is simple—a retired police officer—Rajnikanth, who is living with his wife (Ramya Krishna), son (Vasanth Ravi) and daughter-in-law (Mirnaa Menon) and grandson. He believes in honesty and simple life. He even spares a cab driver (Yogi Babu) who keeps irritating his family by parking his car near their house. The rest of the story is about how he turns into a vigilante and accomplishes a mission.

The Director of Jailer brings in superstars like Mohan Lal, Shiva Rajkumar and Jackie Shroff, as ex-convicts from different states, in special appearances to extend help to the hero's mission. Their massive presence brings some majesty to the film, but they don’t need to help an upright and fearless ex-jailer, who could have otherwise single-handedly decimated the villain group with his brawn and brain.

Rajinikanth's charisma and mannerisms are intact and he pulls off the role effortlessly. But he does look stiff at times. Ramya plays a dutiful wife. Vasanth Ravi showcases shades of grey, while actor Sunil fails miserably. Tammanaah’s flashy number ‘Kaavaaalaa’ peps up the proceedings. Composer Anirudh's background score is noteworthy while the cinematography of Vijay Karthik Kannan is elegant.

Director Nelson tasted success with Siva Karthikeyan's ‘Doctor’ in which the hero forms a team with different people to trace down kidnappers of girls. He uses a similar pattern for Rajinikanth and adds humorous scenes and characters to tread the same path. But the comedy scenes fail to evoke laughs and Telugu actor Sunil’s comedy role is out of place and silly. Nelson seems to have drawn inspiration from films like ‘Vikram’ for slam bang action. But he could have come up with a good plot and also handled the father-son conflict better. In its present form, it looks more contrived than real.

Verdict: Even Rajinikanth's swag can't save this overcooked potboiler!

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‘Jailer’ review: Barely arresting

Rajinikanth plays rajinikanth in nelson’s violent action drama..

Director Nelson’s new film with Rajinikanth is constantly warning you that something is about to break bad. But the fearful anticipation that should have been built through smart plotting is outsourced instead to the departments that execute stunts and supply fake blood.

The Tamil action drama is stacked with characters who cannot make a move without accompanying it with either an exaggerated emotion or a dastardly act of violence. Heads are split open or separated from necks. Every attempt is made to shock or thrill – often both and at the same time. The outsourcing tendency extends to the film’s 72-year-old hero who, after displaying a couple of instances of his virility, settles down to become the equivalent of an overseer at a factory.

On the surface, Muthu (Rajinikanth) is a retired grandpa who dotes on his grandson, buys the groceries and avoids conflict. The inner beast in Muthu is awakened when his police officer son Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) is held hostage by antiques smuggler Varma (Vinayakan).

In case you hadn’t realised it, Varma is mean (he dunks his adversaries in vats of sulphuric acid, for one thing). But since Varma is up against a hero played by Rajinikanth, there is never any danger of his bug-eyed rants being taken seriously.

This is my last warning to you, Varma says about a hundred times as Muthu goes on the rampage to rescue Arjun. Muthu has at his disposal a private army whose members represent several language film industries in an attempt to display a pan-Indian spirit. There are cameos by Mohanlal for Malayalam, Shiva Rajkumar for Kannada, Jackie Shroff and Makarand Deshpande for Hindi.

At the heart of a severely padded, 168-minute narrative is a story pulled out from the mothballs. Nelson’s talent for nihilistic humour and clever character sketches worked best in his directorial debut Kolamaavu Kokila (2018). The slickly filmed Jailer has some sharp scenes of crackpot humour and a few quirky types that salvage an increasingly dull homage to Rajinikanth’s screen persona.

Yogi Babu hilariously plays the reluctant charioteer of Muthu’s war. The Telugu actor Sunil is the grandly named Blast Mohan. But the Blast Mohan track, while amusing in itself, completely derails Jailer , from which it never recovers.

Who can take an avenging hero seriously when the threats are so feeble? A high-wattage star can bring only so much value to an indifferently written movie. Jailer shares with Lokesh Kanagaraj’s 2022 blockbuster Vikram a senior hero on a vendetta mission, Anirudh’s music, and a parallel moral universe where the normal rules don’t apply.

But Vikram had a propulsive energy, people whom you might actually care for, and a far more accomplished integration of plot and style. Jailer ’s look is guided by a central framing approach. The actors are squarely in the middle of frame, daring you to look anywhere else while they threaten to do terrible things.

One visage dominates. This is the only face you need to see, a smirking Muthu lectures his terrified wife (Ramya Krishnan) and daughter-in-law (Mirnaa Menon) when they finally glimpse his true form. It’s only the latest instance of grandstanding in an arena packed with adoring fans and a few easily disposable detractors.

• Jailer review
• Rajinikanth

jailer movie review

Jailer is a critically acclaimed Indian film directed by Anurag Kashyap. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Tabu, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in pivotal roles. The film was released in May 2019 and it has been one of the most talked-about and critically acclaimed films of 2019. It tells the story of four prisoners in a jail and how their lives become intertwined with each other. The film also explores the themes of justice, guilt, and redemption.

Overview of the film

Jailer is a powerful drama that deals with complex themes of justice, guilt and redemption. The film is set in a prison and follows the lives of four inmates and their struggles to cope with life in prison. It explores the different ways in which these prisoners cope with their circumstances and how their lives become intertwined. The film also touches upon the theme of justice and how the judicial system works in India.

Plot Summary

Jailer follows the lives of four prisoners in a jail. They are all convicted of different crimes but have also been subjected to different forms of justice. The story focuses on the lives of these prisoners as they come to terms with their current situation. It also looks at how the judicial system in India works and how it affects the lives of prisoners.

The story starts with the arrival of Javed (Amitabh Bachchan), a retired judge, who is sent to investigate the death of a prisoner. Javed meets the other prisoners and starts to investigate. He soon discovers that the death is connected to a conspiracy involving the other prisoners, who are all connected in some way .

The story follows Javed as he delves deeper into the conspiracy and uncovers the truth. He discovers that the prisoners have been victims of a corrupt system and that they are all innocent. He also discovers that they are all connected in some way and that they have a common goal .

Jailer is an intense drama that examines the theme of justice, guilt, and redemption. It is powerful in its exploration of the flaws in the Indian judicial system and how it affects the lives of the prisoners. It is also effective in its exploration of the different ways in which the prisoners cope with their situation and how their lives become intertwined.

The film is driven by its characters and their struggles. It is well-acted and the performances of the cast are excellent. Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan deliver powerful performances as Javed and the other prisoners respectively. The supporting cast is also good, with Manoj Bajpayee, Tabu, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui all delivering strong performances.

Direction and Cinematography

Jailer is beautifully shot and directed by Anurag Kashyap. He is able to capture the atmosphere of the prison and the emotions of the characters effectively. The cinematography is excellent and helps to create a powerful atmosphere for the film.

Acting and Characters

The performances of the cast are excellent. Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan deliver powerful performances as Javed and the other prisoners respectively. The supporting cast of Manoj Bajpayee, Tabu, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are all strong in their roles. The characters are well written and the actors are able to bring them to life effectively.

Music and Soundtrack

The music and soundtrack of Jailer are excellent. It is composed by Amit Trivedi and it helps to create a powerful atmosphere for the film. The music helps to convey the emotions of the characters and the atmosphere of the prison.

Impact and Legacy

Jailer is one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2019 and it has had a significant impact on Indian cinema. It is a powerful film that examines the flaws of the Indian judicial system and how it affects the lives of prisoners. The movie has also made an impact beyond India, as its themes are relevant to any society.

Jailer is a powerful drama that examines the flaws of the Indian judicial system and how it affects the lives of prisoners. The film is well-acted, and beautifully shot, and its soundtrack is excellent. It is a film that has had a significant impact on Indian cinema and its themes are relevant to any society. It is a powerful and thought-provoking film that should be seen by all.

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