There was the expected fanfare; then there was commotion fans at Kasi theatre broke the glass doors in the entrance after the show reportedly didn’t start on time. But, Lingaa, Rajini’s return vehicle to the silver screen in flesh and blood after four years, was received with the hype created around its release.

After all, when was the last time we heard of movie shows at 1 am? At the Albert theatre, the crowd included the star’s family members - his wife Latha, daughters Aishwarya and Soundarya, his son-in-law Dhanush. They were in attendance for the noon show.

“Latha madam watches the movie with fans every time at our theatre. She usually sits in the balcony and cheers with the fans,” said J. Suresh Kumar, a cashier at the theatre for the past two decades.

Suresh Kumar says that Rajini’s movies have always received a special reception at this theatre and it’s no surprise that it is repeated this time too. That the actor commands a fan base across all age groups was evident from the crowd that thronged the theatre on the first day. For, 71-year-old retired bank manager; J. Lakshminarayanan, came along with 10 of his family members, including his NRI son-in-law.

“All of us in our family are Rajini fans and we ensure we watch the movie on the first day. This time we were lucky to watch the movie in the first show itself,” beamed L. Nirmala (66), the manager’s wife. While fans have received the movie with an open mind, the rest lies in the end product to ensure the hype is sustained.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/141213/entertainment-kollywood/article/lingaa-draws-family-and-fans