CHENNAI, India (AP) – Hundreds of thousands of fans of Indian superstar Rajinikanth thronged cinemas across India and Malaysia on Friday for the premiere of his latest film, “Kabali,” jumping from their seats and dancing in the aisles as their hero fought enemies in the gangster flick.
Many private firms gave their employees a day off and parents kept children home from school in Tamil Nadu state for the movie’s long-anticipated release. Crowds waited outside theaters all night before the action film opened just before dawn.
Inside Chennai’s “Woodlands” theater, one of the city’s oldest, fans jumped from the seats, danced and sang along as the superstar made his first appearance.
When Rajnikanth landed punches on the villain in the two-hour-long film, fans egged him on with cheers and whistles.
Huge cutouts of the star and gigantic posters loomed large in the street outside the theater. In several places, fans poured big cans of milk over the cutouts in a Hindu ritual to bless the star and wish him a long life.