Rajinikanth's Lal Salaam inspired by Sushant Singh Rajput's Kai Po Che

Superstar Rajinikanth will be next seen in an extended cameo in Lal Salaam, which is helmed by his daughter Aishwarya Rajinikanth. And the latest buzz is that the movie is inspired by the hit Bollywood movie Kai Po Che. 

Kai Po Che, directed by Abhishek Kapoor in 2013, explored the turbulent socio-political landscape against the backdrop of cricket. The film delved into the impact of the 2002 Gujarat riots on the friendships of individuals from different communities. It shed light on the immense strain placed on relationships in a politically charged environment. The movie marked an impressive big-screen debut for Sushant. A big-screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's 2008 novel The 3 Mistakes of My Life, the film had Rajkummar Rao and Amit Sadh in lead roles.

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The first look of Rajinikanth in Lal Salaam hints at thematic similarities to Kai Po Che. The poster showcases Rajinikanth as a Muslim leader against the backdrop of riot-stricken Mumbai. Additionally, the film's earlier poster showcased a cricket helmet, ball, and bat lying amid the wreckage of a street. It is worth noting that legendary cricketer Kapil Dev has also filmed a cameo role for the movie.

And it is safe to assume that like Kai Po, cricket plays a unifying force in times of turmoil. 

With Lal Salaam, Aishwarya returns to direction after a gap of seven years. Her last directorial venture was the Tamil action-thriller Vai Raja Vai, which featured a cameo appearance by Dhanush, her husband.

The film has Vishnu Vishal and Vikrant in the lead roles. Bankrolled by Lyca Productions, Oscar-winner AR Rahman is scoring the music for the film.