Oct 14, 2026 7:00pm IST
Mithun Chakraborty on Working With Rajinikanth in ‘Jailer 2’: ‘I Didn’t Want to Be Beaten Up by Him’
Superstar Rajinikanth and Bollywood legend Mithun Chakraborty are two of Indian cinema’s biggest icons, and their friendship spans decades. They will soon be seen in the highly anticipated film “Jailer 2,” scheduled to release in theatres on October 15.
Their iconic history stands as a testament to their mutual respect. Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, “Jailer 2” marks Mithun Chakraborty’s return to the Tamil film industry after more than a decade.
During the promotional “Jailer 2” Super Show, Rajinikanth jokingly revealed that when the production team approached Mithun for the film, he laid down one strict condition: “Am I the villain? Should I take beatings from Rajinikanth? Get lost... He can’t beat or shoot me.” In keeping with their friendship, Mithun’s character was written to complement Rajinikanth’s character, Tiger Muthuvel Pandian, rather than be at the receiving end of his aggression.
Speaking exclusively to Variety India, Chakraborty says, “It is true. I didn’t want to be beaten up by Rajini. He is such a warm, affectionate and humane man. He has no starry hang-ups at all. I couldn’t bear the thought of him being aggressive. Rajini and I have worked together in the past, but “Jailer 2” is the first time we are, what should I say, full-on face-to-face. I hope the audience enjoys our jugalbandi (face-off) as much as I enjoyed shooting those scenes.”
Related Stories
Can the audience expect the two superstars to bring the house down in Jailer 2? “Firstly, let me set this straight: Rajinikanth is a much bigger star than me. His fan following cannot be matched. But he wears his stardom so lightly. He is friendly with everyone on the set. Yes, in that sense, we are similar. He even made a special appearance in a Bengali film at my request.”
“Jailer 2” also brings together three Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients under one roof: Rajinikanth, Mithun Chakraborty and Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.
Popular on Variety
Long before “Jailer 2,” Rajinikanth and Chakraborty crossed paths on screen, with each stepping into the other’s cinematic world as a gesture of friendship. Ramesh Sippy’s “Bhrashtachar” (1989) was one of their early on-screen collaborations, with Rajinikanth appearing in an extended special role.
At Mithun’s request, Rajinikanth also made a special appearance in the Bengali film “Bhagya Debata.” He memorably appeared as a singer alongside Mithun in the film’s title track, celebrating their enduring off-screen bond.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.