“Who’s the Hero Then?” — Rajinikanth’s Hilarious Robot Throwback

Some movie pairings raise eyebrows before they even hit theaters, and Rajinikanth opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Robot was one of them. Years later, at the film’s music launch, Thalaivar himself revealed just how skeptical one fan was — and the story is pure comedy gold.

The Story Rajinikanth Couldn’t Stop Laughing About

While staying at his brother’s place in Bengaluru, Rajinikanth got a surprise visit from a 60-plus-year-old Rajasthani neighbor eager to meet the superstar. Spotting Rajinikanth in his usual casual avatar, the man was already a little thrown off. Things got funnier when he asked about the actor’s upcoming project.

Rajinikanth recalled telling him it was Robot, with Aishwarya Rai as the heroine. The man’s jaw practically dropped. “Aishwarya Rai? Heroine? Then who is the hero?” he asked, genuinely confused. When Rajinikanth calmly said he himself was playing the hero, the man went completely silent for ten minutes, staring blankly, before finally walking away muttering, “What happened to Aishwarya Rai? What happened to Abhishek Bachchan? What happened to Amitabh Bachchan?”

The audience at the launch event burst into laughter, and Rajinikanth used the moment to publicly thank Aishwarya for trusting the project despite the age-gap skepticism floating around at the time.

Despite early doubts from fans, Robot went on to become one of Indian cinema’s biggest blockbusters, with the Rajinikanth-Aishwarya pairing turning into one of its most memorable highlights.

For more throwback stories, celebrity anecdotes, and South cinema updates, check out TechnoSports’ entertainment section for fresh reads daily.

FAQs