Vidya Balan and Anirudh praise Rajinikanth as Jailer 2 opens October 15

Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 opens in theatres on October 15. Ahead of the release, two people from the film have spoken warmly about the superstar.

Vidya Balan, who is part of the cast, said in an interview that she expected a grand entrance the first time she met him on set. "I expected that his entry, you know, there would be trumpets at his entry. But he just walked in silently," she said. She was talking with the director, the cinematographer and the crew when he quietly came over and joined them.

She said she never felt pressured working with him, only grateful for the chance. "He lets you be," she said, adding that he never made her feel watched or judged. Early on, he told her he had seen her social media reels and found them funny. That small remark helped her relax around him. She called him "such a calming presence" and said he always has a kind word for the people he works with.

Music director Anirudh Ravichander marked the release with a post on social media. He wrote that at 76, and after 51 years in films, the star "still creates magic and rewrites history." He added that the lights would dim for him for the 172nd time, and ended with "One Sun. One Moon. And One," followed by three fire emojis.

Nelson Dilipkumar directs the sequel to the 2023 hit Jailer. S. J. Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Mithun Chakraborty also star.