Long before Rajinikanth shattered box-office records with Enthiran (2010), director S. Shankar had originally conceived the project as Robot in the late 1990s, with Kamal Haasan and Preity Zinta in the lead roles. In fact, the two actors even participated in a photoshoot for the film, and images from it are still available online .
The movie, which was supposed to be jointly written by Shankar and celebrated writer Sujatha, was shelved due to scheduling conflicts. Kamal Haasan was busy with other commitments, and the dates kept clashing .
“While Kamal was shooting (for other movies), I improved upon the story and changed it according to the taste of the audience. But our dates were clashing with each other’s schedule,” Shankar recalled in a 2010 interview with The Hindu .
After the project stalled, Shankar moved on to direct the coming-of-age musical film Boys (2003). However, he never discarded the Robot script and kept it close to him, waiting for the right opportunity .
How Rajinikanth revived the shelved epic
The turning point came during the shooting of Sivaji: The Boss (2007). Rajinikanth, curious about Shankar’s next project, asked for the story. Shankar narrated the script of Enthiran, and the superstar was immediately interested .
“Rajni sir readily gave his nod because he was familiar with the film’s story. Though he had done over 150 films, he still seemed interested in it. He took the role as a challenge, as no other Indian actor had done this kind of film till then,” the director recalled .
After Kamal opted out, Shankar reportedly tried to revive the project with Vikram and even Shah Rukh Khan. However, all attempts fell through until Rajinikanth came on board . Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was brought in as the female lead, replacing Preity Zinta, who never did another Tamil film after Robot was shelved .
What Kamal Haasan said about walking away
Kamal Haasan has since spoken about his decision to leave the project. In a 2024 conversation with Pinkvilla, he explained that the film industry is complicated, with “so many complex business equations, including my remuneration, dates, time, and the market at that time.”
“I was not very keen to do it at that time. Hence, I dropped the project. But my friend Shankar picked it up at the right time and turned it into a great success. That’s how simple it is. An idea is an idea. Anybody could pick it in time and benefit from it,” Kamal said .
From Rs 50 crore to a Rs 982 crore franchise
Enthiran was released in 2010 with a then-astronomical budget of approximately Rs 50 crore. It featured Rajinikanth in a dual role — Dr. Vaseegaran, a scientist, and Chitti, a humanoid robot. The film’s cutting-edge visual effects, composed by the legendary A.R. Rahman, and Rajinikanth’s charismatic performance made it a massive success.
The film’s success spawned a sequel, *2.0* (2018), starring Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar, which grossed over Rs 600 crore worldwide. Together, the two films have amassed a staggering Rs 982 crore, cementing the franchise as one of the biggest in Indian cinema history .
A pattern of stars rejecting iconic roles
This isn’t the first time Rajinikanth has turned a rejected film into a blockbuster. The Tamil film industry has several instances where actors letting go of scripts proved costly.
Notably, the 1992 blockbuster Annamalai was initially planned with Kamal Haasan. The project was shelved due to incompatible dates, and the story was changed to focus on Rajinikanth. The film became a huge turning point in Rajinikanth’s career, with the actor himself later stating, “Annamalai was the turning point in my career” .
Rajinikanth was not the first choice for several other iconic films, including Dharmathin Thalaivan and others, yet he made each role his own and delivered timeless classics .
From bus conductor to box office king
The story of Enthiran is also a story of two contrasting career trajectories. Kamal Haasan, a child prodigy who began acting at age six, has built a diverse legacy as an actor, writer, director, and playback singer. Rajinikanth, who worked as a bus conductor before entering cinema, has become one of Asia’s highest-paid stars, reportedly charging between Rs 125 crore and Rs 270 crore per film in recent deals .
As of 2026, both actors remain among India’s wealthiest film personalities, with estimated net worths of Rs 430-500 crore for Rajinikanth and Rs 410-450 crore for Kamal Haasan . They are set to reunite on screen for KHxRK, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar — a project that has already generated immense excitement among fans .
A lesson in opportunity
The journey of Enthiran from a shelved dream to a multi-billion franchise is a powerful reminder that timing and opportunity matter as much as talent. What Kamal Haasan let go due to scheduling conflicts, Rajinikanth embraced as a challenge, turning it into one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated sci-fi spectacles.
