With 2017 drawing close, fans of Rajinikanth are waiting eagerly for the digitally remastered version of the 1995 blockbuster film "Baasha" to be released in theatres.  

 

"Baasha" has a cult status among Superstar fans and it's considered to be one of his best moves till date. Directed by Suresh Krissna and produced by Sathya Movies, "Baasha" is about a gangster who becomes an auto driver to fulfill a promise. The film also stars Nagma and Raghuvaran. 

 

The trailer of the digitally remastered version came out a few days ago and has since whipped up fan frenzy. Who can resist that unforgettable "Baasha! Baasha!" chorus or Thalaivar's swag walk?

 

Speaking to The News Minute, Thangaraj Veerappan of Sathya Movies, who is overseeing the project, said, "The film has been receiving phenomenal response after we posted the trailer last week. It was just a teaser...we didn't have any celebrities announce it and all that. It was surprising that it received so much support and that speaks of the strength of the movie."

 

With that famous silhouette shot of Baasha and the punchline, "If I say something once, it's as if I've said it a hundred times!", the trailer brought back all the right memories about the film. 

 

Thangaraj is only too happy to talk about the new version: "It's a labour of love. We started on this last year. We love the movie and felt it was the right film to be digitally remastered. It was among the first films from Sathya Movies that we chose along with MGR blockbusters. Sathya Movies has had a long relationship with Rajinikanth and obviously, MGR also. Our catalogue of films contains blockbusters of both those heroes. We wanted to preserve these."

 

So, what can the audience expect from the new version? Will it live up to the hype? Thangaraj promises a crackler:  "The movie has come out phenomenally well. The sound especially is excellent. So everyone who's seen the movie feels like they were watching a new movie. It was shot over 20 years ago but the experience is still there...the magic of watching it as if it were the first time is still there."

 

Rajinikanth, however, is yet to see the film. 

 

Rathinavel, the promotional partner for "Baasha", says that a grand event awaits Chennai in January: "It's not finalised yet but we have a plan in mind." Though the details are all hush hush for now, we're told that the film premiere will be a first of its kind for a Tamil movie. What better way to begin 2017?