Rajinikanth's Robot aka Enthiran released a few years back and changed the way people looked at sci-fi films in India. Mainly praised for the superb technology and VFX, the film became a huge blockbuster. Years later, when Shankar is coming up with 2.0, he has strong competition and standards to match.
Baahubali is possibly the biggest competitor for Robot 2.0. Says a source, "You have to admit that Baahubali is a revolutionary film. It was a cross border phenomenon which no other South film has managed to do. The fact that it did 600 crore business worldwide and is still releasing in different countries is proof that people across the globe appreciated the film. Robot 2.0 has a lot of catching up to do."
But then, box office wise, the sequel is definitely going to do a far better job than its predecessor. You may ask why and the clear answer is Akshay Kumar. Says a trade source, "Akshay is a huge draw all over the country especially in the North, which isn't a place where South films usually do mind-blowing business. Baahubali did extraordinarily well all over the country. And Akshay's brand value will definitely make sure 2.0 also has a big kick-start at the ticket windows across pan India. His films are always sought after in the North because of his origin and hence, getting him on board was definitely the smartest move."
Like Rajinikanth also explained during the launch, "Akshay might be playing the villain in the film but actually, he's the hero of the film. I would have loved to do his character, had I not been cast as Chitti already." That says enough about his superstardom. Also the fact that the team launched his first look in the official poster before mega star Rajinikanth is another hint that the makers are definitely planning for a huge release in North India as well.
