Altogether 150 prints will be shown in multiplexes and single screen cinemas, which is an unprecedented record for a dubbed movie.

“Though Rajnikanth has stopped acting in Bollywood films because of his preoccupations in his home state, his magical popularity outside South India has not yet diminished. The Hindi film audiences still remember his acting style and dialogue delivery. I am sure, they will like him in Chandramukhi,” which was a big hit in the south,” Dhanwani said.

In anticipation of the release, Mumbai has already been plastered with 30-feet cutouts of the actor in full regalia, looking at Mumbaikars at strategic points all over the metropolis.

It remains to be seen if the ageing south Indian star manages to cast his spell on the new generation of Hindi movie audience grown on movies featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and other Khans. But Dhanwani is confident about the Tamil superstar’s pull at the box-office, despite the fact that Akshay Kumar starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa was loosely based on the movie.

The film also casts Jyothika, Nayanthara, Vineeth and Malvika in key roles. Written and directed by P. Vasu, the original Tamil movie has been produced by Ramkumar Ganeshan and was released in Tamil Nadu in 2005.

It ran for three years before it was voluntarily withdrawn from cinemas recently to make way for other movies waiting to be released.

Made on a budget of Rs.220 million, the Tamil version grossed Rs. 1.5 billion (Rs.150 crore) in Tamil Nadu and it also bagged five National Awards in 2006. The movie has some fast numbers composed by Vidyasagar.

The Tamil version of Chandramukhi in fact, is based on a Kannada movie called Apthamitra which again is based on Manichitrathazham in Malayalam. Chandramukhi was earlier dubbed in Telugu and also in German. The movie also had a Bengali version called Rajmahal starring Prasenjit Chatterjee.