'Rajinikanth looks like Lord Shiva to me'

'In this 100th year of Indian cinema,' says Amitabh Bachchan, 'when the history of Indian cinema is written, it will be Before Kochadaiiyaan and After Kochadaiiyaan.'

"I am very happy and proud that everybody is praising Soundarya," her father said.

"As a child, Soundarya was fascinated with Amar Chitra Katha comics, and would tell me that she would want to make a film on such stories."

Soundarya's dad is, of course, the supernova of Indian cinema, the incomparable Rajinikanth.

And dad, daughter, and mum Latha were was in Mumbai last weekend to unveil the Hindi trailer of their film Kochadiiyaan.

Soundarya has directed Kochadiiyaan, which received raves from those who saw at the Cinemax theatre in suburban Andheri on Sunday.

Both Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher tweeted rapturously about what they had seen soon after they viewed the trailer.

Kochadiyaan is India's first performance-captured film.

Soundarya has her dad starring in a triple role alongside Deepika Padukone and Jackie Shroff.

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"It is an emotional moment for us. I don't have words to describe this moment," Rajinikanth said at the launch. "I had come here to launch my last film Robot, which was a one of its kind film."

"Now after four-and-a-half years, I am here again with Kochadaiiyaan. This too is a technology-oriented film. I don't know anything about technology, but I have become a part of these films."

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"It is a woman who has directed this kind of movie," Amitabh Bachchan pointed out. "With the kind of struggle our nation is going through today (with regard to women), it is commendable that Soundarya has done this and shown us that women in India are capable to do the best. I am really proud of her."

"Rajini is a family friend and I am really happy for him. He is very humble and down-to-earth. He has a huge following in the south and one must go there and see it," Bachchan said, probably for the benefit of folks who had been living on Mars and unfamiliar with RajiniSir's star power.

"His fans fill up theatres and not everyone gets to see his film on the first day, first show."

"Even after several weeks, if one goes to see the film, one won't be able to hear anything as fans keep screaming and applauding. It is amazing."

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"I hope the theatres fill up for Kochadaiiyaan for years and years," Amitabh Bachchan declared. "In this 100th year of Indian cinema, when the history of Indian cinema is written, it will be Before Kochadaiiyaan and After Kochadaiiyaan."

Bachchan and Rajinikanth have starred in Andhaa Kanoon, Geraftaar, Dosti Dusmani and Hum.

"When he was doing Robot (opposite Bachchan's daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai), he told me he was getting bored. I told him to just continue working. And now look at what he has done with Kochadaiiyaan."

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"I am blessed to direct Rajinikanth in my first film. He looks like Lord Shiva to me," Soundarya said. "It was a dream to see him to do the tandav."

"During the shooting, there were so many times when I couldn't call 'cut' because I became a fan! As a director, there were times when I had to request him to give another take. After pack up, I would make sure my father returned home safely because I am his daughter."

"There were three people in me while making the film -- the fan, the director and the daughter."

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"Films like these take a lot of time to make," Soundarya said. "Right from clothes to the expressions, everything is created in VFX, so the process is long. We managed to pull this off in two years."

"The marketing and awareness for Kochadiiyaan is extremely important because it is not a live film. It is performance-capture technology, which is completely new for India. It is not a cartoon. People have acted in the film, but they are created and not present in flesh and blood."

"People in India still feel animation means Tom and Jerry cartoons. Yes, animation is Tom and Jerry, but that is not it. Only Rajinikanth can change the myth that animation is only cartoons."