Enthiran (Robo): Rajinikanth, Aishwarya Rai and Shankar's Big Robot Film

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Enthiran, which was released in Hindi as Robot and in Telugu as Robo, arrived in cinemas on October 1, 2010. Shankar directed it, with Rajinikanth in the lead and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as the heroine. In the weeks before the release, it was the most talked-about film in south India.

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The story is about a scientist, Dr Vaseegaran, who builds a humanoid robot called Chitti. Rajinikanth plays both roles. Chitti is given human emotions, falls in love with Sana, the scientist's girlfriend, and then turns dangerous when a rival tampers with him. It is a mix of romance, comedy and spectacle that only a big Indian film would attempt.

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The film was reported to be the most expensive Indian film to that point, and the effects work was a major selling point. A. R. Rahman composed the music, and the songs, particularly the ones shot in far-off locations, became hits. It was produced by Sun Pictures.

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The result was a huge success at the box office in India and overseas. A sequel, 2.0, followed in 2018, with Akshay Kumar as the villain. Neither film is subtle, but both are made with the confidence of people who believe in the audience's appetite for size.

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If you have not seen Enthiran, I would suggest watching it with a big group. Did you see it in a cinema when it came out?