3 min readMumbaiFeb 17, 2026 11:03 PM IST
Back in 2014, Soundarya Rajinikanth made her directorial debut with the animated period drama Kochadaiiyaan, marking India’s first photorealistic motion capture film. The movie, starring Rajinikanth, Deepika Padukone, R. Sarathkumar, Aadhi Pinisetty, Jackie Shroff, Nassar, Shobana and Rukmini Vijayakumar, featured characters modelled closely on the appearance and likeness of their respective actors. However, the film failed to make a mark at the box office and drew considerable criticism. Reviewers often compared it unfavourably to other motion capture-heavy films, particularly Avatar (2009), and highlighted discrepancies in the animation.
Now, as AI slowly but steadily transforms the filmmaking landscape, the makers are revisiting the film with a reimagined version. The teaser for the updated Kochadaiiyaan was released today by the production house Eros. The 48-second teaser showcases Rajinikanth reprising the dual roles he played in the original, storming his enemies on the battlefield with enhanced visuals and more realistic imagery. Deepika Padukone also makes a brief appearance.
Director Soundarya Rajinikanth shared the teaser on X, captioning it: “Kochadaiiyaan re-imagined. This is an emotion I can’t explain. My first baby. My first leap of faith. More than a decade ago, we dared to attempt something India had never done before … a photorealistic performance motion capture feature film. It challenged me … It changed me. This one’s personal. Some journeys don’t end. They evolve.”
Kochadaiyan was truly ahead of its time – a bold first of its kind, the directorial debut of @soundaryaarajni, supported by EROS and India’s first photorealistic film created with mega stars.
Today, powered by ErosGenAI’s advanced models – from AI-led restoration and performance… pic.twitter.com/SaXdXayMGQ
— Eros Universe (@ErosUniverse_) February 17, 2026
Reactions from netizens were mixed. Some criticized the visuals: “Wait for 6 months for the tech to evolve, this looks worse than the original.” While others offered cautious optimism: “We could make better versions with advanced AI now. This looks ok.” And some called for more patience and investment: “This is so below average. Wish the production team either spends more resources with the right intent or just wait few more years for the technology to advance further/cheaper. The story deserves better.”
Leave a Reply