3 min readHyderabadMay 8, 2026 02:42 PM IST
When Tamil Nadu’s election results came in and Vijay‘s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, the celebrations were not limited to Chennai. In Hyderabad, a section of Vijay’s Telugu fanbase had a different idea in mind: a theatre, a re-release, and a night that turned into something considerably larger than anyone had anticipated.
On Thursday night, Adirindhi, the Telugu dubbed version of Vijay’s 2017 blockbuster Mersal, was brought back to screens in Hyderabad by Kedar Films to mark the occasion. The plan was simple: one show, a chance for fans to gather and celebrate together. What the organisers did not account for was how many people would actually turn up.
One of the theatre owners told SCREEN, “The demand pushed the screening from one show to six, resulting in houseful. It was madness.”
Mersal re-release celebration in Telugu states. pic.twitter.com/NrtEsjeQuK
— Actor Vijay Team (@ActorVijayTeam) May 7, 2026
Inside the theatre, the atmosphere was less a film screening and more a celebration with a film as its backdrop. Fans had put together multiple edits of Vijay with Mahesh Babu, Prabhas and Pawan Kalyan, and compilations under the Jana Nayagan banner. The Prabhas and Mahesh Babu edits were a nod to Hyderabad’s two biggest stars placed alongside the man of the moment. The Pawan Kalyan edit carried its own weight, given that Pawan is currently Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, two mass heroes from neighbouring states, both now in the political arena, their film moments cut together.
Also Read: Decades before Vijay, Amitabh Bachchan won over voters; scandals made him resign in 2 years
“Appadi Podi” returns to theatres
The shows weren’t just for the movie, it played songs as well for the fans. “Appadi Podu”, the iconic number from Vijay and Trisha Krishnan starrer Ghilli (2004), brought the crowd to its feet, erupting into whistles and claps. “Thalapathy Kacheri” did the same.
Show Time : #Adirindhi #Mersal❤️🔥
Celebration in Telugu States 💥💥 pic.twitter.com/ivPHmNgA6l
— Daya Arjun (@DayaArjun2) May 7, 2026
Directed by Atlee and featuring Vijay in a triple role, Mersal was one of his biggest pan-India hits when it released in 2017. Its central argument, that the system can be challenged by one person willing to stand up for the common man, won hearts across states. Watching Vijay play that role on a big screen, in a city that is not even in Tamil Nadu, felt like the right way to mark it.
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