Jailer 2 Creates History: First South Film to Get Midnight Shows in North India in Its Original Tamil Version

Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 continues to rewrite the exhibition rulebook. The Tamil action-drama has become the first South Indian film to receive post-midnight shows in North India in its original Tamil version — a milestone that underscores just how extraordinary the film’s theatrical demand has become.

According to a Bollywood Hungama report dated October 18, single-screen and independent theatres across the Hindi belt are scrambling to add shows of the film. In a striking move, several cinemas have begun replacing shows of the Hindi releases Nayyi Navelli and Prahaar with the Hindi version of Rajini: The Jailer 2 to accommodate the surge. Mumbai’s iconic Maratha Mandir will play three shows daily of the Hindi version, while Kasturba in Malad will screen three Hindi shows alongside one show of the original Tamil version — the very midnight and post-midnight slots that made this a first.

The timing could not be better for the film. Monday, October 19, is being treated almost like a holiday, and Dussehra falls on Tuesday, October 20 — both days are expected to deliver exceptional footfalls. The trade buzz is that Jailer 2 can now comfortably continue its theatrical run until Diwali. To put the North India opportunity in perspective: Rajinikanth’s previous release, Coolie (2025), collected Rs 34 crore in its Hindi lifetime through a national-chain release. Jailer 2 is now aiming to surpass that figure — a remarkable feat, considering it is achieving these numbers without any support from the national multiplex chains, driven instead by single screens and independent exhibitors.

Gujarat, traditionally a strong territory for dubbed action films, is yet to come fully on board, as audiences there are currently occupied with Navratri celebrations. Trade expectations are that collections in the territory will zoom from October 20 or 21 once the festivities wind down.

The midnight-show phenomenon also exposes a fascinating paradox of pan-India cinema, as the same report noted: audiences are waking up at 4:30 in the morning to watch Rajinikanth, yet theatres cannot even guarantee English subtitles for these shows. Demand is outpacing every logistical expectation.

Jailer 2, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, stormed past the Rs 300-crore mark at the worldwide box office in just three days of release. With the festive week ahead and unprecedented North India traction — including shows in its original Tamil, a first for any South film — the Rajinikanth starrer’s run is far from over.

Source: Bollywood Hungama