Superstar Rajinikanth returned to cinema halls with Kaala, a gangster flick set in the backdrop of Mumbai's Dharavi. This is the second consecutive outing of director Pa Ranjith with the Thalaivar after 2016's Kabali.
At a theatre in Chennai, fans offered milk to the actor's poster and burst crackers as they gathered in large numbers to watch the film. Outside the Lido Mall in Bengaluru, fans waited for the show to begin.

Kaala hit theatres worldwide today, as scheduled, after the Supreme Court, on 6 June, refused to stay its release.

Rajinikanth earned the ire of the Karnataka film fraternity for his comments on the Cauvery river water dispute with fringe groups in the state threatening to disrupt shows. Yesterday, Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said makers of the movie should avoid releasing it in the state "considering the situation". The statement comes as the Karnataka high court had earlier in the day asked the state to provide security to the centres screening the movie.