What is it like to watch a Rajinikanth film in pin drop silence? Really unnerving . And boring.

Cast: Rajinikanth, Radhika Apte, Dhanshika, Kalairasan, Dinesh, Kishore, Winston ChaoDirection: Pa Ranjith Rating: (1/5)

An identity card flashes on screen which reveals that soon-to-be-released prisoner Kabali (Rajinikanth) is 60. The sexagenarian super star may be playing close to his age here but his physical prowess and flamboyant demeanour hasn't suffered much. He is very much in the superhuman avatar that has inspired an ardent fan following.

In Kabali, he is the gangster with a heart of gold. A man who loves strutting about in suits. An Indian who fights for the rights of Tamil workers in Malaysia. A doting husband and caring father. A Good Samaritan who helps drug addicts and frees caged birds. The mannerisms are all there too - the walk with swagger, the crossing of the leg, the beaming smile and the tuck of hand in the pocket. And yes, he is still invincible. "Itni asaani se marne waala nahi hoon," says Kabali to let his nemesis know what they are up against.

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But that's all there to the film, which relies far too much on the super star credentials of its leading man to carry a listless story forward. The love for slow motion sequences here backfires as the gangster drama unfolds in slo-mo too. There are far too many back stories and flashbacks.In one, Kabali shares his violence-marred origins story with school students, inspiring one of them to take up arms to avenge his loss and another to accuse him of failing to protect his pregnant wife.

A chunk of the film centres on supporting characters singing praises of Kabali, addressed as Bhai in the Hindi dubbed version, with much fanfare. But these scenes are poorly scripted drawing chuckles. Bullets fly and the body count rises in the crime drama but it's not enough to rouse the audience. The bombastic background score, with blazing sirens, is a desperate attempt to invigorate the proceedings. There are multiple foes here but Rajinikanth reserves his best theatrics for the cartoonish Chinese don Tony Lee (Winston Chao).

After two hours and 30 minutes we still don't know what keeps his empire running given that it is against his principles to trade in drugs or women. Radhika Apte as Kabali's wife appears more as a model for India's rich handicraft tradition by ambling about in beautiful saris. Dhansika is the better-served female character here as a feisty contract killer, whose introduction alone is a giveaway to what her back story is.Rajinikanth displays ample of charisma but his Robin Hood act is not enough to keep the Thalaivar fans entertained.