Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 is scheduled to release in theatres on October 15, 2026. As anticipation builds for the action drama, audiences can revisit some of the superstar’s notable performances. Here are nine films worth watching before the sequel arrives.
Top 9 Rajinikanth movies to stream on OTT ahead of Jailer 2
1. Thalapathi
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Director: Mani Ratnam
Streaming platfrom: Prime Video
In Thalapathi, Surya grows up to be an angry young man, without knowledge of his parentage or a clear vision of his future except to destroy injustice. Devaraj, a gangster, offers him friendship and guidance, but this alliance is tested when Arjun, an honest collector, begins to investigate them. Surya must come to terms with his differences and his hidden past.
2. Baashha
IMDb: 8.2
Director: Suresh Krissna
Streaming platfrom: YouTube (Free), Prime Video
In Baashha, Manickam is happy with his simple life as an auto driver. He wants to keep his family away from the violence of his past as a gangster, but events take a different turn when he finds himself in danger again. Those who once feared him are not willing to forget or forgive.
3. Sivaji: The Boss
IMDb: 7.6
Director: S. Shankar
Streaming platfrom: Prime Video
Sivaji returns to India after making his fortune as a software engineer abroad. He wants to give poor families access to education and medical care without charge. But his plan threatens men who profit from the existing order. Adiseshan, a wealthy businessman, works against him and strips him of his money. Sivaji must find another way to carry out his mission.
He turns to technology and cunning. His targets are rich men who conceal their wealth from the authorities. Sivaji exposes their hidden money and redirects it towards his public welfare project. The fight becomes personal as he takes apart the network of people determined to stop him.
4. Petta
IMDb rating: 7.2
Director: Karthik Subbaraj
Streaming platform: JioHotstar
Kaali appears to be an ordinary hostel warden in Ooty, but his intervention in a student’s troubles exposes a different side of him. Known as Petta, he is a feared figure from Madurai whose past holds secrets connected to Anwar.
His actions are guided by a personal tragedy: the deaths of his wife and best friend, for which he holds Singaaram responsible. Now operating as Singhaar Singh, his old enemy has built a new life. Petta uses Jithu, Singh’s adopted son, to advance his revenge before uncovering a startling truth about the young man.
5. Chandramukhi
IMDb: 7.2
Director: P. Vasu
Streaming platfrom: Prime Video
This Tamil horror film adapts Kannada cinema’s Apthamitra (2004), itself based on the Malayalam classic Manichitrathazhu, starring Mohanlal. Senthil and Ganga move into a palace despite warnings. When Ganga opens a sealed room, unsettling events begin to disturb the household.
Senthil seeks help from Dr. Saravanan, his trusted friend and a skilled psychiatrist. Saravanan discovers that the mystery lies in Ganga’s mind, not in a ghost. She assumes the identity of Chandramukhi, a court dancer who lived 150 years ago and still seems driven by revenge. Saravanan must devise a dangerous psychological strategy to help Ganga confront the past. His plan leaves little room for error.
6. Enthiran
IMDb: 7.2
Director: S. Shankar
Streaming platfrom: Prime Video
In Enthiran, Scientist Vaseegaran builds Chitti, a robot with remarkable abilities. He gives it human emotions to secure approval for his invention. But Chitti develops feelings for Sana, Vaseegaran’s fiancée. A rival scientist then alters its programming with a red chip. Chitti becomes dangerous, builds a robot army, and turns against its creator.
7. Jailer
IMDb: 7.2
Director: Nelson Dilipkumar
Streaming platfrom: Prime Video
In Jailer, Muthuvel Pandian has retired from service and is enjoying his retirement. His son, Arjun disappears during an investigation into Varman, a criminal who traffics in stolen idols. Muthuvel is forced to return to the prison world to find Arjun, using contacts from his past and sending criminals to retaliate against Varman.
He soon learns that Arjun has gone rogue, and he faces a moral dilemma as he tracks him down. In Jailer 2, the story moves on to focus on the criminal network and influential people involved in the case of the idols.
8. Kaala
IMDb: 6.5
Director: Pa. Ranjith
Streaming platfrom: Prime Video
Dharavi is home to Karikaalan, known as Kaala, a man who refuses to abandon his community. His opponent, Hari Dada, wants to clear the settlement and replace it with luxury buildings. For Dharavi’s residents, this means losing their homes to make room for the rich. Kaala organises resistance. The colour black becomes a sign of their pride and collective strength. Their fight is about land, dignity, and the right to stay.
9. Kabali
IMDb: 6.1
Director: Pa. Ranjith
Streaming platfrom: Prime Video
Kabali tells the story of a Tamil activist in Malaysia who stands up for exploited workers. His fight brings powerful enemies against him, and a false accusation sends him to prison for 25 years. Freedom gives him another chance to set things right. He returns to confront the men who ruined his life, defend his family, and search for his missing wife, Kumudhavalli.
Conclusion
The list of these nine Rajinikanth entertainers is not just a trip down memory lane, it’s a reminder of why the superstar still has an audience of people of all ages.
Whether it’s the menacing underworld don in Baashha, the rebellious leader in Kaala, the troubled gangster in Kabali or the formidable jailer in Jailer, Rajinikanth has always been able to reinvent himself without losing the swagger that is his screen persona. He can take on a rogue robot, face supernatural mysteries, take on corrupt businessmen and fight criminals, all with a casual ease.
Not many actors can make a walk, a cigarette flick or a punch line a cinematic event. These movies are the ideal appetizers for the Jailer sequel. So, keep them in a queue on OTT, find your comfiest chair and watch another episode of Thalaivar magic.
K. Suresh Reddy is an entertainment writer who covers the latest updates from the South Indian film industry, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada cinema. With a keen interest in movies and celebrity stories, K. Suresh Reddy focuses on film news, OTT releases, upcoming movies, celebrity profiles, box-office updates, trailers, reviews, and industry developments. Follow on Facebook.