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Hukum: From Jailer single to Rajinikanth fan anthem to a moment in Tamil pop culture!

PUBLISHED DATE : 16/Jul/2024

Hukum: From Jailer single to Rajinikanth fan anthem to a moment in Tamil pop culture!

[Updated: July 17, 2024] In 2023, Superstar Rajinikanth was gearing up for the release of a movie titled Jailer which was coming on the heels of two back to back flops Darbar (2020), and Annaatthe (2021). Sun Pictures, which had produced Annaatthe and Jailer, was at the receiving end of Rajinikanth's fans, for promoting an 'item number' as Jailer first single, and that too with Tamannaah and not Rajini himself at the forefront [That Kaavaala became a much loved single from Jailer, is another story altogether]. 

 

Then on a fateful evening of July 15, 2023, Sun Pictures announced the arrival of Hukum, the Anirudh composer Jailer second single, to no unusual hype or expectations. Jailer is written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, and at that time it was unknown to many that it was composer Anirudh, who pushed for the three and a half minutes of absolute banger-ism i.e. Hukum - Thalaivar Alappara, to be part of Jailer. 

 

"I was doing my dubbing work. Anirudh came to me and said 'Sir there is this mention of the word Hukum in two places in the movie. So I have thought of doing a song with that word. It's a song for your fans. We have to cheer your fans up. It has been 2 years...So I spoke with Nelson and we set the Hukum song at one place. They sent me the lyrics..I said..the lyrics have Superstar in it. Please remove all that. It is not required.. Anirudh said 'no no we are doing it for your fans'." - Rajinikanth speaking at the Jailer audio launch event on July 28, 2023

 

Not only did composer Anirudh and lyricist Super Subu take the Tamil filmdom by storm, but Hukum which is neither a feature song or nor a montage in Jailer, ended up having a huge impact on the outcome of the movie [The song was more of a promotional number, an extension of the film's score if one will]. Hukum lyrics resonated with a huge crowd of zillenial Rajinikanth fans, who then turned the number into a full blown Superstar anthem. 

 

 

Beyond the realm of the Rajini fandom, Hukum Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi versions also found place in the hearts of sports, and pop culture lovers. To date, the Hukum song and its famous lyrics, are prevalently used on social media to hype major sports and film favourites.

 

Anirudh himself has since announced a Hukum tour 2024, banking on the popularity of the Jailer single, and references from the song have made it as Tamil movie titles (Inga Naan Thaan Kingu - a 2024 movie starring Santhanam). Jailer sequel or Jailer 2 by Nelson Dilipkumar is also expected to be titled Hukum. 

 

 

July 17, 2024 marks one whole year of Hukum - Thalaivar Alappara, and safe to say the impact the song has created, is one for the Kollywood history books. A tiny glimpse of Hukum's takeover over the bygone year:

 

 

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