Sri Raghavendra

Production

Sri Raghavendra was Rajinikanth's 100th film (including his other language films). The film featured him in the role of the saint Raghavendra Tirtha, different from the larger-than-life characters which he is known for and portrayed. Rajinikanth, a fan of Kannada actor Rajkumar, had seen his film Mantralaya Mahatme where Rajkumar portrayed Raghavendra. Rajinikanth approached S. P. Muthuraman to direct the film. Muthuraman was initially reluctant to direct a devotional film as he hails from a family of Self-Respect Movement, but Balachander encouraged and convinced him to take up the film. To prepare himself to direct the film, Muthuraman watched various devotional films directed by A. P. Nagarajan who was known for such films. In order to portray the scenes of saint authentically, few people from Raghavendra Mutt were invited to the shoot to provide their guidance. Prior to the start of the film, the team took the script first to the Swami's abode in Mantralayam, and got it blessed. They did the same thing with the first copy, post-completion. Muthuraman said that during the 90-day schedule, all the cast and crew of the film undergone the ritual of fasting on Thursday in reverence to lord's presence considering it was the mythological film. The introduction song with Sathyaraj was shot for the film; however Balachander felt this song was glamorous and felt out of place in a devotional film, hence Muthuraman removed the song from the film.