2018 director meets Rajinikanth. Days after his film '2018' was chosen as India's official entry for the 2024 Academy Awards, director Jude Anthany Joseph sought the blessings of the legendary Rajinikanth in preparation for his awards campaign. Jude shared an exciting glimpse of their meeting on Instagram.In the first post, Jude and Rajinikanth shared a warm moment, smiling for the camera. Rajinikanth wore a short black kurta and veshti, while Jude sported a printed white shirt and denims. The caption read, "What a wonderful day to start. Can't contain my excitement. More photos coming soon "
The second post featured pictures of Jude and others engaging in conversation with Rajinikanth in a room. Rajinikanth sat in a chair while Jude and the rest were on a couch, concluding with a group photo. Jude's caption conveyed, "Thalaiver said, 'What a film Jude, how did you shoot? Amazing work.' We sought his blessings for the Oscar journey. Thalaiver said, 'Go and bring the Oscar, my blessings and prayers.' Grateful to God for this unforgettable opportunity, and thanks to my dear friend Soundharya for making this happen ."
The final post showed Jude bowing down to touch Rajinikanth's feet to receive his blessings. Rajinikanth reciprocated with his blessings and folded hands, and Jude also joined his hands as a sign of respect. The caption simply stated, "Blessed."
'2018 - Everyone is a Hero' was released in theaters in May of this year. This Malayalam multi-starrer, based on the 2018 Kerala floods, became the highest-grossing film in Malayalam cinema, crossing ₹200 crore at the box office. The film features Tovino Thomas, Tanvi Ram, Kunchako Boban, and Aparna Balamurali. In September, it was unanimously selected to represent India in the Best International Film category at the Oscars.