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        Shankar, as a director, always sets much store by novelty and newness of form. The backdrop, the location, and more importantly, the looks of the hero reflect this abiding philosophy of Shankar. So what will be new in Sivaji? Everything, you can say. But as ever specific details are hard to come by.

        But what can certainly be confirmed is that Shankar has worked around the looks of Rajni. The superstar, as is well-known, is not much of an 'experimenter' when it comes to make-up or hair-do. But for Sivaji he seems to have run that extra mile to come across in a new form.

        Manish Malhotra, who has worked his magic on such Bollywood beauties like Karishma Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee and Kajol before (he transformed Karishma from an ugly duckling to a sensuous princess and changed Rani from gawky lass to a lissome babe), was roped in to work his undoubted skill on Rajnikanth.

        The effort seems to have paid of. For, going by the stills released to the press, Rajni looks at his smartest best. The crowfeet around the eyes, the sagging chin all seem to have vanished, as if taken out by a swish of a magic wand. Rajni looks thoroughly refreshed and relaxed. So much so, the obvious age difference between him and the spindly Shriya doesn't hit you in the face.

        Rajni has gone in for a variety of hair styles, too. In one of the stills, he sports the typical Rajni look - hair parted low on left-side with a huge swathe rakishly falling over the forehead on the other side. Remember, this is the style with which the urban legend of Rajni was born? Whenever he ran his hand casually across the hair and tossed it with practised insouciance, blood coursed across fans' veins fast and furious. Rajni has a few portions with his now familiar parted-on-the-middle back-combed middle-aged metro look.

        The most intriguing presence is, however, Rajni in a Warne-like bleached blonde look. There is any number of rumour surrounding this kind of make-up. One of them has it that Rajni appears as washed-out white in response to a Shriya taunt that he is too swarthy for her comfort.

        The promos have gone down well with Rajni's fans. They have also kindled their appetite.

        Now the film has to whet that.