While Rajinikanth's style quotient and Kabali's genre had become high talking points during pre-release days, post release, director Pa.Ranjith's sociopolitical thinking have come in for admiration from many quarters, even among academic circles. Right from writers to social activists to sections of IAS officers, many have extended their support to Ranjith on social media and other forums for certain contents in Kabali.

To the uninitiated, Kabali has not-so-direct allusions to character Kabaleeshwaran's underprivileged origins. More than once, Rajini's character talks about his low social status in an indirect way. He mocks at the Indian vice of never forgetting their caste loyalties/identities wherever we are. In another scene, he says that there was politics behind Gandhi wearing dhoti and BR Ambedkar wearing suit.

Rajini's character proudly wears the suit as a statement against the social hierarchy. "Why would I wear a suit in this scorching heat otherwise?" Kabali asks in the film.

All these elements have made many cine observers and critics talk about the unstated Dalit politics in this one of the biggest commercial hits in Indian cinema's history.

On his part, Ranjith has stated that he has had to undergo caste-based discrimination in his life. However, the talented director doesn't want to be called a Dalit filmmaker because he would have spoken up "against social inequalities even if he were not a Dalit".

Well said, Ranjith!