Dubai: Superstar Rajinikanth is confident that his mega-budget sci-fi thriller "2.0" will be the most prestigious Indian film ever. "It will appeal to both the global and Indian audiences.

Director Shankar has a nice social message for everyone in the film," Rajinikanth, 66, told reporters at a press conference in Dubai.

The team of "2.0", including Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, A R Rahman, director Shankar, Amy Jackson and producer Allirajah Subaskaran were present at the event.

Asked about his down-to-earth personality, Rajinikanth said, "I don't want to act in my real-life because no one pays me to act off-screen."

Akshay, 50, said he had a completely different experience working in "2.0", which is touted to be Asia's costliest movie at a budget of Rs 400 crore. "I've never done a role like this in my entire career.

And, I've never seen anyone doing a character like this. It was a whole new experience to play the role of an anti-hero," said Akshay, adding that Shankar is not just a filmmaker but a scientist with a grand vision. Director Shankar "2.0" is not a extension of his 2010 blockbuster "Enthiran", which also starred Rajinikanth.

"'2.0' is not an extension of 'Enthiran'. It's a new film with a new format and a new message. But audiences will get to see their favourite characters from 'Enthiran' in the film. We have tried to convey a message, which is global. Everyone will be able to connect with it," said Shankar.

He also stressed that "2.0" is not a copy of any Hollywood film. He said the film just follows the Hollywood format in depicting the scale and the vision. Amy Jackson said, "I was always on my toes from day one. Shankar is a great filmmaker, and it's my second film with him. I had a whale of a time working on this project."

The team is now gearing up for the grand audio launch at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai, tomorrow. "2.0", produced by Lyca Productions, is slated to release on January 25, next year. PTI