The modern-day Lingaa returns to the village to save the same dam from a corrupt politician, Naga Bhushan, who plans to destroy it for personal gain. The Times of India Reception and Box Office

However, its momentum dipped sharply. The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who praised Rajinikanth's performance and Rahman's music but criticized the convoluted script, weak narrative, and dated action sequences. Despite a high global gross of around ₹120-154 crore, it was declared a as it failed to recover its massive budget, leading to losses estimated at ₹54 crore for distributors. This resulted in protests from distributors demanding refunds, with Rajinikanth reportedly stepping in to personally repay some of the losses.