Baba is a 2002 Indian Tamil-language supernatural action film written and produced by Rajinikanth under his banner Lotus International, directed by Suresh Krissna, with cinematography by Chota K. Naidu.

Along with Rajinikanth in the title role and Manisha Koirala in the female lead, the film features an ensemble supporting cast.

The film's story is about a carefree young non-believer of supreme power, Baba, who is a reincarnation of a great saint from the Himalayas.

First released in 2002, the film was met with negative critical reviews and was a box-office failure, resulting in Rajinikanth reimbursing distributors for their losses.

The film was digitally remastered, re-edited with a shorter duration and an alternate ending, and re-released by Lyca Productions on 10 December 2022, twenty years after its original release, coinciding with Rajinikanth's birthday weekend and received a favourable response.

His mother and maternal uncle, for whom Baba has great respect and love, are ardent devotees of Mahavatar Babaji.

Baba gets involved in a physical feud with the son of the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Ippo Ramaswamy for the former had interfered with the sale of land by his neighbour.

Baba is sent back to Chennai but baffled, he decides to test one of the mantras by wishing a kite to come and fall in his hand.

In the meantime, Chamundeeswari learns of Baba's origins from his mother, that he is the reincarnation of a saint who had disobeyed Babaji and that he himself does not know so, and tries to patch up with him.

While on his death-bed, his uncle tells Baba to use a mantra to renovate his surroundings that will finally instill his belief in Babaji, and he dies.

However, he uses the penultimate mantra to revive a newlywed Japanese neighbour fighting for his life due to food poisoning.

Baba's friends Annamalai, Perusu, Samundi, Kathirika urge him to use the final wish to become the permanent CM himself as the state would be great under him.

Then, as per the wish, Ramasamy's paralysed father (the first leader of the party) wants to prove that the older generation is better and his son is reckless.

Guruji asks Ramaswamy and Purushottaman to bring the Baba's necklace and his backbone to nullify the effects of the mantras.

Their attempts fail when a temple elephant puts out the fire, with Baba regaining consciousness and battering the villains badly.

In a change of heart, Baba turns back to remain in Tamil Nadu, to the cheer of the crowds that were hopeful that he leads the state.

In the re-edited 2022 re-release, Baba ascends to the Himalayas and meets Mahavatar Babaji, who tells him he had not served his mother, a virtue even more important than helping others.

"[citation needed] Rahman also faced criticism from the film fraternity for not recording the songs on time.

Speaking to Etimes, the director stated that it includes a number of changes: the film’s running time has been reduced to 2.5 hrs from 3.