For a viewer relying solely on subtitles, the translation usually rendered this as "Boss" or "Big Brother." However, the nuance is deeper. "Thalaiva" is a term of endearment and respect in Tamil culture, famously associated with superstar Rajinikanth. By calling Rahul "Thalaiva," the film creates a meta-joke about his heroic status. While the subtitles provided the literal meaning, they captured the sentiment that Rahul was slowly being accepted into the Tamil fold.
This is a gray area. of the original screenplay. While downloading a subtitle file for a personal backup of a DVD you own is generally accepted as fair use in many jurisdictions, downloading subtitles for a pirated copy is not legal. chennai express subtitle