The countdown for the release of Rajinikanth's magnum opus "Kochadaiiyaan" has begun. The historic drama is gearing up for a massive release worldwide on 9 May.

"Kochadaiiyaan" will be releasing in approximately 6,000 screens in 10 countries. Besides the Tamil version, the film will be dubbed in five Indian languages including Telugu, Hindi, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Punjabi as well as foreign languages including Spanish and Japanese.

The Rajinikanth starrer will be releasing in record number of screens in Tamil Nadu. According to reports, the film will be shown in more than 400 screens across the state. "Kochadaiiyaan" will be hitting around 250 screens in Kerala and 150 screens in Karnataka, a source told us. The screen count is expected to increase in the coming days.

The film will see a grand release in overseas markets, particularly in the US. ATMUS Entertainment, which has acquired the US theatrical distribution rights of "Kochadaiiyaan" Tamil and Telugu versions, has given the details about the film's screen count in the country. According to them, the Tamil version will be releasing in more than 100 screens in the US.

With the inclusion of the Telugu and the Hindi versions, the total screen count is expected to surpass 200. Both the 2D and 3D versions of "Kochadaiiyaan" will be screened in several theatres. While the film will be releasing on 9 May, premiere shows will be held in the US on 8 May.

Advance bookings for the film is expected to open on Tuesday, whereas premiere bookings will open on Thursday.

"Kochadaiiyaan" is one of the most-awaited films of 2014. After multiple delays, the film is finally hitting theatres on 9 May. The historic drama will be introducing a new technology to the Indian audience. The Rajini starrer is the first Indian 3D film to use motion capture photo-realistic techniques.

The superstar will be playing a dual role in the film, while Deepika Padukone and Shobana are female leads. The other cast members include Jackie Shroff, Srarathkumar, Aadhi and Nassar.

The film is expected to take record openings at the box office on the first day of its release. It remains to be seen if the epic drama will impress Rajini fans and turn to be successful similar to his past releases.