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Hari Hara Veera Mallu Announces New Release Date (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Hari Hara Veera Mallu, starring Pawan Kalyan, is the highly anticipated movie for all South cinephiles. The makers of the historical drama have locked a new release date after multiple postponements. Directed by Jyothi Krishna and Krish Jagarlamudi, the film was initially slated for release on March 29, 2025. However, due to post-production delays, the release was pushed to May 9, 2025. Well, that also didn’t materialise, and now the makers have announced a new date in June 2025.

Hari Hara Veera Mallu Release Date Update

The makers took to X (formerly Twitter) to make the big announcement, and along with the new release date, they have shared a fresh film poster. Hari Hara Veera Mallu Part 1 Sword Vs Spirit is now set to hit the big screens on June 12, 2025. Crafted on an epic scale, the film is now racing toward its final stages,...

What Did Vijay Deverakonda Say About His Romance Rumors With Rashmika Mandanna?(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna‘s relationship rumors are nothing new. Fans loved their chemistry in Geetha Govindam and Dear Comrade and have been curious to know if they’re a real-life couple ever since. And now Vijay has finally addressed these rumors.

During a recent interview with Filmfare, Vijay was directly asked about the buzz around their relationship. Instead of giving a clear answer, he smiled and said, “Ask the insiders.” While he didn’t confirm anything, his response has only added to the mystery.

Vijay Deverakonda On Working with Rashmika Mandanna

Speaking about his on-screen chemistry with the Pushpa 2 star, Vijay shared, “I haven’t done enough movies with Rashmika. I should do more. She is a great actress. She is a beautiful woman. So, chemistry shouldn’t be a problem.” He also...

Here’s Why NTRNeel Is Holding Back Glimpse On Jr. Ntr’s Birthday! (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Jr. Ntr and Prashanth Neel’s next film, tentatively titled NTRNeel, has been one of the most highly anticipated upcoming projects. The movie was launched long ago and has garnered considerable buzz since its announcement. While the filming is reportedly progressing at a brisk pace, fans have been hopeful about receiving a major update on Ntr’s birthday on May 20.

However, the team behind the movie recently confirmed that NTRNeel would not get any major update on the superstar’s birthday this year since a major reveal of another of his much-awaited films, War 2, with Hrithik Roshan, is expected to drop on the same date.

Team NTRNeel Issues Statement About Taking A Step Back From Birthday Surprise

On May 17, makers of NTRNeel took to social media to confirm that Jr. Ntr’s birthday...

Enjoyed Black, White & Gray? You Must Watch This Dark Crime Thriller On Ott (Photo Credit – Sony Liv)

When the six-part crime thriller Black, White & Gray: Love Kills was released earlier this month on SonyLIV, it received a fantastic response from critics and the streaming audience. If you have seen the series and enjoyed it (or even haven’t watched it yet), we recommend checking out an underappreciated, dark crime thriller on Ott. We are talking about the 2021 show Tabbar (a Punjabi word which means family). Read on to know more about the series and where you can stream it.

Tabbar – Plot & Cast

The eight-episode family drama thriller revolves around a retired cop, Omkar Singh (played by Pavan Malhotra), who lives with his family in Jalandhar, Punjab. When Omkar’s elder son mistakenly brings home an identical bag, the bag owner tracks him and arrives at his home to take it back.

Rangayana Raghu In Agnyathavasi Thriller ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

After a sensational run at the box office, Agnyathavasi is now arriving on digital platforms. This critically acclaimed film has captivated audiences with its gripping storyline, haunting atmosphere, and memorable performances.

The Kannada-language mystery-drama is set to make its highly anticipated digital debut on ZEE5 on May 28, 2025.

What Is Agnyathavasi About?

Directed by Janardhan Chikkanna and written by Krishna Raj, the film follows a reclusive police inspector (played by Rangayana Raghu) in the quiet, mist-covered village of Nalkeri. After years of silence, the inspector is forced back into action when the suspicious death of a respected scholar stirs old fears—and reveals ties to a murder from decades ago.

Trending Manamey Ott Release Date Update: When & Where To Watch Krithi Shetty’s Romantic Comedy Drama In Tamil

Arjun S/o Vyjayanthi Ott Release Date Update: When & Where To Stream Kalyan Ram’s Action Drama In India?...

Apart from an unconvincing finale, Agnyathavasi in Kannada directed by Janardhan Chikkanna in his third outing as a feature director, is everything that cinema should be: original, thought-provoking and most importantly, challenging the status quo, both within and outside the cinematic universe.

The setting is an idyllic, disturbingly tranquil village in Karnataka where nothing happens. The police station is nearly defunct. There is no crime. What’s there to steal?! Who’s there to kill?

Director Chikkanna takes some time to get to the point. The slow-burn approach in what purports to be a Shakespearean crime drama involving, among other things, a long-distance relationship, the “evil” advent of the computer era(the film is set in the 1990s), and matricide, is a bit of a damper.

I mean, we want to see the characters grow, not groan, when there is so much in store for them.

Ironically, I found the...

Shivarajkumar’s 45 Kannada Film (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Shiva Rajkumar’s 45, helmed by director Arjun Janya, wrapped up filming before the actor headed to the Miami Cancer Institute in the USA for surgery. The plan was to release 45 after Bhairathi Ranagal (2024), the prequel to his 2017 blockbuster Mufti. While Bhairathi Ranagal hit theaters on November 15, 2024, 45 is still awaiting its big-screen debut.

When is 45 releasing?

Well, the wait is almost over. 45 is set to hit theaters on August 15, 2025, in just seven months. The film is currently in post-production, with the delay attributed to extensive VFX work.

Marz (Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies) is a Canadian VFX studio handling the visual effects. The studio is expected to wrap up its work by May, giving the filmmakers enough time to review the output and request any necessary corrections.

Trending Vidaamuyarchi Trailer Review: Ajith Kumar Is Racing Towards Road To Victory & A Guaranteed Box Office Success!

Marco...

Bagheera Box Office Collection Day 2: Srimurali Film Holds Strongly (Photo Credit – YouTube)

Srimurali’s Bagheera is coming as a redemption of sorts for the actor who has been making a comeback after 2022. The story of this superhero film is by the actor’s brother-in-law and Kgf director Prashanth Neel and has earned a total of 6.30 crore in two days despite the Diwali superstar clogging at the box office.

Bagheera Box Office Collection Day 2

On the second day, Friday, November 1, the Kannada superhero film took a minimal jump of almost 8% at the box office, bringing 3.25 crore to the box office. This number is a good number considering the string of superstar Diwali releases.

The superhero film helmed by Dr Suri is clashing at the box office with Dulquer Salmaan’s Lucky Baskhar, Sivakarthikeyan’s Amarana, Kiran Abbavaram’s Ka apart from Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again and Kartik Aaryan’s...

Bagheera: Everything you need to know about this Sri Murali starrer superhero movie! (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Bagheera is a Kannada superhero film with an impressive pedigree. It has the potential to become an epic. The story comes from Prashanth Neel, the mastermind behind the pan-Indian blockbusters Kgf and Salaar. Produced by Hombale Films, the powerhouse behind Kgf, Salaar, Kantara, and more, this film might elevate the Indian superhero genre to a new level. It stars Sri Murali as a fearless vigilante superhero. Please scroll down to uncover all the thrilling details we know so far.

Cast and Crew of Bagheera

It was held by D.R. Suri. Prashanth Neel crafted the story, and Soori wrote the screenplay and dialogue. Actor Sri Murali stars as the protagonist, and Garuda Ram plays the antagonist. The ensemble cast includes Rukmini Vasanth, Prakash Raj, Achyuth Kumar, Rangayana Raghu, and Insane Ashraf.

B. Ajaneesh Loknath composed the film’s music,...

Kannada films ‘Kousalya Supraja Rama’ and ‘Sapta Sagaradaache Eello’ have turned out to be hits and are winning the hearts of cinema lovers. Both have managed to draw family audiences to the theatre amid the big hype surrounding the blockbusters ‘Gadar 2’ and ‘Jailer’.

‘Kousalya Supraja Rama’ got IMDb ratings of 8 and ‘Sapta Sagaradaache Eello’ got 9.1 rating.

Though ‘Kousalya Supraja Rama’ initially lost screens due to the release of ‘Jailer’ and ‘Gadar 2’, the movie managed to perform well in single screen theatres as well as in multiplexes. The movie, a romantic comedy drama, is woven around male chauvinism and was lapped up by the family audiences from day one and is going strong.

Darling Krishna, Brinda Acharya, Milana Nagaraj, Rangayana Raghu are in prominent roles. Shashank has directed the movie and former minister B.C. Patil has produced the movie.

The much hyped and most expected dark romantic movie ‘Sapta...

ReviewWhile the trailer did suggest, more than subtly, that action and violence were major contributors to the ethos of Gowli, one hopes it had all come together under better circumstances. Gowli / IMDBWhen a film contains not one, but multiple scenes of violence against women, one hopes that it's all in place for a bigger cause. These sequences are rarely warranted on screen, one might say, but filmmakers use them to showcase their penchant for a certain kind of ‘rawness’. We saw some of this rawness in the recent Shiva Rajkumar-starrer Vedha, wherein multiple crimes were inflicted on the film's female characters. There was at least a semblance of justification in that case, thanks to Vedha’s vigilante-justice narrative. But in debutant director Soora's Gowli, the same formula is used to evoke pitiful, knee-jerk reactions from the audience. Bereft of nuance or necessity, the film makes use of the crime-against-woman trope...

ReviewJames may appear tad cliched for some but it shines through as a sincere ode to the legacy of Puneeth Rajkumar and his ever-growing fandom.ShuklajiSCREENGRAB/ YOUTUBEIt wouldn't be unfair to say that only a few films in the history of Indian cinema have carried the emotional bearing that Chethan Kumar's James has. For the many million fans of the late Puneeth Rajkumar, March 17 had been marked as a day of cathartic expression, one that transcended the usual celebrations surrounding a release and instead captured their boundless love and adoration for a star and his imperishable legacy. And 'James', the film, becomes that grand last hurrah as it gets fittingly released in cinema halls on the birth anniversary of the Powerstar. "The world is divided into three types of markets," beckons the narrator's voice as we are introduced to the world of James at the beginning of the film.

Celebrating the success and positive response to Kannada movie ‘Family Pack’, director Arjun Kumar S, producer Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar and legendary actor Rangayana Raghu expressed their gratitude to audiences. “Family Pack is one of the most important films for all of us. What is even more encouraging as a producer is the fact that the […]...

ReviewIt’s fine to make a film that doesn’t take itself seriously, but that is not the same as creating a film where even the filmmaking isn’t taken seriously.Sowmya RajendranScreengrabFamily Pack is being marketed as an “endearing tale of human emotions”. Forty-five minutes into the film, every human emotion within me has died, and I am left staring at the screen wondering listlessly when the film will draw to an end. Directed by Arjun Kumar S, this supernatural comedy is about a young man named Abhi (Likith Shetty), who decides to end his life because of “love failure”. Now if you’re imagining something on the scale of Devdas, Romeo and Juliet, Heer Ranjha and so on, please lower your expectations. Abhi decides to take this drastic decision though he knows absolutely nothing about his crush, a woman who calls herself Baby Boo (Amrutha Iyengar), short for Bhoomika.

Sandalwood In this posthumous release, Puneeth will be seen as a security agent who takes charge of a squad to take down the mafia. Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe teaser of the Kannada movie James, which features late Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar in the lead, was unveiled on February 11. The film will be released posthumously, after Puneeth’s sudden death in October 2021. The trailer opens with the quote: “Emotions are bigger than business”, followed by shots of business meetings, cityscapes and action sequences. The teaser indicates that James revolves around the mafia and the underworld, and a high-stakes situation. Puneeth will be seen as Santhosh, a security agent, who takes charge of a squad to take down a mafia racket. He is introduced as someone whose guts and intuition are part of his trademark. The teaser ends with a conversation between the villain and Puneeth. When the former says, “There are no records of my rivals winning,...

The trailer of much-awaited Kannada comedy drama ‘Family Pack’ was released on Thursday by Prime Video. Directed by Arjun Kumar S, and produced under the banner of late Puneeth Rajkumar’s Prk Productions, the film is an endearing tale of human emotions featuring actors Rangayana Raghu, Amruta Iyengar and Likith Shetty in the lead. Offering a […]...

SandalwoodWith the film industry getting back on its feet after the pandemic, here’s a tentative list of Sandalwood films release dates. Digital NativeThe film industry is slowly but steadily getting back on its feet with theatres reopening after the Covid–19 lockdown since March last year. In fact, there is a long line of films in Sandalwood waiting for the release. Here’s a tentative list with the release dates. Ramarjuna (January 29) - Ramarjuna is an upcoming Kannada film that is directed by Anish Tejaswar. Anish is also playing the lead role in it. Interestingly, the Kannada Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar has rendered a song in this flick which has been composed by Vidya Sagar. Inspector Vikram (February 5) - Prajwal Devaraj and Bhavana play the lead pair in Inspector Vikram which has Ramesh Aravind as the villain. Darshan will be seen making a cameo appearance in this flick. The technical...

SandalwoodDirected by A Harsha, the film will have Bhavana sharing screen space with Shiva Rajkumar.Digital NativeDigital NativeKannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar’s upcoming film Bhajarangi 2 was scheduled to hit the marquee in April, with the filmmakers hoping to cash in on the summer holiday season. But the release got pushed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The film marks the reunion of Shiva Rajkumar and choreographer-director A Harsha after their superhit box-office outings – Bhajarangi and Vajrakaya. The film’s shooting resumed recently in Bengaluru where the remaining patchwork is being shot. There was a lot of visual effects work pending and the makers used the lockdown period to complete it. Now, according to sources from the film’s camp, there is about a month-long schedule pending and looking at the current situation the team is mostly eyeing an early 2021 release, maybe coinciding with a festival. On choosing the title, the...

SandalwoodThe song is part of Danish Sait's upcoming film ‘French Biriyani’ which is releasing on Amazon Prime Video.Alithea Stephanie MounikaScreengrabActor and comedian Danish Sait, who has become all the more famous for his much awaited one-minute videos of a Bengalurean’s life during the lockdown, premiered a fresh new track from his upcoming film French Biriyani, on Saturday. The number titled 'The Bengaluru Song' was released on YouTube. It’s a rap song along with a dance sequence which pays homage to various iconic locations in Bengaluru city, while Danish Sait drives through the city in his auto. The music video features many monuments in the city, including the Majestic bus stand, parts of Shivajinagar, various buildings in and around Cubbon Park including the state library and Karnataka High Court. It also pays homage to the statues of Tipu Sultan, Mahatma Gandhi and late Kannada actor Rajkumar. The...

SandalwoodThe actor said in an interview that his inbox is flooded with new scripts and the lockdown has given him time to read and pick out the best.Digital NativeDigital NativeKannada actor Rishi is making the best use of the lockdown period by reading new scripts. The actor said that he has been offered several scripts in the past and his inbox is flooded with new scripts; therefore, this is the best time to read and pick out the best. The actor pointed out that reading the script gives him better insights than story narrations and he is able to choose the right one. He added that he has earmarked some scripts which he will take up after the lockdown ends. In an interview with Cinema Express, Rishi has been quoted as saying, “I usually get a narration over the phone, but I prefer a written script, a brief synopsis,...

SandalwoodIt will have the 'Sankashta Kara Ganapathi' director Arjun Kumar S and hero Likshith Shetty collaborating again. Digital NativeDigital NativeThe Kannada Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar’s maiden production venture Kaavaludaari proved that he had the Midas Touch and it continued with the recently released Maya Bazar 2016. Puneeth is now all set to produce another film titled Family Pack under his banner Prk Productions. It will have the Sankashta Kara Ganapathi director Arjun Kumar S and hero Likshith Shetty collaborating again. Amrutha Iyer has been roped in to play the female lead in this entertainer. The technical crew of Family Pack will include Guru Kiran to compose the tunes and Madhu to do the edits. The supporting cast of this film comprises Deshraj Rai, Rangayana Raghu, Achyuth Kumar, Dattanna, Tilak and others. While this production is taking shape, Puneeth is expecting the release of Yuva Rathnaa. Directed by Santosh Ananddram, the...

ReviewA remake of the 2012 Tamil film ‘Sattai’, the movie carries a significant message but is a few decades late, especially in terms of the making.Aravind ShwethaShiva Rajkumar’s movies have a unique fan following. The lack of promotions don’t really matter, as a bunch of his fans are always eager to catch the first day first show. Still, Drona is one of the most under promoted films so far. Many fans did not even know that the movie was releasing today, and had lashed out at the team about it on social media. Surprisingly, the actor himself has stayed away from promotions for his last few films. Drona is a remake of the 2012 Tamil film Sattai. By making slight changes here and there, and adding the typical action masala to please Shiva Rajkumar fans, the director has come up with a relevant if predictable film. Guru (Shiva Rajkumar...

ReviewA remake of the 2012 Tamil film ‘Sattai’, the movie carries a significant message but is a few decades late, especially in terms of the making.Aravind ShwethaShiva Rajkumar’s movies have a unique fan following. The lack of promotions don’t really matter, as a bunch of his fans are always eager to catch the first day first show. Still, Drona is one of the most under promoted films so far. Many fans did not even know that the movie was releasing today, and had lashed out at the team about it on social media. Surprisingly, the actor himself has stayed away from promotions for his last few films. Drona is a remake of the 2012 Tamil film Sattai. By making slight changes here and there, and adding the typical action masala to please Shiva Rajkumar fans, the director has come up with a relevant if predictable film. Guru (Shiva Rajkumar...

SandalwoodThe actor is making his directorial debut with this film.Digital NativeDigital NativeDuniya Vijay is making his directorial debut with Salaga and it is widely known that the film is in the post-production mode. Besides wielding the megaphone for this venture, he is also playing the lead role in the film. The star cast also includes Sanjana Anand as the heroine, apart from Dhananjay, Achyuth Kumar, Triveni Rao, Yash Shetty, Rangayana Raghu, Sathish Ninasam and Nagabhushan in prominent roles. Charan Raj is composing the background score for Salaga while Naveen Sajju is setting the tunes for the songs. With the film reaching the post-production mode, reports suggest that Charan Raj is working on the re-recording. Earlier, the plan was to release the film on February 23 but it was postponed for various reasons. According to confirmed reports surfacing in tinsel town, Salaga is now scheduled to hit the marquee for Ugadi.

SandalwoodOnly the shooting for the title track needs to be completed.Digital NativeDuniya Vijay is making his debut as a director with Salaga while also playing the lead role in the film. Salaga has been progressing well with the shooting happening on schedule. According to an update about the film, we hear that the team will begin shooting the title track from Wednesday onwards. For this track, well-known art director Shiva Kumar is reportedly erecting a rustic set. Confirming this, the film’s producer Srikanth said in an interview to Cinema Express, “The art director plays a very important part in this title track and is personally working on the details of the structure and the backdrop. It is concept-oriented, and the director, cinematographer and art director will choreograph the song together.” The Salaga team wrapped up the talkie portions a few weeks ago and with this song, the entire shooting will be completed.

SandalwoodThe audio launch event is scheduled to happen on January 5.Digital NativeDigital NativeIt was reported earlier that Kannada actor Duniya Vijay is making his debut as a director with the film Salaga. He will also be playing the lead role in the flick. The film has been progressing well, with the shooting happening on schedule. According to the latest updates about Salaga, an important portion of the film was canned at the Kadalekai Parishe, which is a popular groundnut fair held annually in Bengaluru. Reportedly, this is a scene from the climax and sources in the know say that Duniya Vijay has put in a lot of effort into it. We also hear that this climax will be the highlight of the film. The climax fight was choreographed by Vinod and Vijay over a period of six days. The shooting for Salaga is almost over with just the intro song to be shot.

SandalwoodPlans are on to rope in three female leads for the film and the shooting will reportedly begin in February 2020.Digital NativeKannada star Ganesh will be joining the sets of the Mahesh Gowda directorial in the next few days, we hear. The groundwork for this project is already on and we hear that the director is busy giving the final touches to the script. It may be noted here that director Mahesh Gowda’s Rugged, which released earlier this year, went on to become a big hit. Reports suggest that Mahesh’s upcoming film with Ganesh is titled Trible Riding, the local pronunciation of the term ‘triple riding’. The film will be bankrolled by Ramgopal and Arunkumar. Plans are on to rope in three female leads for Trible Riding and talks are going on with some actors already. The rest of the star cast has been finalised, with Sadhu Kokila,...

ReviewThe concept scores a 10 on 10, but director Anoop Ramaswamy’s execution needed more thought.Aravind ShwethaIf you are an 80s or 90s kid who grew up in Karnataka, the title Sarvajanikarige Suvarnavakasha (Golden opportunity for the general public) is sure to trigger nostalgia. Autorickshaws mounted with loudspeakers would go around making announcements to attract the innocent public, towards mostly dubious schemes. While such public announcements have almost disappeared these days, the director’s idea to bring it back is commendable. But, does the movie live up to its “golden” title? Well, only in the last 30 minutes. Vedant (Rishi) is an Mba student. His mother is bedridden and his father (Dattanna) takes several loans to make ends meet. Vedant’s girlfriend Janhavi (Dhanya Balakrishna) has epilepsy. Vedant, who already knows about the pain his mother is going through, makes sure that he takes good care of Janhavi. On Janhavi’s birthday,...

SandalwoodThe groundwork for this project is already on and we hear that the director is busy giving final touches to the script.Digital NativeDigital Native The Kannada star Ganesh will be joining the sets of the Mahesh Gowda directorial in the next few days, we hear. The groundwork for this project is already on and we hear that the director is busy giving final touches to the script. Reports are that the film is titled Trible Riding, the local pronunciation of the term ‘Triple Riding’. The film will be bankrolled by Ramgopal and Arunkumar. Plans are on to rope in three female leads for Trible Riding and talks are on with some of the actors already. The rest of the star cast has been finalised with Sadhu Kokila, Rangayana Raghu, Ravi Shankar Gowda, Kuri Pratap, Umesh and Dingri Nagaraj being roped in. Meanwhile, Ganesh is busy with Gaalipata 2. We had...

TollywoodDirected by Puli Vasu, the film will have music by S Thaman.Digital NativeRachita Ram will soon be foraying into the Telugu film industry. The actor from Sandalwood has bagged the female lead role in Super Machi which will have megastar Chiranjeevi’s son-in-law Kalyan Dev as the hero. Directed by Puli Vasu, the film will have music by S Thaman. The shooting of Super Machi has begun already with the lead stars joining the sets. On signing the film, Rachita had told in an interview to The Times of India, “I have signed a film opposite Kalyan Dev, Chiranjeevi sir’s son-in-law, titled Super Machi, which will be directed by Puli Vasu. The film has music by S Thaman. I will begin shooting for the film from Monday.” Rachita Ram was last seen in the Kannada movie Ayushmann Bhava. It had Shiva Rajkumar in the lead role, with veteran...

Flix‘Kadalekai Parishe’ is an annual event held in Bengaluru’s Basavanagudi area.Digital NativeKannada actor Duniya Vijay will be seen in his upcoming venture Salaga. Incidentally the Sandalwood star will be making his debut as a director with this movie. The film has been progressing well with the shooting going according to schedule. According to recent updates about Salaga, we hear that an important portion of the film was shot at the Kadalekai Parishe, which is a popular event held in Basavanagudi. Reportedly, this is the climax scene and sources in the know say that the actor has put in a lot of effort into it. We also hear that the climax will be the highlight of the film. The fights in the climax scene have been choreographed by Vinod and Vijay over a period of six days. Shooting of the film has reached the final stages and the post-production work has begun already.

SandalwoodThe filmmakers are eyeing the summer release to cash in on the holiday season. Digital NativeDigital Native The Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar’s next film Bhajarangi 2 will hit the marquee in April 2020. The filmmakers are eyeing the summer release to cash in on the holiday season. The film’s progress was slowed down following its lead star’s shoulder surgery in London some months ago and his recuperation thereafter. Shivanna joined the sets of Bhajarangi 2 a couple of months ago and has been actively part of the shooting schedules since then. Harsha is wielding the megaphone for this venture which has raised the expectation levels as the duo are teaming up for the third time for Bhajarangi 2. On choosing the title, the director had reportedly said that it will have no connection with Bhajarangi but he chose the title because his team liked it. So, from what we gather, Bhajarangi...

SandalwoodThe movie, starring child actors Ashlesh Raj and Shlagha Saligrama, features over 280 kids and every character is carefully crafted.Aravind ShwethaAs kids, we all enjoyed the Gulliver and Lilliput story from the book Gulliver’s Travels. We were intrigued by the existence of small and cute human beings who could carry out exactly everything we did, but on a smaller scale. The pictorial representation of small roads, bridges and houses made us believe in their existence. The original book, released in 1726, is still a big hit among kids. Almost three centuries later, if you Google Gulliver’s Travels, one of the questions that pops up is: Is Gulliver’s Travels a true story? Such has been the impact of the book. The teeny-tiny human characters are just too cute to ignore. Same is the case with Ravi Basrur’s experimental film Girmit. Raja (Ashlesh Raj) is a happy-go-lucky chap. His...

SandalwoodThe film was scheduled to release on November 1, but has been postponed due to a delay in censor certification.Digital NativeIn disappointment for Shiva Rajkumar’s fans, the star’s Ayushman Bhava will not be hitting the marquee on Friday, November 1 as planned. The filmmakers tried hard to ensure that the film would release on Kannada Rajyotsava day but it could not happen due to delay in censor certification. The new release date set for Ayushman Bhava is November 15 and all efforts are being undertaken to make sure that the deadline is met. Veteran actors Prabhu and Suhasini Maniratnam play pivotal roles in this flick, which is a P Vasu directorial. It may be noted here that P Vasu and Shiva Rajkumar are collaborating for the second time, with their first outing Shivalinga being a big hit. Rachita Ram is playing Shiva Rajkumar’s heroine and Nidhi Subbiah will be seen in an important role.

SandalwoodThe film stars Ashlesh Raj, Shlagha Saligrama, Aradhya Shetty and about 280 children in pivotal roles and has some big names from Sandalwood involved.Digital NativeWell-known Kannada music composer Ravi Basrur made his directorial debut with the film Gargar Mandala and directed a couple of films later too. He also starred in a movie besides producing films. The ace musician is now all set to release his next directorial, titled Girmit, named after a popular snack in Karnataka. The film is in the post production mode and the latest news is that it will release on November 8. Girmit stars Ashlesh Raj, Shlagha Saligrama, Aradhya Shetty and about 280 children in pivotal roles and has some big names from Sandalwood involved. Yes, the film will be presented by Sandalwood’s Power Star, Puneeth Rajkumar, in five languages. The film is produced by Ns Rajkumar and Ravi Basrur under the banners Omkar Movies and Ravi Basrur Movies.

SandalwoodDirected by Yograj Bhatt, the romantic comedy starred Puneeth and Deepa Sannidhi in the lead roles.Digital NativeThe Puneeth Rajkumar starrer Paramathma was one of the biggest hits in his career. The film was directed by Yograj Bhatt and produced by Jayanna. Paramathma was a romantic comedy that had Puneeth and Deepa Sannidhi in the lead roles. Aindrita Ray, Anant Nag, Ramya Barna, Avinash, Rangayana Raghu, Datthanna, Raju Thalikote and Shweta Pandit formed the rest of the star cast. Paramathma was released in the year 2011 on the eve of Vijayadasami and went on to become a big hit. Recalling the release, Puneeth Rajkumar’s fans clubs wrote several posts on the film, and it was followed by director Yograj Bhatt. Puneeth Rajkumar is currently busy with Yuva Ratna, which is directed by Santosh Ananddram who had collaborated earlier with Puneeth to deliver the smash hit film Rajakumaraa. Yuva Ratna is...

SandalwoodThis is a remake of the 2015 Malayalam film 'Two Countries'.Aravind ShwethaAdhyaksha in America, directed by Yoganand Muddan, is not a sequel to Sharan's hit film Adhyaksha. There is no connection or continuation to the first part. This is a remake of the 2015 Malayalam film Two Countries, which was also remade in Telugu with Sunil in the lead. A remake film comes with its own pros and cons. With a number of online streaming platforms making their way to every household, there are chances that many people would have already seen the original. That said, the onus is on the filmmakers to weave a tale taking only the important elements from the original and fashioning it to suit the sensibilities of its audience. A too-faithful remake – meaning frame-to-frame copy – is sure to disappoint the audience. Adhyaksha in America is one such remake. Ullas (Sharan) is a wastrel and an opportunist.

SandalwoodDirector Vijayanagendra gives us an absolute entertainer in his debut attempt, with Ganesh and other lead actors shining in their roles.Aravind ShwethaWith the ‘one nation one language’ pitch making headlines across the nation recently, Geetha could not have found a better release date. With the Gokak agitation – a successful language rights agitation in the 1980s that fought for the first-language status of Kannada – as the backdrop, this trademark Ganesh love story makes for an absolute entertainer, that is if you can ignore the slow screenplay. It was surprising to learn that in the last 35 years, nobody took the initiative to make a movie on the biggest Kannada language-related agitation that took place in Karnataka in 1982. There are a few short films, but a movement of this scale deserves a full-length movie. Akash (Ganesh), a software engineer, is raised by a single parent, Shankar (Devraj). He craves love and affection from both parents,...

SandalwoodThe film will reportedly be a stylish entertainer and Abhishek will be seen in a new avatar.Digital NativeDigital NativeA few weeks ago there were reports that Abhishek Ambareesh’s next film will be directed by Mahesh Rao and that the prep work for the film has begun. But sources in the know say that this venture has been put on hold for some reason. Reports say Abhishek’s mother, veteran actor Sumalatha Ambareesh and a Member of Parliament, has okayed a script by director Prashanth Raj. This film will go on the floors soon. Sources in the know say that Prashanth is planning the film as a stylish entertainer and that Abhishek will be appearing in a new avatar. Prashanth Raj’s last film release was the Ganesh starrer Orange, which hit the marquee in December last year. A romantic comedy, it was produced by Naveen Gs under his banner Nimma Cinema.

SandalwoodThe film, which will have about 280 child artistes playing different roles, will be out in five languages – Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi.Digital NativeIt was revealed some time ago that Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar will be presenting the Ravi Basrur directed children’s film Girmit, which will be out in five languages. Titled Girmit in Kannada, the film’s title will be Pakka Mass in Hindi and Telugu, and Podi Mass in Tamil and Malayalam. According to the latest reports, the makers are planning to release its English dubbed version as well. The film will have about 280 child artistes playing different roles and provide a unique experience for movie buffs. Also, the child artistes will have a strong resemblance to the stars who will do the voiceover for their character. This will be a memorable experience for the audiences watching the film. Reports indicate that top actors in Sandalwood...

SandalwoodThe story is fairly simple, but what makes the movie watchable are the fresh faces – Vaibhavi, Vainidhi and Vaisiri.Aravind ShwethaIn an industry where women-centric commercial films are a rarity, Yaana, the makers claim, is here to fill this gap. The icing on the cake – the film is also directed by a woman. Yaana, meaning journey, is said to be the first Kannada film directed by a mother for her daughters and produced by the father. It’s all in the family. However, the film’s journey has been a little bumpy from the beginning, as it was in the making for 3 long years. Three years is a long time and trends change every year. Has Yaana managed to hold the interest of the audience? Let’s find out. The film opens in a college and shows the routine life of the three female protagonists – Maya – an aspiring DJ, Anjali...

SandalwoodThe children’s film, directed by Ravi Basrur, will have about 280 child artistes playing different roles.Digital NativePuneeth Rajkumar is presenting Ravi Basrur’s children’s film Girmit, which will be out in five languages, we hear. Titled Girmit in Kannada, the film’s title will be called Pakka Mass in Hindi and Telugu, and Podi Mass in Tamil and Malayalam. The film, produced by N S Rajkumar, will have about 280 child artistes playing different roles and provide a unique experience for movie buffs. Also, the child artistes will have a strong resemblance to the stars who will do the voiceover for their character. This will be a memorable experience for the audiences watching the film. Reports indicate that top actors in Sandalwood will be doing the voiceovers for this film and the list includes Yash, Radhika Pandit, Sudha Belawadi, Rangayana Raghu, Achyuth Kumar, Tara, Petrol Prasanna, Sadhu Kokila and others.

SandalwoodThe film stars Vihaan, Sonal Monteiro and Akshara Gowda in lead roles.Digital NativeDirector Yogaraj Bhat is gearing up for the release of his film Panchatantra, which has Vihaan, Sonal Monteiro and Akshara Gowda in the lead roles. The shooting for this flick is said to be in the final stages and now we hear that there is a huge demand for its Hindi and Telugu remake rights. Apparently, the director is in talks with producers from both the film industries and is on the verge of striking a deal. He will be wielding the megaphone for both the Telugu and Hindi versions, say sources. However, the lead actors will be chosen from the respective film industries. Yogaraj Bhat is an accomplished filmmaker and his films have been remade in other languages in the past and have done well at the box office. Therefore, it is no surprise that the...

SandalwoodThere are too many tasteless lines in this badly directed film.Karthik KeramaluIt was just five minutes before the show was supposed to begin, and I was at the ticket counter looking here and there, waiting for the queue ahead of me to thin down. Fridays are usually a busy day at the cinemas, and, today, most of the movie-goers seemed like they wanted to watch Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam 2. My show was almost cancelled because there were very few people for it, but I fought for the film to be screened. I was determined to give Loudspeaker a chance to let it wash my spirit anew. Alas, dreams remained mere dreams, and, I somehow, survived the show to review it. Loudspeaker opens with character introductions. And I was immediately taken aback at the awful cheesiness of it all. Just last week, Kannada cinema saw Katheyondu Shuruvagide, a romance...

ReviewAfter a long time, an interesting suspense thriller has made its way to the theatres.Aravind ShwethaWhat happens when a bunch of seasoned actors join hands with a clever director? - Aa Karaala Ratri (The Intense Dark Night) aka a suspense thriller, which makes quite an impact! What was planned in the ‘Bigg’ House (Bigg Boss House) has been well executed in a small house by the director! In the end, the Aa Karaala Ratri team, most of whom were Bigg Boss 5 contestants (2018 season), has managed to pull off a surprise in the absence of any A-list actor. After a long time, an interesting suspense thriller has made its way to the theatres. The film not only manages to keep the audience on the edge of their seats but also thoroughly entertains throughout, with unexpected twists and turns leading to an unseen climax. Suspense thrillers can be classified into two types – a badly executed film that gives away all the elements in the first half, encouraging the audience to walk out of the theatres in the intermission. The second one knows how to exactly control even the blinking of the audience’s eyes. Aa Karaala Ratri belongs to the second category and has become the talk of the town. The film opens with Pkh Das’ camera showing us the serene and green Chikkamagaluru, where the story unfolds in a small house. In fact, the scenes just juggle between the house and a liquor shop located nearby. Initially, the film revolves around three actors – Muthanna (Rangayana Raghu), a drunkard, his compassionate wife Gowramma (Veena Sundar) and their daughter Mallika (Anupama Gowda), a frustrated but fearless woman. The peace in the house is stirred by the arrival of two men – a soothsayer (Naveen Krishna) and Channakeshava (Karthik Jayaram), the man with a secret suitcase, which opens a brilliant twist about how greed, lust and desire can overpower values like love, empathy and compassion. With minimal characters, the film has turned out just fine. The actors know their roles and have excelled in them. Raghu and Veena portray the role with ease as usual. TV actor Anupama, who is making her debut on the silver screen, makes an impression. Though Karthik needs to work on his diction, he is decent in the role of Channakeshava. Simple language, coupled with a few unheard lines from Mankuthimmana Kagga (poems by Dv Gundappa), make the dialogues intriguing. The other two Bigg Boss contestants, Sihi Kahi Chandru and Jaya Srinivasan, who have minor roles to play, have done them justice. The film is an adaptation of a play of the same name. Director Dayal Padmanabhan surely knows how to give a filmy touch to the play, for this is his second such film after Haggada Kone, which received critical acclaim. With minimal resources, Dayal has extracted the maximum and it is evident on the big screen. Dayal, who has worked with well-known directors in the past, has demonstrated that a suspense thriller can be crafted with lesser-known actors devoid of the routine ingredients. Ganesh Narayan’s background score complements the fast screenplay. But the songs are just okay. This is one department the team could have concentrated on. Overall, Aa Karaala Ratri is a good entertainer that can be watched with the family. (Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither Tnm nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film's producers or any other members of its cast and crew.)...

SandalwoodThe Pramod Chakravarthy directorial will also star Rangayana Raghu, V Manohar and Sadhu Kokila. Digital NativeThe Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar has Rustum, Kavacha and The Villain lined up for release this year. And now, the actor has signed yet another project – the Pramod Chakravarthy directorial Drona. The official pooja of Drona is expected to begin on June 22 this year. And according to reports, the film is set to go on floors in August. By then the star would have completed his ongoing assignments. The film will be produced under the banner of Dolphin Media House, and will have Swati Sharma playing the female lead with Rangayana Raghu, V Manohar, Sadhu Kokila in the supporting roles. According to reports, Shivanna will be seen playing a teacher in Drona. The star began this year with Tagaru hitting the silver screens. Directed by Duniya Soori, the film released on February 23. Siva Rajkumar’s next release will be The Villain. This film went on the floors last year and the shooting has been wrapped up. The team is currently busy with the post production work and its release date will be worked out depending on its completion. The Villain is one of the most anticipated films in the Kannada film industry and will see Sudeep sharing the screen space with Shiva Rajkumar for the first time. It will also mark Amy Jackson’s debut in Sandalwood. Directed by Prem, The Villain has been shot extensively in various locations abroad. According to reports, Shiva Rajkumar will look in the film will also be a big surprise for the fans. Meanwhile, his film Kavacha is scheduled for release later this year. (Content provided by Digital Native)...

TollywoodReports indicate that director-producer Ram Gopal Varma might bankroll the remake under his banner.Digital NativeThe Kannada movie Kaddipudi, starring Shiva Rajkumar, hit the marquee on June 7, 2013 and went on to become one of the biggest hits in the star’s career. The film was directed by Duniya Soori and produced by M Chandru on a budget of Rs 6.5 crore. According to industry reports doing the rounds, Tollywood star Nagarjuna may be reprising the role enacted by Shiva Rajkumar in the Telugu remake of the film. Apparently, director-producer Ram Gopal Varma is keen on bankrolling this venture under his banner. The talks are on and nothing has been finalised yet. Reports say that more details about the remake will emerge only after the release of Nagarjuna’s next movie in the making, Officer. Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, Officer is gearing up for release on May 25. The film is now in the post-production mode and the promos will begin soon, say sources. It may be noted here that Officer marks the coming together of Nag and Rgv after a gap of two and half decades. The last time they worked together was in Govinda Govinda, which came out in 1992. Officer, which has Myra Sareen playing the female lead, is bankrolled by Sudeer Chandra and Ram Gopal Varma under the banner R Company. In the film, Nag will be seen playing a police officer. A crime film, the screenplay of Kaddipudi was jointly penned by Duniya Soori and Rajesh Nataranga. The film starred Shiva Rajkumar and Radhika Pandit as the lead pair with Rangayana Raghu, Balu Nagendra, Anant Nag, Rajesh Nataranga, Sharath Lohitashwa, Renuka Prasad, Pradeep V, Avinash, Girija Lokesh, Aindrita Ray and Santhosh Reva in supporting roles. The technical crew of the film included V Hari Krishna for music, Krishna for cinematography and Deepu S Kumar for editing. (Content provided by Digital Native)...

SandalwoodIt comes as a bit of a surprise to see Sandalwood pick up on the topic of Aadhaar and data theft so quickly.Rakesh MeharUnless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s likely that questions about Aadhaar have loomed large in your life lately, thanks to the ongoing court hearings and messages regarding mandatory linking that inundated us all till recently. But even in times like this, it comes as a bit of a surprise to see Sandalwood pick up on the topic of Aadhaar and data theft so quickly. Which makes this week’s Gultoo already a rare find – a Kannada film whose plot points are as current as you could hope for. But even more interestingly, this film, written by Avinash Lakshmaiah and Janardhan Chikkanna, seems to get many of its buzz words and technical plot points right, even if not the politics of the issue. So, when characters in the film talk about things like “worms” or “shoulder surfing”, you get the feeling that they might actually know what these words mean. Thanks to that effort, Gultoo, which Janardhan also directed, certainly shows flashes of an engaging digital thriller. So you have Alok (newcomer Naveen Shankar), a super-smart engineer who dreams of founding the next unicorn start-up, but ends up living a fairly dead-end life serving coffee and teaching at a computer institute instead. One day, Pooja (Sonu Gowda) walks into his life and romance seems to blossom. But there’s more to both our protagonists than meets the eye and a giant cat-and-mouse game is poised to unfold. Unfortunately, though, as current as the topic of his script is, Janardhan seems unable to break completely out of the formula trap, wasting most of the first half on an overly long romance. And sadly, the film’s take on romance doesn’t move too far from the trodden path. There is a nod or two towards updated thinking: like the neighbour who spots Alok taking Pooja up to his room. When she learns that Pooja is a “friend”, she comments: “Alright if it’s a friend. The boys who were here earlier would always say they are taking their sisters up to their rooms.” But aside from moments like this, the first half follows fairly predictable and sometimes boring lines. So by the time the film gets to the core of its story, it has little time to meticulously unfold its thrilling chase. Instead, a little over halfway through, Gultoo dumps its story on the viewer in a series of excessively telling explanations. The film also seems trapped by its own desire to be understood, which takes priority over the traditional modes of building suspense and slowly teasing out the tangled threads of mystery. Sometimes the film manages to combine the desire for explanation with creative outtakes, as with the extended primer on ideas like big data and the dark web, featuring an appearance by U-Turn director Pawan Kumar. But laying out all of its key ideas as dumbed-down explanations robs the film of its potential for dramatic conflict. So when the end credits roll by, you can’t help but feel a little disappointed. There are still enough interesting elements in the film to keep you engaged throughout. The supporting cast, for instance, including actors like Avinash and Rangayana Raghu, bring their A-game to characters who have been written with more depth than the usual Sandalwood fare. Sonu Gowda too has her moments in a story that gives her plenty of screen-time. The first half is also enlivened by some unusual songs written by Amit Anand, whose music gives a different feel to the film. While Gultoo is not without its problems, it still strikes a chord simply by trying to get off the beaten path of Kannada cinema. Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the film. Neither Tnm nor any of its reviewers have any sort of business relationship with the film's producers or any other members of its cast and crew.

Sandalwood The romantic action thriller stars Prem Kumar and Kriti Kharbanda.Digital NativeThe romantic action entertainer, Dalapathi, is slated for release on February 9th, confirm its makers. Starring Prem Kumar in the lead role with Kirti Kharbanda as his heroine, this Kannada movie is touted to be high on action and romance. The film is bankrolled jointly by Feroz Khan and Naveen under their banner Nam Cinemas and it is directed by Prashanth Raj. Incidentally, Naveen happens to be the director’s brother. Charan has composed music for this venture with Santhosh Rai Pathaje cranking the camera. While the film is gearing up for release on February 9th, it will have a stiff competition at the box office as some biggies are also slated for release on the same day. According to sources in the trade, the filmmakers are trying to cash in on the long weekend considering the fact that it is Shiva Ratri that weekend and Valentine’s Day on Wednesday. Other movies that are scheduled for release on February 9th happen to be the Shiva Rajkumar starrer Tagaru, which has been directed by Duniya Soori. The film was supposed to release last year but was postponed for a couple of times for reasons best known to its makers. Apart from this biggie, Chiranjeevi Sarja and his uncle Arjun Sarja will be clashing at the box office with their respective films Samhaara and Prema Baraha also planned for release on the same day. Samhaara, directed by Guru Deshpande, has Kavya Shetty and Hari Priya playing the female leads while Prema Baraha is written, directed and produced by Arjun Sarja and stars Chandan Kumar, Aishwarya Arjun, Sadhu Kokila, and Rangayana Raghu. The film will mark Aishwarya Arjun’s entry into the Kannada film industry and will be released in Tamil as well as Kannada.

SandalwoodR Chandru, the director of the film, is planning a mega event with the Dr Rajkumar cut-out that is to be erected in Bengaluru.Digital NativeThere have been several cut-outs placed for the Kannada thespian Dr Rajkumar, but director R Chandru is planning to erect the tallest of them all. The director is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Kanaka in which its lead star Duniya Vijay plays an ardent fan of Dr Rajkumar. Kanaka is a romantic comedy film that is touted to hit the silver screens on January 26. Apparently, Duniya Vijay plays the role of an auto driver in the movie. Sources close to the Kanaka team say that the director is planning to hire a tanker lorry full of milk to perform abhishekam on the cut-out. The cut-out event is planned to be held on Jan 23 at Kempe Gowda Road in Bengaluru. Written, directed and bankrolled by R Chandru, the film has been produced under his banner Rc Movies. The film has Duniya Vijay as Kanaka, Manvitha Harish as Kanasu and Hariprriya as Sampige. The rest of the star cast includes P Ravishankar, Sadhu Kokila, Rangayana Raghu, Achyuth Kumar and Srinivasa Murthy. Naveen Sajju has composed music for this flick with Sathya Hegde cranking the camera. Incidentally, Naveen Sajju is a playback singer and has made his debut as a music composer with Kanaka. With the film’s release just a few days away, the makers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that it releases in a maximum number of screens. According to reports, Kanaka is set to release at about 400 screens, which will be the biggest ever in the history of Sandalwood. With director Chandru planning a mega event with the Dr Rajkumar cut-out, he is sure to garner the attention of film buffs in a big way. The promos are happening full swing and fans can’t wait for the film to hit the silver screens.