News

Film Announcements Tamil Cinema (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Let’s start with the underdog, actor Soori, once recognized primarily for his comic roles and as a supporting actor often overshadowed by the hero, experienced a remarkable career shift with Viduthalai Part 1. The film showcased his potential to handle serious and impactful roles, earning him newfound recognition in the industry. This transformation has paved the way for Soori to take on more intense and substantial characters, redefining his position in Tamil cinema. Now, Soori is set to collaborate with Mathimaran Pugazhenthi, an associate of director Vetri Maaran, who helmed Viduthalai films, and the upcoming movie will be produced by Rs Infotainment.

Director Mathimaran Pugazhenthi made his debut with Selfie (2022), featuring Gv Prakash and Gautham Menon. On Monday, January 13, 2025, Rs Infotainment announced Mathimaran’s next project through their official social media handles, precisely 25 days after the release of Viduthalai Part 2. The announcement...

The impact of mythology on Indian art and storytelling dates at least two thousand years back to the Nāṭyaśāstra and continues to be felt strongly in the current day. While some of the most beloved and revered works of Indian cinema are rooted directly in mythology, the influence goes down to the bedrock of how cinema tells stories. Mainstream and mass-oriented cinema especially draw significant influence from epics such as the “Ramayana” and the “Mahabharata”, often wearing the association openly and blatantly on its sleeve.

In recent years, audiences and critics have expressed exasperation with multiple tropes of storytelling in mainstream Indian cinema, many of which can be traced back to the aforementioned mythological epics. These tropes include nonlinear plots, long-form storytelling, and the centering of a near-godly central figure. When seen through a modern lens, these tropes manifest as film narratives with excessive flashback or frame narrative portions, overlong runtimes stretched across multiple films,...

Actor T. C. Balaji, known by his screen name, Daniel Balaji, passed away at the age of 48 in Chennai.

He predominantly worked in Tamil and Malayalam cinema.

The actor died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Kottivakkam. His body was taken to his residence in Purasaiwalkam for last rites.

Daniel, who started his career as a unit production manager in Kamal Haasan’s unfinished dream project, ‘Marudhanayagam’, played a memorable role in Radikaa Sarathkumar’s television show ‘Chithi’. His portrayal of Daniel earned him the screen name, Daniel Balaji.

He also played the antagonist in Vetri Maaran’s ‘Polladhavan’. After ‘Kaakha Kaakha’, he once again collaborated with Gautham Menon for ‘Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu’, where he played the role of Amudhan with style.

Some of his famous films include Ajith’s ‘Yennai Arindhaal’, Simbu’s ‘Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada’, Thalapathy Vijay’s ‘Bairavaa’, Dhanush’s ‘Vada Chennai’, and Vijay’s ‘Bigil...

The title is a powerful one that suggests a story of love, loss, and revenge. The phrase “Nilavukku Enmel Ennadi Kobam” literally translates to “What is the anger in the sky?” It is a poetic question that could be interpreted in many ways. It could be a reference to the anger of God, the anger of nature, or the anger of a person who has been wronged.

The film will star Pavish, Mathew Thomas, Priya Varrier, and Anikha Surendran. Pavish is a rising star in Tamil cinema, while Mathew Thomas is a popular actor in Malayalam cinema. Priya Varrier and Anikha Surendran are both popular actresses who have starred in several successful films.

The music for the film will be composed by Gv Prakash Kumar, one of the most popular composers in Tamil cinema. Gv Prakash Kumar has previously worked with Dhanush in several films, including Maari, Velai Illai Pillai,...

MaayaOne is an upcoming Tamil-Telugu bilingual film directed by C. V. Kumar, who is known for his critically acclaimed films like Attakathi, Pizza, and Maayavan. The film is a sequel to the 2017 hit Maayavan, which starred Sundeep Kishan as a police officer who investigates a series of murders involving a mysterious drug. MaayaOne will continue the story of the ProjectZ/Maayavan world, where a common man clashes with a supervillain.

The film marks the debut of Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, who has previously acted in Netflix films and series like Guilty, Ray, and Monica, O My Darling. She will play the female lead opposite Sundeep Kishan, who is also the co-producer of the film along with Rambrahmam Sunkara of Ak Entertainments. The film also features Pradeep Rawat, Mariyam George, Sai Dheena, and ‘Lollu Sabha’ Maaran in supporting roles.

The music for the film is composed by Santhosh Narayanan, who is one...

National Award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran, who is known for films like ‘Aadukalam’, ‘Asuran’, ‘Vada Chennai’ and ‘Visaranai’, is glad someone hacked his Facebook account sometime ago as he considers it a blessing in disguise and an opportunity for him to focus better on his work.

Vetrimaaran recently presented his latest film ‘Viduthalai: Part One’ at the 54th edition of the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) in Goa.

Talking to the media, the director said that the lack of social media in his life keep him away from all the audience expectation and hype.

He said, “I’m not responsible for the expectation and the hype, and I’m not working on it or creating it. I don’t have Twitter (now X), I was on Facebook but I’m happy someone hacked my account. So I’m trying to keep myself intact.”

However, he admitted that there are times when...

National Award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran, who is known for films like ‘Aadukalam’, ‘Asuran’, ‘Vada Chennai’ and ‘Visaranai’, is glad someone hacked his Facebook account sometime ago as he considers it a blessing in disguise and an opportunity for him to focus better on his work.

Vetrimaaran recently presented his latest film ‘Viduthalai: Part One’ at the 54th edition of the International Film Festival of India (Iffi) in Goa.

Talking to the media, the director said that the lack of social media in his life keep him away from all the audience expectation and hype.

He said, “I’m not responsible for the expectation and the hype, and I’m not working on it or creating it. I don’t have Twitter (now X), I was on Facebook but I’m happy someone hacked my account. So I’m trying to keep myself intact.”

However, he admitted that there are times when...

Tamil-language film star Dhanush is to star in “Ilaiyaraja,” a biopic of a renowned Indian composer that marks the launch of joint-effort production and distribution slate by Connekkt Media and Mercuri Group, two major companies from South India.

Dhanush is one of South India’s most famous and most versatile movie stars, with credits including romance “Ranhjhanaa,” actioner “Vada Chennai” and Netflix’s “Vaathi.”Outside India, he is known for a key role in the Russo brothers’ “The Gray Man.”

Now in his 80s, Ilaiyaraja was born in humble circumstances in South India and rose to become a notable performer and composer. He is known for over 1,000 Indian film scores and for writing works for the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

The biographical film is expected to shoot in October 2024 and be released in 2025. No details of director, locations or other cast have been disclosed.

The two companies Mercuri, a multinational with interests in consulting,...

The much-awaited film of Superstar Rajinikanth, tentatively titled Thalaivar 170, has been creating a lot of buzz ever since it was announced. The film, which is directed by Tj Gnanavel of Jai Bhim fame, has a stellar star cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Rana Daggubati, Manju Warrier, Ritika Singh and Dushara Vijayan. The film is said to be a message-oriented commercial entertainer with Rajinikanth playing a retired police officer who gets involved in a fake encounter case.

Now, the makers have revealed the technical crew of the film, which consists of some of the best talents in the industry. The cinematography will be handled by Sr Kathir, who has worked with Gnanavel in Jai Bhim and has also done films like Subramaniapuram, Nadodigal and Asuran. The editing will be done by Philomin Raj, who is known for his work in films like Kaithi, Master and Jai Bhim. The art...

Dhanush, the versatile actor and producer, is all set to thrill the audience with his upcoming movie D51, which is a political drama inspired by the political, mafia setup and the incidents which happened 40 years back. The movie is directed by Sekhar Kammula, who has previously collaborated with Dhanush in critically acclaimed films like Aadukalam, Vada Chennai and Asuran.

D51 is said to be based on the life and times of a notorious gangster-politician, who ruled the underworld in Tamil Nadu in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The movie will explore the rise and fall of this controversial figure, who had connections with powerful politicians, businessmen and film personalities. The movie will also depict the socio-political scenario of that era, and how it influenced the lives of common people.

Dhanush will play the role of the protagonist, who is a charismatic and ruthless leader, who commands respect and fear...

Viduthalai Part-2 is one of the most awaited Tamil films of 2024. The film is directed by Vetrimaaran, who is known for his realistic and hard-hitting films such as Asuran, Vada Chennai, and Visaranai. The film is based on the short story “Thunaivan” by B. Jeyamohan, which revolves around a police officer who is assigned to capture the leader of a separatist group.

The first part of the film, Viduthalai Part-1, was released on March 31, 2023, and received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film starred Soori as Constable Kumaresan, Vijay Sethupathi as Perumal “Vaathiyar”, the leader of Makkal Padai (People’s Army), Bhavani Sre as Tamilarasi alias Pappa, the love interest of Kumaresan, Gautham Vasudev Menon as Dsp Sunil Menon, the head of the operation to capture Vaathiyar, and Prakash Raj as Munnar Ramesh, a corrupt politician who has a vested interest in the mining project that threatens the hill village of Makkal Padai.

PC Sreeram, the legendary cinematographer, has announced a new web content with the acclaimed filmmaker Vetrimaaran. The project, reportedly will stream on Zee5( Not Confirmed), is expected to be an intense and gripping drama that will showcase the duo’s mastery of storytelling. PC Sreeram shared a picture with Vetrimaaran on his Twitter account and wrote: “It will be worth the wait. An intense web content from Vetrimaaran.”

PC Sreeram post with Vetrimaran

This is the first time that PC Sreeram and Vetrimaaran are collaborating for a web series. Vetrimaaran is known for his realistic and hard-hitting films like Aadukalam, Visaranai, Vada Chennai, and Asuran. He has won four National Film Awards and several international accolades for his work. PC Sreeram is one of the most respected and influential cinematographers in Indian cinema. He has worked with some of the finest directors like Mani Ratnam, Shankar, Gautham Menon, and Balki.

Dhanush, the National Award-winning actor, is all set to star in a pan-India film directed by another National Award winner, Sekhar Kammula. The film, which is yet to be titled, was announced on the birth anniversary of the late producer-distributor-exhibitor Narayan Das K Narang, who was also the father of one of the producers of the film. The film will be released in five languages – Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi – and will mark the first collaboration between Dhanush and Sekhar Kammula.

Dhanush is known for his versatile and acclaimed performances in films such as Aadukalam, Raanjhanaa, Asuran, and Vada Chennai. He has also ventured into Hollywood with The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir and The Gray Man. Sekhar Kammula is a popular director in Telugu cinema, who has made films such as Anand, Happy Days, Leader, Fidaa, and Love Story. He is known for his realistic and relatable stories...

Are you ready for a spine-chilling ride with Sync, the latest exclusive movie on Aha Tamil? Sync is a Tamil horror thriller movie that will stream on the regional Ott platform from July 21. The movie is directed by debutant Vikas Anand Sridharan, who has also produced it under Celebrity Films in association with Catalogue Films. Goose Studios is the presenter of Sync.

The movie features an ensemble cast of Kishen Das, Monica Chinnakotla, Soundarya Bala Nandakumar, and Naveen George Thomas. Kishen Das is a popular actor, content creator, and YouTuber who made his lead debut in the 2022 film Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee. Monica Chinnakotla is a model and actress who has appeared in films like Thirumanam and Ka Pae Ranasingam. Soundarya Bala Nandakumar is a singer and actress who has worked in films like Kaala and Vada Chennai. Naveen George Thomas is an actor and writer who has acted in films like Ratsasan and Mafia.

Viduthalai Part 1, the Tamil crime thriller directed by Vetrimaaran and starring Soori, Vijay Sethupathi and Bhavani Sre, was one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films of 2023. The film, based on the short story “Thunaivan” by B. Jeyamohan, follows the story of Kumaresan, a police constable who is recruited to capture Perumal “Vaathiyar”, the elusive leader of a separatist group called Makkal Padai. The film ends with a cliffhanger, leaving the audience eager to know what happens next.

The makers of Viduthalai have announced that the shooting for Part 2 has resumed in Sirumalai today, after being halted due to the pandemic. The film is expected to release in early 2024, according to producer Elred Kumar of Rs Infotainment. The sequel will continue the story of Kumaresan and Vaathiyar, and explore their complex relationship and ideologies. The film will also feature Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rajiv Menon and Ilavarasu in supporting roles.

NewsPalaniappan, a supporting actor in Kollywood, driving under the influence of alcohol rammed his car into Charanraj’s bike.Tamil NewsCharanraj (26), an assistant director known for his work in Vetri Maaran's acclaimed film Vada Chennai, tragically lost his life in a fatal road accident. The incident occurred on Thursday night when Charanraj was riding his motorcycle on Arcot Road in Chennai's Kk Nagar area. According to media reports, a car collided with his bike, resulting in the untimely demise of the young filmmaker. The driver of the car, identified as Palaniappan (41) from Saligramam, sustained minor injuries in the accident. Preliminary investigations by the police have revealed that Palaniappan, also an actor known for his supporting roles in Tamil cinema, was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision. Following the incident, the police arrested Palaniappan and initiated an interrogation. Meanwhile, Charanraj's body has been...

ReviewLokesh manages to weave in a lot of diversity among the characters – that of gender, class, caste, disability, religion – and not in a ‘tick-all-the-boxes’ way. N4 / ScreengrabLokesh Kumar’s N4 is set in Kasimedu, a hamlet in North Chennai that’s a major hub for fishing in the city. Appropriately, the film opens with a title song that captures life in the area, with visuals of beautiful silver fish being sold in the bustling market. What’s immediately arresting about the casting – at least to me – is the dusky skinned women actors playing the lead. How rare is it to see that in mainstream Tamil cinema, where the usual practice is to either cast pale-skinned women or brownface them in an attempt to make them suit a role. Vinusha Devi and Gabriella Sellus play Abhinaya and Soundarya, sisters in an unconventional family that has come together through a tragedy. They...

Actor Vijay Kumar, who shot to limelight with his critically acclaimed superhit film ‘Uriyadi, has completed shooting for his next film that is being directed by director Thamizh of ‘Seththumaan’ fame.

Sources close to the actor say that the film, which is yet to be titled, was shot in a single stretch in and around Ambur in Tamil Nadu in a matter of 62 days.

The film is being produced by Reel Good Films which has already worked once with actor Vijaykumar.

Sources say the just completed film will have equal doses of politics, action and romance in it.

‘Ayodhi’ fame Preethi Asrani and newcomer Richa Joshi play the female leads in this new film that will also feature ‘Vathikuchi’ fame Dhiliban, ‘Kaithi’ fame George Mariyan, and ‘Vada Chennai’ fame Paval Navaneethan.

Govind Vasantha, who scored the music for the blockbuster ’96’, is scoring music for this film while Mahendran Jayaram is handling its cinematography.

Ace music director Santhosh Narayanan, who is one of the top most composers in the Tamil film industry, said that he is proud to make his debut as music composer in Malayalam with director Vinayan’s much-awaited period drama, ‘Pathonpatham Noottandu’.

Taking to Twitter, Santhosh Narayanan, who is known for his work in several critically acclaimed Tamil blockbusters including ‘Pariyaerum Perumal’, ‘Vada Chennai’ and ‘Kaala’, said, “Proud to start my first film in Malayalam as composer through the amazing ‘Pathonpatham Noottandu’.”

Thanking the director and the producer for giving him the opportunity, the he also shared the link of the trailer of the film.

“Thanks Vinayan sir, Gokulam Gopalan sir and the special team for making this epic. Wishing a grand worldwide success. Here is the trailer!,” he said.

‘Pathonpathaam Noottandu’, featuring Siju Wilson in the lead, is scheduled to hit screens on September 8.

The trailer shows how people from...

NewsWunderbar Films announced on May 18 that its channel had been restored by YouTube India. Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeFans of popular Kollywood actor Dhanush were shocked when they were unable to watch his and Sai Pallavi’s iconic dance number ‘Rowdy Baby’ on the YouTube page of Wunderbar Films, Dhanush’s production banner. On Tuesday, May 17, digital media and music distribution company Divo Movies — which has worked with Ar Rahman, Dhanush, Anirudh, and Yuvan Shankar Raja among others — revealed that the Wunderbar Films channel had been hacked. The incident had shocked many fans, as the channel’s most popular video — Sai Pallavi and Dhanush shaking a leg in ‘Rowdy Baby’ from Maari 2 — was temporarily unavailable to watch. Several people took to Twitter to express their disbelief, and appealed to YouTube India to recover the account. However, hours after their YouTube channel was hacked, Wunderbar Films announced that the channel was back online.

Rising Tamil actress Aishwarya Rajesh on Monday said that her Instagram account had either been hacked or suspended. The actress, who has delivered several critically acclaimed performances in superhits like ‘Kaaka Muttai’, ‘Thirudan Police’, ‘Vada Chennai’, ‘Kanaa’ and ‘Ka Pae Ranasingam’, took to Twitter to make a plea to Instagram authorities to restore her account. […]...

KollywoodHilarious dialogues from Tamil movies – both old and new – are commonplace in Tamilians’ daily lingo, as well as memes.Saradha UScreengrab/ Mx PlayerNagesh, Goundamani-Senthil, Vadivelu, Vivek, Santhanam – Tamil cinema boasts of being the home ground for talented actor-comedians who have carved a niche with their distinctive brand of comedy. Their work is far from being politically correct, and whether it should be put under the microscope and called out for being problematic is a debate for another day. However, many of their one-liners and catchphrases have become an integral part of Tamilians’ day-to-day conversations. Hilarious dialogues from Tamil movies – both old and new – are commonplace in daily lingo and memes. Distress, joy, shock or fear, you are likely to find a Tamil dialogue that is both relatable and makes you break into peals of laughter. For the uninitiated, here is an induction into the world of most commonly used one-liners from Tamil cinema.

TollywoodMany costume designers employ a team to research the period in which the film is set, and take painstaking efforts to make the costumes as close to historical details and reality as possible.Rajeswari ParasaSeveral period films have come out in recent times, particularly in Telugu cinema, and there are many more which will be out soon. In such films set in the past, costumes play an important role in recreating the period. Be it Mahanati, which was a biopic, or the fantasy world of Baahubali, the costumes made a big impact on the viewer's mind, making them buy their favourite actors in the roles. Upcoming big budget period films include Prabhas's RadheShyam, Ram Charan and Jr Ntr's Rrr, Pawan Kalyan's Hari Hara Veera Mallu, and Nani's Shyam Singha Roy among others. The first look posters and teasers of the actors from these films have already built...

Madras WeekEach of these unique numbers tell us something about the city, bring back fond memories or make us think of what belonging means.Bharathy SingaravelScreengrabMadras or Chennai, whichever you prefer, is a city blended inseparably with cinema and music. As we get ready for Madras Week, which begins Sunday, August 22, we have put together a list of songs from films and independent musicians that speak about the many facets of a city that millions call home. Enga ooru Madrasu: The title song from Pa Ranjith’s Madras broke multiple cinema stereotypes and also became a political anthem. North Madras is most often shown on screen as a locality filled with crime-ridden dens. ‘Enga ooru Madrasu’ showed what life is really like there, the joys of gaana, kuthu, sports, a sense of community, the strong political awareness of the people and government failures. Above all, it’s a firm reminder...

EntertainmentWhile 'Karnan' and 'Check' had a theatrical release previously, 'Cinema Bandi' has released on Ott directly.Tnm StaffScreengrab/YouTubeFollowing the theatrical release of Mari Selvaraj’s Karnan, fans have been eager to watch the movie online. The long wait has come to an end. Karnan is streaming on Ott platform Amazon Prime Video from Thursday. Amazon Prime Video announced on May 10 that Karnan will be streaming on the platform from May 14. Sharing the news with fans on Twitter, Amazon Prime Video wrote, “The face of the faceless. Meet #KarnanOnPrime, May 14.” Karnan stars Dhanush and Rajisha Vijayan in the lead roles, while it also features Natarajan, Yogi Babu, Lal Paul, Gouri G Kishan and Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli in important roles. Karnan marks Rajisha’s Kollywood debut. The film released in theatres on April 9 this year. Also Read: 'Karnan' review: Dhanush leads a hard-hitting...

EntertainmentThe Mari Selvaraj directorial hit the big screens in April this year.Tnm StaffFollowing the release of Mari Selvaraj’s recently released movie Karnan, fans have been eager to watch the movie online. Putting an end to the long wait, Ott platform Amazon Prime Video announced on Monday that the movie will stream on the platform from May 14. Amazon Prime Video tweeted, “The face of the faceless. Meet #KarnanOnPrime, May 14.” The face of the faceless. Meet #KarnanOnPrime, May 14@dhanushkraja @mari_selvaraj @theVcreations @Music_Santhosh @rajishavijayan @natty_nataraj @LalDirector @iYogiBabu @LakshmiPriyaaC @Gourayy @EditorSelva @thinkmusicindia @thenieswar @idiamondbabu @RIAZtheboss pic.twitter.com/rGXrO9hkMA — amazon prime video In (@PrimeVideoIN) May 10, 2021 Karnan stars Dhanush and Rajisha Vijayan in the lead roles, while it also features Natarajan, Yogi Babu, Lal Paul, Gouri G Kishan and Lakshmi Priya Chandramouli in important roles. Karnan marks Rajisha’s Kollywood debut. The film released in theatres on April 9 this year.

Kollywood'Thattaan Thattaan' is the third song released from 'Karnan', after 'Kandaa Vara Sollunga' and ‘Pandarathi Puranam’.Tnm StaffScreengrab/YouTubeThe makers of Dhanush’s upcoming film Karnan released the third single from the movie, titled ‘Thattaan Thattaan’, on Thursday. The song is set to tune by Santhosh Narayan, with vocals by Dhanush and Meenakshi Ilayaraja and lyrics penned by Yugabharathi. The song features visuals of Dhanush at the recording studio, as well as the rural setting in which the film takes place. Watch the video of ‘Thattaan Thattaan’ here: At the beginning of the video, the theme of the song is said to be ‘Draupathiyin Muttham’ (Draupathi’s kiss). The song starts with the lines, “Maaman Karnanai thedi malai uchiyil eri nindral Draupathi (Draupathi climbed atop the hill searching for Karnan)/ Ini entha neramum mazhai peyum endru aatril erangi nindran Yaman thatha (Yaman [a Hindu mythological figure] was waiting at the lake knowing...

KollywoodThe actor is currently working on her next film with Dhanush. Digital NativeWhile most actors would be annoyed and vexed when it comes to memes on them, Malavika Mohanan has taken it sportively. The actor shared a few memes that were made on her character from the film Master and posted them on her social media page with the caption, “I’m a little late to my own meme-fest, but this is hilarious guys. Sharing some of my personal favorites which cracked me up(I died laughing seeing the toothpaste one). Life is too boring if you can’t laugh at yourself, right?” On the work front, Malavika has a number of films needing her attention. She has the untitled Dhanush starrer. Malavika recently posted a picture of herself with the film's script in hand and wrote: “One week down and many more to go - can’t wait to share this film with everyone!

KollywoodThere's an interesting connection between Andrea's family and the film's first-look poster.Digital NativeFilmmaker Mysskin had recently commenced shooting the sequel to his upcoming horror-thriller Pisasu 2. Actor-singer Andrea Jeremiah, who was last seen in Vetrimaaran’s Vada Chennai, is all set to join hands with filmmaker Mysskin for the sequel to his hit horror flick. This is the second collaboration between Andrea and Mysskin after Thupparivaalan. On the occasion of Andrea's birthday, on Monday, the makers released a first look poster from the film featuring the actor. Interestingly, Andrea has now revealed that her look was inspired by her maternal grandmother, Heather. Andrea took it to Instagram to reveal more about her look. "There’s a story behind #pisasu2 first look... On the left is a picture of my maternal grandmother, taken when she was a young girl. Her name was Heather and with her dark blonde hair and greyish blue eyes,...

EntertainmentThe noted musician of Tamil movies like ‘Jigarthanda’, ‘Kaala’ and ‘Pariyerum Perumal’ will make his debut in Malayalam with a Tovino Thomas film.Digital NativePhoto courtesy - Arun Titan Studio Santhosh Narayanan made his debut as a music composer with the Tamil film Attakathi in 2012 and since then has worked in several films. He is now all set to foray into the Malayalam film industry. Reports are that Santhosh Narayanan has been roped in to compose the tunes for a Tovino Thomas starrer which will be helmed by debut director Darvin Kuriakose. To go on the floor next year, this untitled film is scripted by Jinu V Abraham. The scriptwriter said in an interview with the Times of India, “For the movie, we needed someone like Santhosh and that’s why we approached him. He heard our narration and obviously liked it, that’s why he has agreed to be part of our movie.

KollywoodThose outside Tamil Nadu may have heard of Dhanush due to ‘Raanjhanaa’ and viral songs like 'Why this kolaveri di' but his body of work in Tamil deserves to be better known. Tnm StaffFans of Tamil cinema are delighted that actor Dhanush, who has routinely set the screen on fire in several Tamil movies, is in the cast of The Gray Man along with Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling. What's more, the film will be directed by the Russo brothers who made Avengers: Endgame. This isn't Dhanush's first foray into Hollywood films. He was previously seen in the forgettable The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir in 2018. However, this film is clearly on another plane altogether. Dhanush is known as much for his expressive and emotive acting as he is for his dance skills. With his lithe frame and fiery dialogue delivery, the actor has played the underdog to great success in several films.

Kollywood'Soorarai Pottru' is scheduled to release on Amazon Prime Video on November 12. Digital NativeFollowing the trailer, the makers of Suriya's Soorarai Pottru film released a motion poster of the film which is all set to release on Amazon Prime Video on November 12. Suriya shared the motion poster of the film and wrote, "Thank you all for the love! #SooraraiPottruTrailer #SooraraiPottruOnPrime Nov 12 (sic)." Soorarai Pottru, directed by Sudha Kongara, was originally slated to premiere on October 30 but due to the delay in getting the NoC from the Iaf authorities, the makers and Amazon Prime pushed the release date. The film's co-producer Rajsekara Pandian confirmed that the film has now got the required No Objection Certificates from the Iaf authorities and it is scheduled to hit the Ott platform on November 12. Recently, the trailer of the film was released and it has expectedly sent netizens into a tizzy. Starring Suriya in the lead role,...

MollywoodThe Manju Warrier starrer was directed by Rosshan Andrrews based on a story by Unni R.Digital NativeA few days ago, reports surfaced that the Malayalam film Prathi Poovankozhi will be remade in multiple languages. And now, it has been confirmed that ace Bollywood producer Boney Kapoor has the remake and dubbing rights of this film in all languages. The Manju Warrier starrer, directed by Rosshan Andrrews, released last year. The film also had Anusree, Rosshan Andrrews (making his acting debut), Saiju Kurup, Grace Antony, Alencier Ley Lopez, Sp Sreekumar, Divya Prabha, Sekhar Menon, Chali Pala, and others forming the supporting cast. Gokulam Gopalan bankrolled the film under his banner. The technical crew of this film included Unni R, who has written it, G Balamurgan for cinematography, Jyotish Shankar for art direction and Gopi Sunder for music. Prathi Poovankozhi tells the story of a woman who is molested in a...

TollywoodThe first part was bankrolled by Bala’s home banner B Studios and the company holds the rights to the title.Digital NativeDigital NativeFilmmaker Mysskin, who is all set to begin work on upcoming horror-thriller Pisaasu 2, took to twitter to thank filmmaker Bala for granting permission to use the title Pisaasu for the sequel. The first part was bankrolled by Bala’s home banner B Studios and the company holds the rights to the title. When Mysskin wrote to Bala and said that he’s making the sequel to Pisaasu, the latter immediately gave him permission to use the title. Mysskin thanked Bala via a post he wrote in Tamil. It loosely translates to, “I’m indebted to thank a person. It’s my beloved technician, Bala. When I told him I was going to make Pisaasu 2, he gave away the rights of the title. I owe my gratitude to Bala for the timely help.

KollywoodThe film will go on floors in November 2020. Digital NativeDirector Mysskin, who parted ways with Vishal and left Thupparivaalan 2, following a fallout over budget constraints, has now announced a sequel to his 2014 smash-hit horror film Pisaasu. Actor-singer Andrea Jeremiah is all set to join hands with filmmaker Mysskin for a sequel to his hit horror flick. The film will go on floors in November 2020. Starring Andrea Jeremiah, Rajkumar Pitchumani and produced by T Muruganantham the film will have music by Karthik Raja. The first part Pisaasu had a dream run at the box office. The film reportedly netted Rs 2.86 crore within the first weekend and became a profitable venture for the makers. The film was produced by Bala’s B-Studios and released by Thenandal Films. We are super excited to announce our next production venture with @DirectorMysskin #Pisasu2.*ing @andrea_jeremiah @DirectorMysskin @Rockfortent #Karthikraja #Psycho #Rajukumarpitchumani @lv_sri @kbsriram16 @DoneChannel1 Shoot starts from November.

KollywoodSuriya already has films with directors Hari and Vetrimaaran lined up.Digital NativeActor Suriya, who currently awaits the release of Sudha Kongara’s Soorarai Pottru, has a few very interesting projects in his kitty. While it has already been confirmed Suriya will team up with Vetrimaaran next, reports have emerged that he has also given a go ahead to a script from Adanga Maru director Karthik Thangavel. If sources are anything to go by Suriya might work with Karthik after he completes shooting his project with Vetrimaaran. However, Suriya will only work on Vaadivasal after he completes his immediate next project with director Hari. While no official confirmation has been made on his latest film yet, it is expected that the film will be announced officially soon. Vetrimaaran’s film with Suriya is titled Vaadivasal, based on a popular Tamil novel of the same name. It marks the first-time collaboration of Suriya and Vetrimaaran.

KollywoodThe female-centric action thriller, is in the post-production stage and has been completely shot in 45 days.Digital NativeDigital NativeLast seen playing a pivotal role in Vetrimaaran’s Vada Chennai, actor-singer Andrea Jeremiah has teamed up with newcomer Alagu Karthik for her next titled No Entry. Touted to be a female-centric action thriller, the film is centred completely on Andrea who goes on a road trip from Chennai to Cherrapunji and gets stuck in the forest. And the rest of the story is all about how she escapes from the forest which is said to be the main plot of the film. The film, which is in the post-production stage, has been completely shot in 45 days. The film also stars Ranya, Sakshi Agarwal, Satish, Adhav Kannadasan, Delhi, Gokul, and Manas. Besides No Entry, Andrea also has Kaa, Master, Aranmanai 3, and Maaligai in the pipeline. Andrea currently awaits the release of Vijay...

KollywoodThis film is being produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu.Digital NativeIt has already been announced that Vetrimaaran and Suriya are set to join hands for the first time for the upcoming Tamil film Vaadivasal, an adaptation of a Tamil novel of the same name. Vaadivasal, written by Cs Chellapa, is the story about a bull and the one who captures it. The film will unfold against the backdrop of Jallikattu, the ancient sport practised in Tamil Nadu in which a bull has to be captured. It will be produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu, who had bankrolled Vetrimaaran’s last film Asuran starring Dhanush. The latest update in Vaadivasal is that actor-singer Andrea Jeremiah, who was last seen in Vetrimaaran’s Vada Chennai, is all set to reunite with the filmmaker in Vaadivasal, as per reports. However, the makers are yet to make an official announcement on the casting. It’s...

KollywoodThe director also clarified that he does not own a Twitter account.Digital NativeRecently rumours were rife that director Ks Ravikumar will direct actor Ajith next, collaborating for the third time in his career, and that the film will be produced by Sun Pictures. Dismissing the news as a rumour, Ks Ravikumar took to Facebook to clear the air surrounding the film. The filmmaker wrote, "Dear friends, my beloved fans, media and film fraternity, a rumour is on rounds right from yesterday in a Twitter account on my name stating that I am directing a film with Mr Ajithkumar under Sun pictures production. This a firm false news and a rumor. I do not own a Twitter account and the existing Twitter account on my name K.S.Ravikumar is a fake one. Pls do not support the fake account. (sic)," he wrote. Director Ks Ravikumar's last release was Ruler...

CinemaWhile some say it is for business reasons, others believe it is to bring in more variety into the industry.Anjana ShekarIn Mohanlal’s Malayalam thriller Big Brother, actor Arbaaz Khan, best known for his role in the Hindi film Dabangg (a film that he also produced) played Vedantham Ips. In his blockbuster Lucifer, it was Vivek Oberoi who was the villain challenging him. In Vijay’s Tamil film Bigil that released last year, actor Jackie Shroff played Jk Sharma, President of the All India Football Federation. In the Telugu film Vinaya Vidheya Rama, actor Vivek Oberoi played Raja Bhai Munna, Bihari Kingpin. Over the years, south Indian cinema has imported many Bollywood stars to act as the villain for many reasons. Take, for instance, Sivakarthikeyan’s Hero in which Abhay Deol played Mahadev, a corrupt “corporate monster” who lobotomises young students for coming up with cool inventions. Abhay, who...

KollywoodThe film, however, can release in India and in other countries without any hassle.Tnm StaffThe Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered an interim injunction against releasing Rajnikanth’s Darbar in Malaysia. Should the makers provide a bank guarantee to the tune of Rs 4.90 crore at the Madras High Court, the film can then be released in Malaysia, said Justice Jayachandran who heard the case on Tuesday. The judge also added that the film can release in India and in other countries except Malaysia without any hassle. Darbar is scheduled to release on January 9 worldwide. Malaysia based entertainment company Dmy Creations has claimed to have loaned Rs 12 crore at a rate of 30% p.a. to Lyca for producing Rajinikanth’s 2018 release, 2.0. Currently, the amount due allegedly stands at Rs 23.70 crore and Dmy Creations sought for a ban on Darbar’s release until the dues are settled. In their countersuit filed...

KollywoodThe Malaysian company had alleged that Lyca owed them money, Lyca says the company is miffed at not being given rights for the movie.Tnm StaffRajinikanth’s Darbar that is scheduled to release in less then a week on January 9, was certified ‘U/A’ by the Central Board of Film Certification (Cbfc) on December 30, 2019. The film’s total run time is 159.28 minutes, that is close to 2 hours and 40 minutes. The certification has come at a time when the makers of Darbar are fighting a suit filed by Malaysia based entertainment company Dmy Creations Sdn Bdh. Dmy stated Lyca had owed them Rs 23.70 crore as outstanding dues for an amount they had previously loaned out to them. In that regard, they had sought for a ban on Darbar’s release. In their countersuit filed on January 3, Lyca has now alleged that Dmy Creations is liable to pay them an outstanding due...

KollywoodThe film will hit the marquee for Deepavali next year.Digital NativeThe shooting of Ajith's highly-anticipated Valimai has apparently begun in Hyderabad today. Directed by H Vinoth, who had teamed up with Ajith for courtroom drama Nerkonda Paarvai, the two are reuniting once again for this project which is also being bankrolled by Boney Kapoor. The first schedule of the film has been wrapped in Hyderabad and the next schedule will commence soon. The latest update is that Pavel Navageethan, known for his roles in films such as Madras, Peranbu, Vada Chennai, and Magalir Mattum, will be playing the main villain in it. Recently reports surfaced that Keerthy Suresh has been signed as the leading lady. Now the latest reports suggest that the makers are in talks with Bollywood heroine Ileana D'cruz to play Ajith's lead pair. Talks have been initiated with the actor and she is yet to sign on the dotted lines.

KollywoodAccording to sources, Andrea will be seen in a never before character in the film.Digital NativeLast seen playing a pivotal role in Vetrimaaran’s Vada Chennai, actor-singer Andrea Jeremiah was recently roped in for a pivotal role in Thalapathy Vijay's next directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The latest update is that the Andrea has started shooting for the film. “I have begun shooting for Thalapathy 64, I cannot say anything about the role, but I am super excited to work with Lokesh. He is a very promising talent. Vijay is a superstar and he is so unbelievably down to earth. I have become his fan after working with him,” she has said in an interview to The Times of India. According to sources, Andrea will be seen in a never before character in the film. Tipped to be a gangster drama, there are rumors that the film will feature Vijay in...

CinemaMalayalam director Hariharan was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award this year.Tnm StaffThe 66th Filmfare Awards South was held on Saturday at Chennai’s Nehru Indoor Stadium and was hosted by actors Sundeep Kishan and Regina Cassandra. The awards ceremony was attended by stars from all four southern film industries. First introduced in 1954, the Filmfare Awards ceremony is one of the oldest film events in India. The awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the film industry of India. Malayalam director Hariharan was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award this year. Here’s a full list of this year’s winners. Tamil Actors Dhanush and Vijay Sethupathi shared the Best Actor Award (male) for their performances in Vada Chennai and 96 respectively. This is Dhanush’s 8th Filmfare Award. While Mari Selvaraj’s Pariyerum Perumal won Best Film, director...

Academy AwardsOf the 52 entries sent by India so far, only 20 have been in languages other than Hindi – what explains this? Sowmya RajendranIndia has decided that the 2019 entry for the Best International Feature Film category in the Academy Awards will be Gully Boy, a Hindi film directed by Zoya Akhtar. The response to the announcement has been mixed, considering there are several other Indian films which received critical acclaim this year. A few hours before the announcement was made, there were discussions on social media about the films that were reportedly in contention – these included the critically acclaimed blockbuster Andhadhun as well as a handful of south Indian films, namely Super Deluxe (Tamil), And the Oskar Goes To (Malayalam), Dear Comrade (Telugu), Olu (Malayalam), Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil), Uyare (Malayalam), and Vada Chennai (Tamil). While Gully Boy received mostly positive reviews, the film has similarities to the 2002 American film 8 Mile...

Film awardsOther awardees include Prithviraj for 'Koode', Dhanush for 'Vada Chennai', Keerthy Suresh for 'Mahanati', Yash for 'Kgf', and Aishwarya Rajesh for 'Kanaa'.Tnm StaffTwitter/siimaThe eighth edition of the South Indian International Movie Awards (Siima), held in Doha, Qatar, saw several actors bag accolades for their work in the four south film industries in the last year. Among the notable awardees were Malayalam film Sudani from Nigeria which won Best Film, Keerthy Suresh, who won the Best Actress Telugu for her role as Savitri in Mahanati, and Kgf: Chapter 1 star Yash, who won Best Actor in Leading Role in Kannada. Attended by the who’s who of south cinema, Telugu and Kannada film awards were announced on the first day, while Tamil and Malayalam industries’ awards were reserved for day two of the event. Always super and rocking performances at Siima.

TollywoodSudheer Varma’s film doesn’t have turmoil or conflict or ethical dilemmas, nor does it invest in characters like a gangster movie should.Krishna SripadaThat Ranarangam is largely influenced by The Godfather is stating the obvious. It has too many shoot-people-and-get-done-with-it scenes to ignore. There aren’t long-winding dialogues about revenge and heroism, about power and ambition, about steel and gumption. The violence, although a little gory by Telugu movie standards, is not the central theme, and the alpha-hero-quotient is understated like in most Sharwanand movies. But, amidst the style and sexiness of gang-wars, director Sudheer Varma only manages to recreate the shallowness of Dohchay, not the masterful narrative of Swamy Ra Ra. Ranarangam traces the rise of a bunch of guys in the clean-crime world (if you know what I mean), who start with the illicit liquor business during the prohibition era in the 90s. There are the...

ControversyThe Chairperson of the National Jury, Rahul Rawail, had claimed that 'Peranbu' had been rejected at the regional level itself.Sowmya RajendranMalayalam actor Mammootty's fans have been outraged by their star's exclusion from the 66th National Film Awards which were announced a few days ago. The actor's Tamil film Peranbu, directed by Ram, was considered by critics and audiences alike to be among his best performances. Mammootty played the father of a teenage girl with cerebral palsy in the film. Following the controversy and fan anger directed at the Central panel, Rahul Rawail, the chairperson of the National Jury had stated that Peranbu did not make the cut even at the regional level and that it was not in consideration at the national level. However, Major Ravi, who was part of the 11 member Central panel and was the chairman of the North panel, has claimed that Mammootty's performance was...

Kollywood'Vada Chennai' is the third collaboration of Dhanush and Vetrimaaran, which became the highest-grossing film in Dhanush’s career. Digital NativeThe sequel to Dhanush-Vetrimaaran’s iconic movie Vada Chennai, which chronicled 30 years in the life of an accidental gangster in north Chennai, may have been shelved, say reports. The team, which had announced that the movie will get two more sequels when the movie had released in 2018, had shot around 20% of the second part when the decision to drop the project was taken, say sources. “Though Vada Chennai did well at the box office, the residents of north Chennai weren’t happy about the way their lifestyle has been portrayed on-screen. Vetri Maaran is now finding it tough to shoot for the remaining sequences in the same locality. Moreover, a couple of artistes who played pivotal roles in Vada Chennai got busy with other projects. That’s why the film has been shelved,...