In a lengthy note shared on X, Vishnu said he first experienced signs of depression and anxiety in 2018, after his personal life took a setback following the success of Ratsasan. He said that while he initially believed focusing more on his career would help, the uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic further intensified his anxiety.

The actor also spoke about facing what he described as “false promises” from producers and directors, saying that he sometimes extended his dates for projects and spent months without work while honouring his commitments, without receiving payment for his originally committed dates. Balancing these professional challenges with the finances of his production house added to his stress, he said.

Vishnu revealed that he has attended multiple counselling sessions over the years and has been regular with therapy and also said he has taken medication for anxiety and depression on a few occasions under professional guidance.

Reflecting on his career, which began with cricket at the age of 13, Vishnu said he had always wanted to be successful and have his work noticed and appreciated. However, he acknowledged that while chasing the “BIG PICTURE”, he had missed several small moments in life.

“The next big success is not going to fix anything forever,” he wrote.

Vishnu, who recently saw the success of Gatta Kusthi 2, said that despite achieving milestones, he realised that “nothing has changed” internally. He also spoke about the pressures of arranging funds, working within budgets, selling films and managing his production responsibilities.

The actor, who is married and has two children, said that he sometimes still wonders whether he should leave cinema and lead a simpler life. However, he concluded that the answer is not necessarily to quit, but to stop postponing life until everything becomes perfect.

Urging people not to sacrifice everyday happiness for an imagined future, Vishnu encouraged readers to spend time with their families, take care of their health, travel, celebrate small victories and cherish ordinary days.

Addressing those struggling with anxiety or depression, he added that it is okay not to have everything figured out and encouraged people to seek help, talk to someone or consider therapy.

“Never give up. And don’t forget to LIVE,” he concluded.

The makers unveiled the title teaser and first glimpse of Scene, introducing Suriya’s character as DSP Inbaraj.

The glimpse offers a peek into the film’s world while keeping the story under wraps.

Written and directed by Jithu Madhavan, the film also brings together Suriya with Malayalam actors Nazriya Nazim, Naslen, Anandraj, Lal and Raj Priyan in prominent roles. 

Sushin Shyam has composed the music for the film, marking his Tamil debut as a composer. He previously collaborated with Jithu Madhavan on Aavesham. 

Scene marks Suriya’s first collaboration with Jithu Madhavan, who is making his Tamil directorial debut after the Malayalam films Romancham and Aavesham.

The film is produced by Jyotika and Suriya under 2D Entertainment, in association with Zhagaram Studios, and is scheduled to release in theatres on November 6.

The film is backed bySuriya's 2D Entertainment and Zhagaram Studios, with Jyotika also serving as a producer. 

Taking to his Instagram page to pen a lengthy post on the new film, in which she plays the female lead, actress Priyanka Arul Mohan wrote, "Some films come with a feeling that stays with you, even before you begin! Turning every page of Manjanathi felt like getting closer to a world filled with so much soul and emotion."

Priyanka further went on to say, "I’m excited to be a part of this beautiful journey with @mariselvaraj84 sir. I’m truly looking forward to stepping into your world , and joining you on this journey. And to have the legendary @ilaiyaraaja_offl sir’s music breathe life into our story makes this journey even more special. Can’t wait to begin this magical journey and bring Manjanathi to you all. #Manjanathi."

It may be recalled that actor Kathir, who plays the male lead in the film, had penned an emotional post about the film as well. Actor Kathir, whose work in director Mari Selvaraj's cult classic 'Pariyaerum Perumal' had come in for much appreciation, had disclosed that 'Manjanathi' had made him think about the fact that love doesn't look or feel the same to everyone in a way that he hadn't thought before.

The film, which only recently went on the floors, has music by Ilaiyaraaja. Apart from Kathir and Priyanka Mohan, the film will also feature actors Kayadu Lohar, Poornima Ravi, Vidhu, Kaaka Muttai Vignesh and Rahul (of 'Vaazhai' fame) in pivotal roles.

Cinematography for the film will be by Ezhil Arasu while editing will be by Selva R K. Art direction for the film is by Ramu Thangaraj. Stunts in the film are to be choreographed by Dhilip Subbarayan while dances in the film are to be choreographed by Sandy Master.

Taking to his Instagram page to pen a lengthy post on the new film, in which he plays the lead, Kathir wrote, "Love doesn’t look or feel the same to everyone. And #Manjanathi made me think about that in a way I hadn’t before. The first narration gave me a completely different perspective on love. I walked out with so many thoughts, and all I wanted to know was how this story would finally turn out."

Kathir went on to say that when he read the final version, it made him go silent.

"When I read the final version, it left me silent. It made me question who we are in this story… and how much of ourselves we might see in these characters. It opened up so much to explore, understand and discuss."

Admitting that he was both nervous and excited about the new film, Kathir said, "I’m honestly nervous about where we start this journey, but excited to put my heart into this one. This is nothing like we’ve done before, and I can’t wait to bring this guy’s world to the screen and make you feel what he feels."

He then went on to thank the director for trusting him to bring the character to life on screen. He said, "Thank you, mari na, for trusting me with this. And to everyone who kept asking when we would work together again. I truly hope every reunion of ours becomes an important film for all of us. Much love, @mariselvaraj84 Here we go again!!! #Manjanathi."

The film, which only recently went on the floors, has music by Ilaiyaraaja. Apart from Kathir, the film will feature actors Priyanka Mohan, Kayadu Lohar, Poornima Ravi, Vidhu, Kaaka Muttai Vignesh and Rahul (of 'Vaazhai' fame) in pivotal roles.

Cinematography for the film will be by Ezhil Arasu while editing will be by Selva R K. Art direction for the film is by Ramu Thangaraj. Stunts in the film are to be choreographed by Dhilip Subbarayan while dances in the film are to be choreographed by Sandy Master.

Speaking at a press conference, Thackeray asked why such events can not take place in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and the capitals of other states in the country.

"They are trying to build a wall between Gujarat and the rest of the country. Answers must be sought from them (BJP) as to why they are doing this," he said.

Sanjay Raut asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi was of Gujarat alone.

"I will not say that you hold the event in Maharashtra, Lucknow, Kolkata. This is a national programme, so people will expect this to happen in the national capital. Is this a Vibrant Gujarat event? The people whose brainchild this idea was are 'dimagi Naxals'," Raut said.

The venue was being shifted ahead of the Gujarat polls, he claimed, adding that the government was degrading the importance of the national capital and a national award.

"Artists should not go to Gujarat. Any artist proud of their country will refuse the award," Raut said.

The National Film Awards ceremony will move out of Delhi to Kevadia in Gujarat with President Droupadi Murmu presenting the honours on September 22, officials said on Monday.

Kevadia, which has been renamed Ekta Nagar, is home to the world's tallest statue -- that of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Statue of Unity, as it is named, stands at 597 feet and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.

The first National Awards in 1954 were held in Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan. It has hosted most of the award ceremonies since.

The 72nd edition of the awards, announced in July, will be a departure from the tradition, though there have been instances when the ceremony was held outside Delhi. The 17th National Film Awards were held in Chennai in 1971.

Written and directed by Balaji Tharaneetharan, Baththaa marks his third collaboration with Vijay Sethupathi after Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom and Seethakaathi. The film also stars Lijomol Jose and has cinematography by Selva Kumar SK.

Presented by Atlee, the film is produced by Murad Khetani, Priya Atlee, Alok Jain and Ajit Andhare, along with the production team under A For Apple Studios and Cine1 Studios. Baththaa is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on October 1. 

Directed by debutant Gowtham Sivaraman, the film brings together Abishan and Shivarajkumar in what marks an interesting cross-industry collaboration. The makers have announced that the film will be released in Tamil, Kannada and Telugu, widening its theatrical reach beyond Tamil cinema. Abishan, sharing the title announcement, wrote that Picasso would be “everyone’s favourite” and confirmed the three-language release. 

The film also features Shivani Nagaram, Yogalakshmi and Gana Vinoth in important roles. For Abishan, Picasso marks a reunion with Yogalakshmi, following their association in his directorial debut Tourist Family. Abishan subsequently made his acting debut as a lead with With Love, which featured Anaswara Rajan. 

The film had gone on floors earlier this year, with the makers releasing a glimpse introducing the project. The shooting was recently wrapped, ahead of the title and first-look reveal. The first-look poster features Abishan and Shivarajkumar in traditional attire, offering a glimpse of the film's rural setting and giving the title announcement a distinct visual identity. 

Picasso is produced by A Balamurugan under the Drama Company banner. Leon James has composed the music, while Pragadeesh Prabhu S is the cinematographer and Sureshkumar K is the editor. Viju Vijayan has handled the art direction. 

The actor was recently seen in Ram Charan's Peddi and is also set to reprise his role as Narasimha in Rajinikanth's Jailer 2. 

After working on films such as Valimai, Thunivu, Mark Antony and Good Bad Ugly, he is now part of Karthi’s Sardar 2, directed by PS Mithran. He says the sequel offered a different challenge, particularly because Karthi’s two characters travel together for a major portion of the film.

“Both characters are from the first part, but Sardar 2 goes back to their first mission. While Sardar was more plot-driven and infotainment-driven, the sequel gives equal importance to character and infotainment. It explores how a rookie trainee handles his first mission and the trauma he carries throughout his life,” says Vijay.

Unlike the first film, where Karthi’s two characters did not share much screen space, they travel together for nearly 50 to 60 per cent of the sequel. “Technically, it was a little challenging. Their behaviour also has certain differences, but Karthi has handled it very well, so there wasn’t much difficulty for me as an editor,” he adds.

The sequel is also much bigger in scale. “The first film was around 70 per cent plot-driven and 30 per cent character-driven. Here, it is almost 50-50. The action sequences, locations and set pieces are bigger. It is also a mystery film. The first 25 to 30 minutes contain a mystery that we haven’t revealed in the trailer. All these elements demanded a different editing language.”

Vijay describes the editing process as highly collaborative, especially with writer Nambi involved throughout.

“There were constant changes after every edit, but I didn’t change the basic structure. We made some changes to dialogues and other portions. Nambi sir sat with me throughout the editing process and guided me on how to control the characters. It was a new experience, and I wish all film teams did this without ego. It can help the film tremendously,” recalls the editor.

One major action sequence, mounted on a massive set with an Indiana Jones-like adventure feel, also underwent changes during editing.

“I had a few doubts while editing it, so I immediately asked the director to sit with me. I made some suggestions with his approval. Once those changes were made, a few other things became unclear, and those were corrected as well. The action sequences are situation-based, so it was a collaborative process.”

Maintaining mystery without confusing the audience was another priority. “Every scene was edited with clarity in mind. A mystery should be revealed part by part, on a need-to-know basis. We even created a focus group and screened the film to get their responses. It helped us a lot.”

Composer Sam CS was also part of the process. “After every cut, we would show him the film and take his feedback. He also gave us reference tracks, and we edited some sequences according to the mood.”

Vijay began his career with independent filmmaker Kalyaan through Naalaya Iyakkunar, before Valimai gave him his major break. His association with Ajith continued through Thunivu and Good Bad Ugly, with Daredevil as his upcoming project.

“After working with Ajith sir, my life changed both financially and professionally. He has become like family. He doesn’t discuss my work much, but when he smiles at you, you know he is happy.”

He is also editing SJ Suryah’s directorial comeback, Killer, which is around 80 per cent complete. “His whole body has a rhythm. Even the way he uses his hands and legs adds to his performance. He can give references for music, story and camera angles.

I love editing his scenes because he gives me so much to work with. Every detail is interesting,” the editor tells DT Next.

For Vijay, the audience’s perspective is important when making decisions in the edit. “Whatever the film demands, I look at it from the audience’s perspective. The theatre is the place I love the most, and sitting there with an audience is one of the best moments of my life.”

Describing his role as an editor, he says, “An editor is almost like a director at the edit table. We don’t stand under the sun during the shoot, but the mental stress can be greater.” For Sardar 2, he adds, “It is the journey and emotions of a spy, along with a lot of entertainment value. I believe audiences will enjoy it.”

The announcement comes as the film continues its theatrical run.

The film recently completed 25 days in theatres and, according to its makers, has crossed Rs 260 crore worldwide. It is the second Suriya-starrer this year to cross the Rs 250-crore mark after Karuppu. 

The film follows Sanjay Vishwanath (Suriya), a shooter whose pursuit of excellence is affected by age, family responsibilities and an unexpected romance. Mamitha Baiju plays his love interest.

The film also features Radikaa Sarathkumar and Raveena Tandon in prominent roles. 

Vishwanath and Sons will be available on Netflix in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam from September 11. 

The release date was announced by Ashok Selvan through his social media page, where he described the film as a “very special” project and urged audiences to watch it in theatres.

Directed by R Karthikeyan, the film stars Ashok Selvan and Preity Mukhundhan in the lead roles. The film has music by Govind Vasantha.

The technical crew includes cinematographer Gowtham Rajendran, editor Selva RK and art director Manikandan Srinivasan. The film is produced by K Karunamoorthy, Ashok Selvan and Abinaya Selvam.

Anbil Avan is backed by SonyLIV and is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on September 25.

They informed that they have not hired any casting agents for any of their projects.

The banner further urged all to not trust any emails, messages, and social media posts shared by any agent on their behalf.

The statement published on the official X (Earlier known as Twitter) handle of the production banner read, "This is to clarify that Raajkamal Films International has not hired any casting agents for any of our films. Please do not trust any emails, messages and social media posts received by you for this purpose (sic)."

The statement further warned that Raajkamal Films International will be forced to take legal action against anyone found using their names in an unauthorized manner.

"Legal action will be taken if any party is found falsely using Raajkamal Films International name in any unauthorized manner. (sic)," they added.

Raajkamal Films International was founded by Kamal Haasan back in 1981 along with his brothers under the banner “Haasan Brothers,. However, later it was renamed as Raajkamal Films International.

The primary project made under the banner was the 1981 drama Raja Paarvai' , featuring Kamal Haasan in the lead.

Some of their most noteworthy films include 'Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989)', 'Thevar Magan (1992)', 'Virumaandi (2004)', 'Vishwaroopam (2013)' and 'Vikram (2022)'.

Up next, Raajkamal Films International is backing superstar Rajinikanth's highly anticipated drama 'Dharman'.

Recently, the makers of director Ashwath Marimuthu's directorial shared that they have successfully completed the second schedule of the forthcoming movie.

Raaj Kamal Films International and Kamal Haasan took to social media and shared the professional update via a post that read, "Dharman 2nd Schedule Wrapped. Swag Mode: ON." The post further included a clip where Rajinikanth was seen as a senior medical faculty member lecturing junior doctors.

Born on September 3, 1926, Uttam Kumar, whose original name was Arun Kumar Chattopadhyay, was one of the most iconic actors in Indian cinema and is widely regarded as 'Mahanayak' (great hero) of the Bengali film industry.

In a notification, the Department of Economic Affairs under the Finance Ministry said the commemorative coin will be issued to mark the "centenary celebration of Mahanayak Uttam Kumar".

The Rs 100 commemorative coin, made of 99.9 pure silver, will have a 44-millimetre diameter, as per the gazette notification dated September 3.

The Bengali superstar, who appeared in more than 200 films throughout his illustrious career, passed away on July 24, 1980, at the age of 53.

The announcement was made by producer Raaj Kamal Films International.

Seeman joins a cast that includes Sivakarthikeyan, Bhagyashri Borse and Raj B Shetty.

A cast announcement video featuring Seeman dressed in white was released by the production house. He is reportedly playing a powerful character in the film, which is said to have mythological and cultural elements.

The film marks Seeman’s first collaboration with Sivakarthikeyan.

Arul Doss, Bala Saravanan and Singampuli are also part of the cast. Seyon is Sivakumar Murugesan’s second directorial venture after Thaai Kizhavi.

Kamal Haasan is producing the film along with R Mahendran under Raaj Kamal Films International. The project reunites Sivakarthikeyan with Kamal Haasan following their collaboration on Amaran. 

The technical crew includes music composer Santhosh Narayanan, cinematographer Vidhu Ayyanna,and stunt duo Anbariv. 

He posted a picture of his daughter on his official Insta handle and said that he and his better half, Supriya Menon, are proud of the person Alankrita has turned into.

The 'Kaduva' actor said that his daughter has the ability to inspire others around her with her compassion.

His lovely note on the photo-sharing app read, "Happy birthday sunshine! Mamma and Daada are so proud of the person you are, and the person you are growing into. Your compassion for the world around you is an inspiration, and in so many ways, so many times, you’ve taught Mamma and Daada so many things about life by just being you! Keep flying high..and keep loving life the way you do! (sic)", along with red heart emojis.

Additionally, Supriya also used social media to wish her 'Ally Kutty' on her 12th birthday.

Dropping a string of unseen photographs of his daughter on her official Instagram handle, she penned, "Happy 12th Birthday Ally Kutty! Can’t believe you are so grown up already! Feels like yesterday when we brought you home from the hospital. You are a wonderful daughter and I feel like you have all the best parts of us and I don’t wonder where you get all that sass and talking back from! Stay kind, loving and empathetic for this world is truly a circus! Mamma & Daada are proud of the person you are and the person you are becoming! Love you so much!," followed by red heart, hug, kiss, and evil eye emoji.

Prithviraj tied the knot with Supriya on April 25, 2011, in a private ceremony in Palakkad. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter, Alankrita Menon Prithviraj, in 2014.

Supriya was working as a journalist covering Malayalam cinema when she met Prithviraj.

Neeta took to Instagram, where she shared a video of herself talking about watching ‘Coming to America’ in 1988.

“1988, Coming to America released. I watched the movie and enjoyed it. A couple of weeks later, I got a call from Sridevi that I need to work on a song for ‘Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja’. When I met her, this movie and the clothes were still fresh in my memory. So in my discussion, I asked her if she could do something which is really larger than life with feathers and something that I couldn't really think of but I suddenly started to sketch,” said Neeta.

She added: “I sketched out this outfit with a lot of layering on the skirt with gold metal on the bodice and a headgear with feathers on it and she smiled, she said, ‘will you really be able to achieve this?’ I said, ‘yes, I want to achieve it’.”

The designer said that once the entire meeting was over and she had discussed and finalized this, the process of creating the garment started.

“I went into Crawford Market, the famous Crawford Market and laid my hands on these beautiful feathers that were available then which I used and created the headgear with chain mail, with stones, rhinestones, with metal pieces all intertwined together and fixed the feathers onto the headgear,” said the designer.

“The dress was finally done and I took the outfit for fittings. And she looked at it and she said, she was really happy about the whole look. And then we started to shoot. Those days, a song was shot over at least 10 to 12 days.”

“This particular song went from morning till very late in the night. I remember every day the shoot would start by 9 o'clock, but it would end around 10, 10.30."

"And I would carry the clothes back, restructure them, refinish them, check on the feathers, check on the jewelry, attach the pieces back because the dance move was really heavy and take it back for shoot the next day. And the song came out as you saw it (sic).”

In the caption section, she wrote: “..The kind of creation that teaches you to dream bigger and become a part of cinematic history. For Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, the vision was larger than life and so was the challenge.”

“This creation was built with feathers, rhinestones and handmade and 800 metal etched with Egyptian palmette motifs . Absolutely pushing the boundaries of what could be imagined, constructed and worn on set. Sridevi herself wondered if the vision could be brought to life. An idea can be extraordinary, but needs to be bought to life through imagination, craftsmanship and sheer determination...(sic).”

Roop ki Rani Choron Ka Raja stars Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Anupam Kher, Johnny Lever and Jackie Shroff. It was the highest-budget Hindi film at that time. The film was directed by Satish Kaushik and written by Javed Akhtar. The project, announced in 1987, was initially directed by Shekhar Kapur, who left the project halfway through; he was subsequently replaced by Satish Kaushik.

It told the story of Jugran, a criminal, who brutally murders a customs officer and a doctor. Their orphaned children grow up facing troubles and decide to seek revenge against their parents' killer.

What drew you to Move On Rajeshwari and made you say yes to the role?

Move On Rajeshwari is a Tamil vertical micro-drama series that explores finding love after 40. Rajeshwari is a strong, successful woman who has everything under control, except finding a life partner. Her niece, Priya, pushes her to meet new people and find love again. The series blends comedy with serious moments. I liked Rajeshwari because she is confident, professional and powerful. The character was different and interesting, and that made me say yes to the role. I hope the story gives hope to someone who is like Rajeshwari in real life.

You’ve worked extensively in feature films, and Move On Rajeshwari is a vertical series where each episode is under two minutes. How different was the filming process for you?

Micro dramas have a smaller budget, so the shoot happens very quickly. We completed 60 episodes in just four days. In a feature film, we usually shoot a maximum of three scenes a day, but here we were doing nearly 20 scenes a day. It was definitely a new experience for me, but I really enjoyed it. The fast-paced process was challenging, but it was also fun and gave me a chance to experience a different style of filmmaking.

What do you think about the transformation of watching a series on a vertical screen?

Vertical screens are becoming popular because people watch almost everything on their phones now. I even prefer the vertical format because I don’t like changing my phone’s position. It is simple and convenient. People also want quick entertainment, especially while travelling on public transport or when they have some free time. I think vertical series are becoming popular because they fit easily into our daily lives.

You stepped away from acting at a time when you were already an established and successful actor. Looking back, what did that break mean to you?

It was a conscious choice and decision that I made. When I had my children, I felt it would be better to quit acting for a little while and raise them myself. I wanted to bring them up on my own, and I felt I couldn’t trust anyone else with that responsibility. I believe nobody can do that job better than me. So, it was a decision I took willingly.

What was the biggest change you noticed in the industry?

Technology has changed a lot. Earlier, we used high-intensity lights that were very hot and uncomfortable, but now LED lights make shooting easier. We also have monitors to watch our performance after each shot, which is very convenient. Digital technology also allows us to do more takes, unlike earlier when everything was more restricted. When I talk to people I worked with before, we often have nostalgic conversations about how things were back then and how different it is now. We laugh and say, “Once upon a time,” and remember those days.

When you look at Laila, who was working in films in the early 2000s, and the actor you are today, what do you think has changed most in the way you approach a role?

Now, I prefer roles that give me scope to perform and explore different emotions. I think the Laila of the 2000s would have looked for big-budget films and big actors, but today, I am more focused on performance-oriented roles.

Priyadarshan said casting the antagonist proved difficult, with several actors turning down the role.

“Basically, you first decide whom you want in the script and then think about who fits the character. At the same time, you also consider the market value of a film like this. All these factors matter while casting,” he said.

While Saif was locked in from the beginning, Priyadarshan struggled to find someone for the antagonist. “In this film, Saif is the only actor I had confirmed. I tried to get the antagonist with many people, and I failed,” he said.

The casting changed during the shoot of Bhoot Bangla, when Priyadarshan casually mentioned the role to Akshay.

“While I was shooting Bhoot Bangla, I casually told Akshay that I was looking for a character like this and many people were not agreeing. He immediately said, ‘I will do it.’”

Haiwaan marks the reunion of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar after 18 years.

The two have previously collaborated on several successful films. The movie is slated to release on September 11.

Kevadia, which has been renamed Ekta Nagar, is home to the world's tallest statue -- that of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Statue of Unity, as it is named, stands at 597 feet and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.

The first National Awards in 1954 were held in Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan that has hosted most of the award ceremonies since.

The 72nd edition of the awards, announced in July, will be a departure from the usual tradition though there have been instances when the ceremony was held outside Delhi. The 17th National Film Awards were held in Chennai in 1971.

"Article 370" has been named the best feature film and its lead star Yami Gautam the best actress. Malayalam superstar Mammootty and Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan will share the best actor prize for their roles in "Bramayugam" and "Chandu Champion", respectively.

Actor-filmmaker Randeep Hooda has been named the best debut director award for "Swatantrya Veer Savarkar", a biopic on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

Telugu science-fiction epic "Kalki 2898 AD" will receive the award for best popular film "providing wholesome entertainment", while Tamil film "Captain Miller", directed by Arun Matheswaran and starring Dhanush, has been named the best feature film promoting "National, Social and Environmental Values".

Priyanka Mohan and Kayadu Lohar are playing the lead roles, with Kathir, Sandy Master, Vidhu and Poornima Ravi also part of the cast.

Rahul R, who was seen in Mari’s Vaazhai, and newcomer Raghavi are also acting in the film.

Mari shared pictures from the launch on X and thanked Ilaiyaraaja. “Our eternal gratitude and love to our music genius who has inaugurated the days of Manjanathi from today!!” he wrote.

Mari has written and directed the film, which is produced by Sushant Prasad and Divya Mari Selvaraj.

Harsh Lalwani is the co-producer, while Ezhil Arasu K and Selva RK are handling the cinematography and editing, respectively.

On the actor’s 75th birthday on September 7, the makers released a character reveal video introducing him as Burma Karthikeyan, a feared smuggler known as Siya or The Elder One.

The video presents Mammootty in a rugged, mass avatar. While Karthikeyan is involved in smuggling, he is shown to have the respect of the people around him, as well as the police.

The character also appears to share a strong bond with the local community.

Om marks Mammootty’s return to Tamil cinema after seven years. His last Tamil film was Ram’s Peranbu, which was released in 2019.

Om – Chapter 1: Udhiram – The Blood Wood is written and directed by Rajkumar Periasamy, who last directed Amaran. Dhanush plays the lead role, while the film also stars Sai Pallavi, Sreeleela and veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah.

The film marks Naseeruddin Shah’s Tamil debut.

Sai Abhyankkar is composing the music. The technical team includes cinematographer Ezhil Arasu K, editor R Kalaivanan and art director A Pannerselvam.

Yannick Ben and Kecha Khamphakdee handle the action choreography.

He was 65. Sarath, who made a mark in Malayalam cinema as a director, screenwriter and storyteller, was also known for his contributions to Keralam's social and cultural life.

He directed several films, including 'Sayahnam', 'Sthithi', 'Sheelabathi', 'Buddhanum Chaplinum Chirikkunnu', 'Swayam' and 'Paradise'.

Sarath's film 'Sayahnam', which won the Indira Gandhi Award, received seven Kerala State Film Awards in 2000.

His film 'The Desire – A Journey of a Woman' won the Best Narrative Feature Film award at the Geneva International Film Festival in 2011.

His other works include short films such as 'Achinte Katha', 'Chumar Chithrangal', 'Bhoomikkoru Charama Geetham' and 'Mahatma Gandhi Road'. His documentary, based on the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, also received international attention.

Sarath was awarded the Central Government's Junior Fellowship for his work on mural paintings.

His film 'Burial of Dreams', based on the Bhopal gas tragedy, also drew national attention.

Born in Vilakkudy in Kollam district, Sarath completed his graduation in English from Mahatma Gandhi College in Thiruvananthapuram and postgraduation from University College. He later completed a Film Appreciation course at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.

Before entering government service, he worked as a journalist with 'Kerala Kaumudi'. He retired in 2021 as Deputy Director in the Public Relations Department of the Kerala government.

Sarath is survived by his wife and two sons.

The FEFKA Directors' Union has expressed its condolences over his death.

Taking to X, formerly called Twitter, the filmmaker wrote: “With AI, the first jobs to vanish will be of those who immediately don’t embrace it. Technology has always been designed for our convenience, to save us from physical hardships and to save our time from wasting it on mundane tasks…(sic).”

“We all wish for more and more free time, and now our wish is coming true with AI freeing us for all time and most probably forever. We as humans had two assets .. one the muscle with which we perform tasks, and the mind we use to think and create.”

Drawing the parallel, he wrote: “The Industrial Revolution started erasing physical jobs and now A I is erasing our minds ..Soon we will not have both and that’s nothing but our most ardent wish coming true Edward Abbey in W. W. Jacobs’s ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ warned us about this

‘Beware of what you wish for.. it might come true’. It did (sic).”

RGV has directed films across multiple genres. He is popular for having gritty realism, technical finesse in his cinema. Varma is tagged as one of the pioneers of new-age Indian cinema.

He is currently busy with 'Police Station Mein Bhoot' starring Manoj Bajpayee

Speaking about the cast of “Police Station Mein Bhoot,” the film also stars Genelia Deshmukh as the female lead.

He is simultaneously working on “Police Company” starring Harshvardhan Rane. The film was announced last month.

RGV had then shared on X that the film’s tag line is ‘It Is More Dangerous Than D Company’.

“The police is an institution, and an underworld company is a money making organisation.. But when an institution is given extra powers, it will soon become a company.”

“After DAWOOD IBRAHIM brutally finished most of his rival gangs, he grew his GANG into a COMPANY and then left for DUBAI leaving his protégée CHOTA RAJAN to head the operations of D COMPANY. Subsequently a chain of events led to a split between Dawood and Rajan , which in turn caused a vacuum in the Mumbai underworld (sic).”

RGV went on to say that the film “Police Company” is story inspired from that “SQUAD based on one of its team members DAYA NAYAK which is being played by HARSH VARDHAN RANE ..The film has a huge ensemble cast , the details of which will be revealed soon.”

With a diverse line-up of contestants stepping into the house, viewers can expect emotions to run high, friendships to be tested and drama to unfold at every turn. Superstar host Salman Khan welcomed the 17 contestants for Bigg Boss Season 20, introducing them in his own distinct manner.

The contestant lineup brings together an eclectic mix of champions, actors, digital creators, musicians, and rising personalities. While boxing legend Mary Kom brings an unparalleled sporting pedigree, Aamrapali Dubey and Uditi Singh bring their established screen presence and strong fan followings.

Digital stars and young actors Arishfa Khan, Aman Gandhi, Love Gill, and Rohed Khan represent the new generation accustomed to commanding audiences online, while Qazi Ahmad Tauqeer and Isha Rikhi add their own entertainment and performance backgrounds to the mix. Harsh Machare, better known as Yung DSA, and Tanmay Singh, aka ScoutOP, bring their own energy and competitive spirit alongside Kushal Tanwar, popularly known as Gullu. The lineup has been further strengthened by personalities like Mahhi Vij, Asif Khan, Rhiti Tiwari, and Kanika Mann.

At the premiere, Salman Khan kicked off the milestone season in style by performing on iconic songs, also marking his incredible 38 years in the film industry. The contestants also delivered special performances. In major surprises, Bhojpuri stars Manoj Tiwari and Dinesh Lal Yadav aka Nirahua joined in for the celebrations. This year’s theme is ‘Vardaan’, with the makers teasing the idea of an “extra jeevan daan” that could bring an unexpected turn to the competition.

The makers shared the first-look poster on social media handle with a special wish for the actor, 'Wishing Our Dearest Mammukka very Happy Birthday," wrote Nithish Sahadev on Instagram

Mammootty also shared the update with his fans, "Presenting The Title & First Look Poster of Our 9th Production Venture #MELA Directed by Nithish Sahadev." The first-look poster presents Mammootty in an intense and rugged avatar. The veteran actor is seen wearing a black shirt and black mundu, sporting a commanding look.

As the superstar turned 75, social media platforms were flooded with birthday wishes from fans. One fan wrote, " Happy Birthday Ikkaa”, while another commented, “Vintage charm meets absolute mass!!!” 'Mela' adds to Mammootty's already packed lineup of upcoming projects. His most recent major theatrical release was 'Patriot', a Malayalam political action spy thriller that hit cinemas on May 1, 2026.

The actor is also set to feature in 'Mattancherry Mafia'. Mammootty will further reunite with acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan for 'Padayaatra'. The actor-director duo last collaborated in the film 'Vidheyan'. They have earlier worked in films like Anantaram and Mathilukal. He is also teaming up with Dhanush for the upcoming Tamil action thriller 'Om'. The film also features Sai Pallavi, Naseeruddin Shah, Sreeleela and Indrans.

According to industry sources, the makers are exploring all possible options to release the film this month. Based on a story by Drishyam director Jeethu Joseph, the film has been directed by R Madhesh and produced by Punnagai Poo Gheetha.

Sandakkari is said to be a funfilled family entertainer. Shriya plays a senior executive, while Vemal portrays an employee working under her.

Actor Sathyan is expected to add to the comedy, playing a character caught between the constant confrontations between Shriya and Vemal. The film also stars Prabhu, K R Vijaya, Punnagai Poo Gheetha, Rekha, Dev Gill, Uma Padmanabhan, Mahanadi Shankar and Crane Manohar in prominent roles.

The trailer premiered on the big screen at 6.40 pm, with special screenings held across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The 3.40-minute trailer begins with Ajith speaking about the vast horizons of motorsport and describing endurance racing as one of its most challenging forms.

Shalini Ajith Kumar, who appears on screen for the first time in nearly 20 years for the documentary, says, “Everyone knows Ajith as an actor, but those who are close to him know that he is someone who chases his dreams and follows his passion. He didn’t return to racing just to win a trophy. He came back for those few seconds of that ‘nothing is impossible’ moment."

The trailer concludes with Ajith saying, “I love this sport,” before raising the Indian flag in front of the crowd. The actor's racing journey is set to get a bigger spotlight with Gladiators, which focuses on his passion for motorsport.

Directed by AL Vijay, the documentary looks at a side of Ajith beyond cinema, tracing his journey as a racer and his experiences in the world of motorsport.

Unlike a regular trailer release that would first appear online, the makers chose to screen it in theatres, giving fans a chance to catch the first glimpse of the documentary on the big screen.

The documentary also features footage connected to Ajith’s racing career.

His racing journey has included endurance racing and international motorsport events, adding another dimension to his career beyond acting.

At Kamala Theatre in Vadapalani, the response was far bigger than initially anticipated.

According to theatre owner Ganesh, the trailer was originally planned to be screened twice once in English and once in Tamil.

However, the bookings for the special premiere closed within 100 seconds. With around 3,000 people turning up at the theatre, which has an auditorium that can accommodate about 600 people, the trailer was eventually screened five times to accommodate the crowds.

“Ajith sir’s opening is always celebrated hugely by Tamil people, but this response was something else. We initially planned to screen the trailer only twice, once in English and once in Tamil. But the bookings closed in 100 seconds. In a 600-seat auditorium, around 3,000 people came. So we had to rotate the audience and screen it five times,” says Ganesh.

He adds that AL Vijay, the director of the documentary, along with Ajith’s manager Suresh Chandra, were also present to witness the audience response.

“The response was huge. People are waiting to see him. This is a documentary, and for a documentary to have a trailer and receive this kind of response is something I have never seen in my 50 years of experience. That is Ajith and the stardom and respect he has among his fans,” he says.

The theatre also played 10 songs from Ajith’s films between the trailer screenings to keep the audience entertained.

“I had to give additional content to the people who came all the way to watch a three-minute trailer for Ajith sir. So I put together cuts and edits from his various movies and played his songs in between the screenings to entertain the people and do justice to those who had come to see him,” says Ganesh.

Gladiators: In Pursuit of Challenges is produced by Shalini Ajith Kumar under Golden Trophy Film Production, with music by GV Prakash Kumar. AL Vijay has earlier worked with Ajith in Kireedam.

The yet-to-be-titled project will be written and directed by MS Anandan, marking a new collaboration for the production house.

AGS Entertainment took to its social media page to share pictures from the film’s pooja ceremony and announced the beginning of the project.

The film is being referred to as AGS29 for now, with the official title yet to be revealed. The production house’s post confirmed that the project will feature Jai, Priyanka Mohan and Yogi Babu in the cast.

The film will have music by Ravi Basrur. Nassar and Director Rajiv Menon are also part of the upcoming film’s cast.

The launch ceremony was attended by members of the cast and crew. The makers are yet to reveal details about the storyline and the characters. However, the first poster hints at a crime thriller, with Braille appearing to be integral to the plot.

AGS29 marks the production house’s latest outing in the crime-thriller genre following its previous production, Blast, which emerged successful upon release.

Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh and Kalpathi S Suresh are producing the upcoming film under their AGS Entertainment banner. Archana Kalpathi is on board as creative producer, with Aishwarya Kalpathi serving as associate creative producer.

The 62-year-old actress said that she misses her ‘The Proposal’ co-star, who died in 2021 just before her 100th birthday, but Sandra insisted she believes Betty is still around.

She told Kylie Kelce on her Not Gonna Lie podcast, “Betty White is everything. I say ‘is everything’ cause I know she’s still floating around. Betty was the epitome of a human who lived her best life, found the best love, made lemonade out of absolutely everything, had timing that was unbelievable”.

She shared, “You just don’t even bother to say anything funny (when in a scene with her). Don’t try. Just let it be Betty because she just could own a room. She was incredible”.

Sandra has great memories of filming 2009’s ‘The Proposal’ with Betty and Ryan Reynolds, as she said, “We had a day where we were on this little boat. It was Ryan, Betty, I think just me. I don’t think anyone else is on it. And it was freezing”.

She added, “And they’re like, ‘Sandra, do you want a jacket?’ I’m like, ‘Yes.’ I’m in these heels, and I’m freezing, and I have this big down coat, and Ryan’s got a down coat. Betty goes, ‘No, I’m fine.’ I’m like, ‘F***”.

Following Betty’s death in 2021, Sandra called her a “loving, decent, optimistic, inclusive, hilarious human being”.

Betty White was one of Hollywood’s most beloved and enduring entertainers, with a career spanning more than 8 decades. She was born in 1922, and later achieved global popularity through iconic shows such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Poonam criticized Swara’s comments and said she was surprised that someone she considered educated and intelligent would make such a statement. The ‘Nasha’ actress said she used to be a fan of the actress but disagreed with what she had said about the film. She questioned why Swara had made such comments and argued that the makers had portrayed the historical account rather than creating a fictional story.

“I used to be her fan, a long time ago. Now, whatever she said… She shouldn't have said that,” Poonam said. She further expressed her disappointment over Swara’s comments, describing them as a “very stupid thing to say.” She added that she had always considered Swara to be “so educated and so smart” and said she was upset to hear her speak about the film in that manner.

Poonam stated, She said, “I used to be her fan a long time ago. Now, whatever she said… What should I say to her? She shouldn’t have said that. The makers only showed history. They didn’t make up a story. Sanjay Leela Bhansali showed a film based on history.”

“I have a lot of anger inside me. No, I don’t want to… Because it’s a very stupid thing to say something like this. I always found her so educated and so smart. And a woman like her coming out and saying something so rubbish. She… I mean… Her tongue is bad, her face looks bad too,” added Poonam.

For the unversed, Swara Bhasker recently drew attention with her comments on the jauhar scene in the film “Padmaavat.” The actress spoke at the “Woman Life Freedom” talk held at the India International Centre in Delhi on August 31, where she criticized the depiction of the sequence in the film.

Speaking at the event, Swara made a strong observation about the jauhar sequence shown towards the end of the film. She said that the portrayal could send the wrong message to rape survivors and questioned whether the scene suggested that women should choose death to preserve their honour.

She was quoted as saying, “I was watching it, and I thought that if God forbid, I was a rape survivor, what is this film telling me? I would feel like a coward that I didn’t commit suicide to save my honour. Is that what you want to tell in a society like ours where I feel like anyway there is a rape epidemic. Is this what we want to tell our survivors that they don’t deserve to live, that if you actually would have be a honourable and brave women, you would have killed yourself. Are we saying that rape is end of a woman’s life? This scene was so problematic.”

The ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ actor sought divine blessings before beginning the play’s tour. Sharing glimpses from the temple visit, Kher expressed his admiration for the magnificent 90-foot-tall Panchaloha Abhaya Hanuman statue, also known as the “Statue of Union.” He described the towering idol as “breathtaking,” saying that standing before Hanuman ji made him feel both protected and humbled.

The actor also praised Indians and followers of Sanatan Dharma living outside India for their efforts to preserve their traditions and keep their cultural roots alive. Anupam expressed his deep respect for those working to spread the timeless teachings of Sanatan Dharma across the world.

The carousel of videos and pictures features Anupam Kher performing aarti at the temple, posing in front of the majestic Hanuman idol. He also posted group pictures with the cast. Kher also shared glimpses of his time exploring Houston with his team ahead of their first performance.

Sharing his videos and photos, he wrote, “Visiting Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple Before the First Show! Om Before the first performance of our play #JaanePehchaaneAnjane in Houston, the entire cast and I visited the beautiful Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple and sought divine blessings.”

“The magnificent 90-foot-tall Panchaloha Abhaya Hanuman ji, known as the “Statue of Union,” is simply breathtaking—powerful, awe-inspiring and, at the same time, deeply humbling. Standing before Hanuman ji, one feels both protected and incredibly small.”

The 71-year-old actor concluded writing, “My deepest admiration and respect for all the Sanatanis living outside India who are doing such extraordinary work to preserve our traditions, keep our cultural roots alive and spread the timeless teachings of Sanatan Dharma across the world. We begin our tour with His blessings. Jai Bajrang Bali! Jai Shri Ram!.”

The announcement was made through a new video shared by the film’s makers. The video carries the intriguing line, “Life is rarely black & white,” followed by the announcement that the title of Mani Ratnam’s next will be revealed on September 7.

The yet-to-be-titled film brings together Mani Ratnam, Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi and music composer A R Rahman, making it one of the most keenly awaited Tamil projects currently in production. The film is being presented by Lyca Productions and produced by Madras Talkies.

The project was officially announced in March, with Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi confirmed as the lead actors and AR Rahman on board as composer. While the makers have kept the storyline under wraps, the film has generated considerable interest around its combination of talent. Vijay Sethupathi is reuniting with Mani Ratnam after their collaboration in Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, while this marks Sai Pallavi’s first film with the filmmaker. 

The film has already begun shooting, with portions filmed in Kolkata. Recent behind-the-scenes pictures from a shoot on the Howrah Bridge had also sparked comparisons with Vijay Sethupathi’s earlier romantic drama 96, although the makers have not revealed whether the new film is a romance or disclosed details of its plot. 

The technical crew includes cinematographer PC Sreeram.

With the title now set to be revealed on September 7, the announcement is expected to offer the first major clue about Mani Ratnam’s latest directorial venture.

Sources say that the makers are exploring all options possible in a bid to release the film this month.

The film, which is based on a story by ‘Drishyam’ director Jeethu Joseph, has been directed by R Madhesh and produced by Punnagai Poo Gheetha.

Sources say that the film will be a fun-filled family entertainer. Set against the backdrop of a leading software company in London, the film features Shriya as a senior executive and Vemal as an employee working under her. Their contrasting personalities lead to a series of clashes involving love, ego, humour and unexpected twists, forming the heart of the story.

Adding to the fun will be actor Sathyan, who gets hilariously caught between Vemal and Shriya during their constant confrontations. The trio’s combination is expected to be one of the film’s biggest comedy highlights.

Apart from Shriya Saran, Vemal and Sathyan, the film will also feature Prabhu, KR Vijaya, Punnagai Poo Gheetha, Rekha, Dev Gill, Uma Padmanabhan, Mahanadi Shankar and Crane Manohar in prominent roles.

The film boasts of a sound technical team as well. Well known music director Amrish has scored the music for this hilarious entertainer, while gifted cinematographer Gurudev has served as the film's cameraman. Editing for the film is by Dinesh Ponraj while Ayyappan has headed the department of art direction.

Action sequences in the film have been choreographed by one of the best in the business, Kanal Kannan, while the dance sequences in the film have been choreographed by the very talented Habeeb.

Sources claim the film will be packed with elements of romance, comedy, family emotions and conflicts and that the film itself will be a lively family entertainer.

Mythri Movie Makers, the production house that is distributing the film in the Telugu states, on Saturday released a video clip of the core team of the film calling on Kamal Haasan.

It wrote, "A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR TEAM #BethlehemKudumbaUnit! Ulaganayagan @ikamalhaasan garu met the team and congratulated them on the blockbuster success #BKUTelugu In Cinemas Now! Book Your Tickets Now. Telugu States Release by @MythriReleases."

The clip released showed Kamal Haasan warmly welcoming the 'Bethlehem Kudumba Unit' team led by one of its producers Fahadh Faasil. The team was seen having a conversation with Kamal Haasan after which each of the team members got a photo of themselves clicked with the star.

For the unaware, the film has emerged a roaring blockbuster, already collecting over Rs 200 crores worldwide.

It may be recalled that the makers of the film had recently appealed to the public not to record or share theatre snippets and key scenes of the film on social media.

Bhavana Studios, the production house that has distributed the film, issued a statement, which actor Nivin Pauly had shared on his social media timelines. Sharing the statement of the production house, the actor had said, "Request your attention!"

In its statement, the production house had said, "Thank you for the global blockbuster love! We're overwhelmed by the unprecedented bookings and the incredible joy you're bringing to theatres."

It then made a request. The production house said, "A humble request: Kindly avoid recording or sharing theatre snippets and key scenes on social media. Let everyone experience the magic and surprises of the film on the big screen. Let's keep the experience special for everyone. See you at the theatres!"

The film, which hit screens worldwide on August 21 this year, has gone on to emerge a massive blockbuster.

The story of the film has been penned by director Girish AD along with Kiran Josey.

Cinematography for the film is by Ajmal Sabu while music for the film has been scored by Vishnu Vijay. Akash Joseph Varghese was the editor for the film, which was distributed by Bhavana.

Production for the film, which Nivin Pauly had said was going to be "very special", had kicked off in September last year.

Bhavana Studios is a company partnered by director Dileesh Pothan, actor Fahadh Faasil and scenarist Syam Pushkaran.

Produced as a CSR initiative by Sundram Fasteners Ltd., in collaboration with Nature inFocus and with the support of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, the one-hour documentary brings together footage captured across the State over four years.

Inspired by the five landscapes of ancient Sangam literature Kurinji (mountains), Mullai (forests), Marutham (croplands), Neithal (coasts) and Palai (arid zones) the film explores the wildlife inhabiting these ecosystems. It features elephants and leopards, along with lesser-known species such as the lion-tailed macaque, fireflies and the Madras hedgehog.

Directed by wildlife filmmaker Kalyan Varma, the documentary features a soundtrack by three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej, who blends Carnatic traditions with orchestral arrangements. Actor Arvind Swamy has lent his voice for the narration.

Speaking about the theatrical release, Sundram Fasteners Managing Director Arathi Krishna said the company hopes the film will make Tamil Nadu’s natural heritage more accessible to audiences and inspire greater appreciation for wildlife conservation.

The film brings together footage captured by a team of cinematographers from South India over four years, covering the State’s mountains, forests, croplands, coastline, coral reefs and arid landscapes.

Wild Tamil Nadu will hit PVR Cinemas on September 7.

According to her Instagram post, she said her son Raaga, whom she shares with actor-chef Madhampatty Rangaraj, is still very young and that leaving him behind did not feel right.

Joy Crizildaa says son Raaga is her priority

Crizildaa said she had decided against entering the show because of her responsibilities as a mother.

She said, “I want to clarify that I am not entering the Bigg Boss house. My child, Raaga, is still very young, and leaving him behind does not feel right. Therefore, I declined the opportunity; for me, my child is the priority.”

In July, Madhampatty Rangaraj had shared pictures with Raaga on social media and publicly acknowledged him as his son, promising to stand by him for life. Later, Crizildaa shared pictures of them at a temple after the baby’s head tonsure ceremony.

The developments came after a DNA test earlier this year confirmed that Rangaraj is Raaga’s biological father, following a months-long legal dispute. Crizildaa had earlier approached the Chennai Police Commissioner’s Office alleging that Rangaraj, who was already married, had married her and later deceived her. Based on her complaint, police initiated an inquiry, while the matter is also pending before the court.

Bigg Boss Tamil 10 set for grand launch

Bigg Boss Tamil is now entering its historic 10th season. Kamal Haasan hosted the show for its first seven seasons before Vijay Sethupathi took over as host for the eighth and ninth seasons. The upcoming season is expected to feature a fresh set of personalities, along with new twists, emotional moments and confrontations inside the house.

The grand launch of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 10 is scheduled to be broadcast live on September 6 from 6 pm on Star Vijay. The new season will also be available for streaming 24/7 on JioHotstar.

Taking to his X timeline to highlight the fact that he had completed 18 years in the film industry, Nani wrote, "18 years. Officially an adult in cinema (smiley face) Never took your love for granted. I won’t ever."

For the unaware, the actor's first film 'Ashta Chamma', which was directed by Mohana Krishna Indraganti, first hit the screens on September 5, 2008.

Nani, who has grown from just being an actor to becoming a hero and a producer in these 18 years, is currently working on director Srikanth Odela's eagerly awaited action entertainer 'The Paradise', an action entertainer that is to hit screens on September 24 this year.

'The Paradise', which is backed by SLV Cinemas, was originally set for a grand release on March 26, 2026. However, its makers chose to postpone the film's release first to August 21 and then to September 24.

A teaser that the makers released recently has only added to the excitement. The teaser released begins with a voiceover asking, "Henceforth, to whom does this place belong?" Nani then announces his arrival in quite a dramatic manner, performing an acrobatic stunt. Sporting two plaits and drenched in blood, he walks slowly sipping what appears to be a beverage.

We then see Mohan Babu, who plays the antagonist, referring to the people as "My beloved people of Paradise."

As a series of action sequences follow with blood being spilled quite generously, we hear a woman asking, "Is the government meant for your feudal lords or for the people?"

After this, we hear a man saying, "Our oppressed race must rise in rebellion. The very black they spat on in disgust will be the colour of our flag and the crow will be our emblem. Let's show them what will happen when the crows they spat on draw their swords!"

Soon cries of "Whose land is this? Ours! Whose country is this? Ours!" are heard. The teaser ends with Nani, soaked in blood and carrying a chain made of blades and sitting on a pile of bodies, wards off the evil eye.

In all, the teaser gives the impression that Paradise will be a grim, intense action thriller that will revolve around Nani leading the oppressed in rebellion against tyranny!

The film is expected to release in eight languages namely Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, English, Spanish, Bengali, Kannada, and Malayalam.

The film is set against the backdrop of the sea and traditional boat racing, with Soori playing the lead role.

• 'Mandaadi' meaning - Mandaadi refers to the leader of a fishing expedition team in the traditional sailing boat race conducted along a 100-km stretch of the Tamil Nadu coastline

• Lead actors - Actor Soori is in the lead role, along with Telugu actor Suhas. Mahima Nambiar will play the female lead.

• Supporting cast - The film also features Sathyaraj, Ravindra Vijay, Balasaravanan.

• Music - GV Prakash Kumar composed the songs and background score.

• Pan India - The film will have a multi-language pan-Indian release, hitting theatres in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam.

• Producer - Mandaadi is produced by Elred Kumar under the RS Infotainment banner, with creative backing from director Vetrimaaran.

• Runtime - Mandaadi has a reported runtime of 154 minutes, making it a nearly 2 hour 35 minutes sports drama film.

• Shooting - Filming began in mid-2025 and wrapped in April 2026.

• Pre-launch - The pre-release audio launch event was held on August 28 in Chennai

• Synopsis - A fishing captain applies his maritime knowledge in a traditional boat race along Tamil Nadu's coast during a festival, leading a six person team against the crew.

• Camera drowning - While shooting for the film, on October 4, 2025, a boat carrying the camera capsized in the middle of the shoot. While the crew escaped unhurt, the camera on which the team was filming sank.

According to a press release, the film is being mounted on a grand scale and has already begun shooting in Georgia. Mohanlal is expected to join the team soon.

Vishnu Mohan, who rose to prominence with his debut film Meppadiyan (2022), which won a National Award, is directing the project. Operation Ganga marks his third directorial venture..

Mohanlal’s Operation Ganga to focus on evacuation mission

The title refers to Operation Ganga, the evacuation mission carried out by India during the Russia-Ukraine war to bring Indian citizens back home. The film will explore this backdrop and is planned as a large-scale production involving actors and technicians from India and abroad. The makers have planned a 180-day shooting schedule across Poland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Delhi, Dehradun and Kochi. Along with Mohanlal, the cast includes Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal, Adil Hussain, Bhagyashri Borse and Parthiban.

‘Operation Ganga’'s technical crew

Operation Ganga's technical team includes music composer Shashwat Sachdev, cinematographer Miroslav Kuba Brozek, action director Se Young Oh, editor Shameer Muhammed, sound designer Bishwadeep Chatterjee, VFX supervisor K V Sanjith, military advisor Squadron Leader Verlin Panwar, costume designer Melvy J, and makeup artist Ronex Xavier.

Shashwat Sachdev has worked on the pan-Indian film Dhurandhar, while Miroslav Kuba Brozek is known for his work in Pushpa 1 and Pushpa 2. Se Young Oh has handled action for Dhurandhar and Kill. Rajeevan has previously worked on films including GOAT, Meiyazhagan, Amaran and Kathanar. Bishwadeep Chatterjee's credits include Dhurandhar, Uri, 3 Idiots and Padmaavat, while K V Sanjith worked as the VFX supervisor on Kantara. Squadron Leader Verlin Panwar has served as a military advisor on films such as Safed Sagar, Border 2 and Fighter.

The film is co-produced by Baiju Gopalan and V C Praveen, with Krishnamoorthy serving as the executive producer.

Sources close to the unit of the film said that all four lead actors -- Venkatesh, Kalyan Ram, Keerthy Suresh and Krithi Shetty were spotted at the shooting spot in Mysuru.

Actor Sriman, who is also part of the film, too took to his X timeline to share his delight about being in a song choreographed by Brinda master after eight years.

The actor wrote, "Rocking choreography by the legendary dance master BRINDA.It’s been almost eight years since I got a chance to be a part in her choreography Thank you DIRECTOR Anil ravipudigaru @AnilRavipudi."

For the unaware, the makers of the film had only recently announced the title of the film as 'January 12 Vidudala'. Prior to that, it was being tentatively referred to as #VenkyAnil5 / #NKRAR2.

Shine Screens, the production house producing the film, had taken to its social media timelines to announce the title announcement video. The title announcement video began on a nostalgic note, paying tribute to legendary filmmaker EVV Satyanarayana with a hilarious reference to popular comedy sequence from Appula Appa Rao. EVV remains one of the biggest inspirations for Anil Ravipudi, and the filmmaker once again showcased his admiration for the veteran director in his own unique style. The tribute seamlessly led to the title reveal, setting the comic tone for what followed.

The video featured Venkatesh, Kalyan Ram, Keerthy Suresh and Krithi Shetty approaching Anil Ravipudi and asking him about the title of their film. Without any hesitation, the director replies, “January 12 Vidudala.” The actors, however, are left confused and quickly clarify that they are asking for the title, not the release date. What follows is a hilarious exchange filled with confusion and witty banter, before he finally reveals that January 12 Vidudala is indeed the official title of the movie.

Only a few days ago, the makers had released the first look of actor Venkatesh as Lt. Colonel Venkat Reddy in the film. The first look was revealed on the occasion of the star completing 40 glorious years in the film industry.

The poster showed Venkatesh in an Indian Army camouflage uniform, sporting sunglasses and a scarf, standing beside a rugged SUV. His composed stance and intense styling establish the image of a strict military officer.

The poster identified Venkatesh as Lt. Colonel Venkat Reddy, serving in the Indian Army and specialising in counter-terrorism and hostage negotiation. The Army insignia and crossed-swords emblem in the backdrop reinforced the military setting.

The combination of Venkatesh and Kalyan Ram is expected to be a major attraction, as their contrasting personalities and lively camaraderie are set to bring an exciting dimension to Anil Ravipudi’s trademark brand of entertainment.

Produced by Sahu Garapati under the Shine Screens banner, the film is being presented by Suresh Productions Archana, and Zee Studios.

Sources say that work on the much-awaited film was progressing at a brisk pace and that the prestigious project was shaping up as a grand-scale entertainer.

Keerthy Suresh stars opposite Venkatesh in the film, while Krithi Shetty is paired with Kalyan Ram. The film brings together an accomplished technical team, with GV Prakash Kumar composing its music, Sameer Reddy handling cinematography, Tammiraju taking care of the editing, and AS Prakash designing the production. S Krishna serves as the executive producer.

Sardar 2' is slated to hit screens worldwide on September 10.

Taking to its social media timelines to drop the update, production house Prince Pictures, which is producing the film, wrote, "Stillness before the Storm. #Sardar2 certified with U/A."

The film has triggered huge interest among fans and film buffs for various reasons. In fact, actor Karthi, while speaking at the trailer launch event of the film, had said that audiences who watched the film would not be able to ignore the point the film looked to make as it pertained to a stunning truth about their health and well being.

Participating in the audio and trailer launch of the film, Karthi had said, "You might have continued the practice of drinking water from plastic water bottles, but after watching this film, you won't be able to ignore the point it looks to make. That is because we're spoken about a truth that pertains to your health and that issue is bound to leave you shaken."

For the unaware, director P S Mithran had, in 'Sardar', which was the prequel to 'Sardar 2', highlighted the issue of commercialisation of water. The film had gone on to emerge a huge blockbuster. Now, in the second part of the spy thriller, the director has looked to showcase issues pertaining to health and hygiene.

Pointing out that director Mithran's efforts for this film were very sincere, actor Karthi said that he wished this film reached everybody. "Fans are also ready to see such films," he said and expressed the hope that the film would be well received.

The unit of the film had wrapped up its shooting in Bangkok in June last year.

Actress Malavika Mohanan, who shared a picture from the sets of the film in Bangkok on her Instagram stories, had in May last year, disclosed during a question and answer session with fans that she would be wrapping up 'Sardar 2' in June, 2025.

Interestingly, the unit completed a 100 days of shooting in April last year. While announcing the sequel to Sardar, the makers had released a promo that showed Karthi’s character being sent as a spy to Cambodia. When asked whether the story indeed moved to Cambodia or whether it took place in China, Mithran had said, “Initially, the story goes to Cambodia and then shifts to China.”

On the technical front, 'Sardar 2' has cinematography by George Williams and music by Sam C S. Editing for the film is by Vijay Velukutty and Art direction is by MSP Madhavan, B. Sekar. The film has been written by Rathna Kumar, Aashameera Aiyappan and Vignesh Muniyand and stunts for the film have been choreographed by Dhilip Subbarayan and Chethan D'Souza.