Kaantha ; DQ Next Blockbuster After Lokah

 Kaantha, the film is directed by Selvamani Selvaraj and is set in 1950s Madras as a period drama. Bhagyashri Borse takes on the role of the female lead, while P. Samuthirakani appears in a prominent role. Rumours about the film’s plot have been circulating online, and we have taken a closer look at them to compile this article. Basically, the film is an ego clash between a director and a lead actor. Director Ayya, played by Samuthirakani, was once a close friend of Chandran, played by Dulquer Salmaan. Ayya helped, motivated, trained, and believed in Chandran’s abilities when he was a nobody, and thus played a prominent role in Chandran’s later success. However, once Chandran became a prominent star, their relationship began to falter.

At this point, the first horror film in Tamil was set to begin production. The film, initially titled Shaantha, was a female-centric project in which Chandran was also cast. But differences between Ayya and Chandran spilled into the production. Chandran seemingly took over the director’s duties, sidelining Ayya and altering the plot in the process. Even the film’s title was changed to Kaantha. What will be the final outcome of this project? And what happens along the way?

Real-life Connections and Inspiration

As mentioned before, several social media users have been promoting the idea that this film is inspired by the real-life incidents of M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar. A Reddit thread even goes a step further, claiming it was “prepared through research and family interactions.” However, there is no official confirmation of this.

What Really Happened with M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar?

It all began with a blackmailer disguised as a journalist, C. N. Lakshmikanthan. He extorted money from the rich and powerful by threatening to expose their secrets. If someone on his list refused to pay, he would publish damaging stories about them, at least according to Reflections. In November 1944, Lakshmikanthan was attacked by unknown assailants. Before his death, he gave a dying declaration to the police in the presence of his lawyer.

Those targeted by Lakshmikanthan included Bhagavathar and comedian N.S. Krishnan. As a result, they and others were accused of conspiracy and arrested for the murder. Both Bhagavathar and Krishnan were initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 1945. However, in 1947, the Privy Council in London acquitted them of all charges. Despite being released, Bhagavathar was unable to regain his lost stardom.

Is Kaantha inspired by this real-life incident?

From the looks of the teaser and plot synopsis, it is highly unlikely that the film has any direct connection to this particular event or character. At best, certain elements might have been inspired by this story, but Kaantha is certainly not a full-fledged adaptation of these real-life events.

Release Date and Rumours of Postponement

As of now, Kaantha is officially scheduled to release on 12th September 2025. However, a rumour reported by 123 Telugu claims that the film’s release might be pushed to October, specifically the third week, to coincide with the Diwali festival

 

Aavesham track illegal use by Netflix / Vetri Maaran on STR- Vada Chennai 2 / Vidya Balan with Rajini

 

Malayalam composer Sushin Shyam has publicly expressed disappointment after his track 'The Last Dance' from Fahadh Faasil’s blockbuster Aavesham was used in the teaser of Netflix’s upcoming animated series Splinter Cell: Deathwatch without crediting him or rapper Hanumankind.

The recently released teaser created buzz for its explosive action, but also for a familiar beat that many Malayalam cinema fans instantly recognised. As the video gained traction, viewers noted that while the song featured prominently, neither Sushin nor rapper Hanumankind’s names appeared in the credits.

Making his indignation clear, the composer left a pointed comment under the YouTube video: “Thanks Netflix for featuring my track! Would’ve been even cooler if my name had made it to the credits too (sic).” His reply has since sparked a wider discussion on fair recognition for regional artists when their work transcends language and geography.

On the personal front, Sushin recently had what he called his “first true fanboy moment” when AR Rahman followed him on Instagram, a gesture that left him grateful and elated. The composer, who tied the knot last year and has been on a brief hiatus in films following the releases of Manjummel Boys and Aavesham, made his first foray into independent music in July with the track 'Ray'.

Vetri Maaran has given a fresh update on his upcoming films STR 49 with Silambarasan and the long-delayed Vada Chennai 2 with Dhanush. Speaking to the audience at a special premiere of Bad Girl, his upcoming production with Anurag Kashyap, the director revealed that an announcement regarding his next film with Silambarasan (STR 49) will be unveiled in 10-15 days. Further, he noted that after completion of STR 49, he would start the highy-awaited sequel to Vada Chennai. STR 49 is backed by Kalaipuli S Thanu of V Creations. The film is set in the Vada Chennai universe, and a few characters, settings, and aspects from that film will be a part of this film. The film will maintain the same timeline as Vada Chennai. Meanwhile, details regarding Vada Chennai 2 are unknown at the moment. However, it is confirmed that Dhanush will return for the sequel.

Silambarasan was last seen in Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam's Thug Life. Up next, he has STR 50 with Desingh Periyasamy, and STR 51 with Ashwath Marimuthu. Dhanush has a slew of upcoming films, first of which will be Idli Kadai, his fourth directorial which is slated for a release on October 1.

 Bollywood actor Vidya Balan playing a key role in the film Jailer. If true, this film would be her second Tamil film after Nerkonda Paarvai where she played a cameo role opposite Ajith Kumar. An official confirmation regarding the same is awaited. Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty joining the cast is another report. Mohanlal cameo is confirmed.

Naslen- Kalyani Leads over Mohanlal / Only one says Pradeep / Mirna Menon with Lokesh

 Coming to the first superheroine movie, Lokah, it opens with blockbuster WOM and reviews. With such huge positive talk alongside the advantage of being a franchise film, Kalyani Priyadarshan’s Lokah surpasses Mohanlal’s movie.

Hridayapooravam is a family genre, and Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra took a very big lead from the evening shows on the first day. 

With Mohanlal’s stardom, Hridayapooravam opens bigger than Lokah on the first day, but today, which is the second day of both films, Lokah takes a clear lead, and it is trending over double of Mohanlal’s film.

The same trend is likely to continue in the coming days, which means Hridayapooravam might emerge as a decent success, whereas Lokah will be heading for a massive blockbuster run. Dulquer Salmaan is being appreciated for producing this female centric superhero film. Many have praised Kalyani Priyadarshan for her performance, calling it stunning and powerful, adding to the film’s growing reputation among Malayalam and pan-Indian audiences. Trade experts believe Lokah is a true pan-Indian film from Malayalam cinema, even without big stars. If the film performs well at the box office, it could inspire other industries to shape small-budget pan-Indian movies with strong storytelling. Though Lokah did not open big, the positive word of mouth is now driving ticket bookings upward. All eyes are on how it performs in the coming days and whether it sets new records in collections across India.

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj is all set to make his debut as a lead hero with a film directed by Arun Matheswaran. The latest news is that he pairs up with Mirna Menon.

The film’s pre-production work is going on currently, and it is being said that the team is discussing with Mirna Menon to pair up against Lokesh Kanagaraj in this action drama. She was previously seen in Jailer as Rajinikanth’s daughter-in-law.

Produced by Sun Pictures, this film will go on floors this year-end, and the Kaithi director also took part in some training to play a lead hero. 

As said above, it is an action film, and Lokesh will be excited to show up on screen as a lead hero and enthrall his fans, who are disappointed with his recent directorial, Coolie, starring Rajinikanth.

Pradeep Ranganathan’s upcoming two films, LIK and Dude, have been announced for Diwali release, and there was a report that both films will arrive on the same day. But Pradeep Ranganathan confirms that only one film will be released this Diwali.

A few days ago, both films’ teams started promotions with the festival release tag. Lately the LIK (Love Insurance Kompany) team released a teaser, and Dude released its first single.

With this, audiences expected that they would witness a surprise clash on Diwali, as both films feature the same hero. But Pradeep Ranganathan officially confirms that only one film will arrive this Diwali. LIK, as per the plan, has to release first, but due to some financial issues, the movie’s progress was delayed. Now, if they are able to sort the issues, then it will be the only film that is likely to arrive for Diwali, or else Dude will be released in its place.

there were huge expectations on Sai Abhyankkar  young music director, and his 1st single is out now, i.e., Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dude in both Telugu and Tamil. But the song failed to reach the expectations, as the listeners did not like it and felt that the music, visuals, lyrics, and vocals were completely out of sync. The majority opinion is that the song is a big mess. 

Anaswara Rajan in Tamil / Lokah NO IMAX / Mirai gets BIG Buyers Pan India

 Anaswara Rajan has been part of noteworthy films like Neru, Abraham Ozler, and Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil. Reportedly titled Corrected Machi, Answara is part of the the film that launches Abishan Jeevinth. Director of Tourist Family as hero is said to target both youth and family audiences. Sean Roldan is the music composer. As of now, it isn’t clear who will direct this flick. The project was officially announced on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. Soundarya Rajinikanth’s Zion Films, in association with MRP Entertainment

Hours before the release, the makers deleted a promotional post of Malayalam’s new superhero movie Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan and Neslan, after receiving backlash and a correction from IMAX. The controversy arose because the team had promoted the film as an IMAX release. Fans were thrilled at the prospect of a premium viewing experience, until Preetham Daniel, Vice President of IMAX Corporation (India), clarified on X that Lokah is not releasing in IMAX anywhere. Following this, producer Dulquer Salman and his team quickly took down the IMAX poster. Fans who were looking forward to a bigger, premium experience were clearly disappointed.

This isn’t the first time such confusion has happened. Not long ago, Rajinikanth’s Coolie was also promoted as an IMAX release, which didn’t go down well with audiences.

It’s a reminder that promoting a movie without IMAX approval can backfire, and makers need to be careful and responsible with their promotions.

The Mirai team has partnered with some of the top banners across the nation to present the film in other languages. Accordingly, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, Hombale Films, AGS Cinemas, and Gokulam Movies will distribute the Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam versions, respectively.

This association with leading banners will surely ensure the movie gets strong attention and a wide release in non-Telugu speaking territories. People Media Factory, headed by TG Vishwa Prasad and Krithi Prasad, has indeed made the right choice by joining hands with top studios for PAN-India appeal. Now, it remains to be seen if Mirai can create wonders at the national level.

After shaking the box office with Hanu-Man, Teja Sajja is back, this time as a saviour in Mirai – Super Yodha! Directed by Karthik Ghattamaneni and mounted on a massive scale by People Media Factory, the electrifying three-minute trailer has set the internet on fire.

The story pits Yodha (Teja Sajja) against the menacing Black Sword (Manchu Manoj), a dark force who has mastered black magic and seeks the nine sacred scriptures of King Ashoka to dominate the world. The people of Dharamshala, protectors of Dharma, summon Yodha to claim the staff, Mirai, a divine weapon forged in Lord Sriram’s Treta Yuga, and end his reign of terror.

Packed with breathtaking stunts, adrenaline-charged visuals, intense one-liners, and world-class VFX, the trailer delivers goosebumps, especially with the mighty eagle and Lord Sriram’s surprise appearance in the final moments. Gowra Hari’s thundering score only amplifies the impact. With its scale, action, and spectacle, the movie has blockbuster written all over it.

Hitting cinemas worldwide on September 12, 2025, the film also stars Jagapathi Babu, Ritika Nayak, Jayaram, and Shriya Saran. With producer TG Vishwa Prasad betting big and pre-release business already booming, Mirai – Super Yodha looks unstoppable at the box office.

 

Rajini misses HAT TRICK / RONTH Actress Lakshmi Drunken Brawl

 Fans would know that the top 2 highest-grossing Tamil films of all time belong to Rajinikanth. 2.0 (407.05 crores) conquers the #1 spot, followed by Jailer (345 crores).

Had Coolie earned over 342 crores in its lifetime, all the top 3 Tollywood grossers in history would star Rajinikanth. However, it will miss that massive opportunity and Thalapathy Vijay’s Leo will continue to rank at #3.

Take a look at the language-wise box office breakdown below:

• Tamil: 170.23 crores
• Telugu: 57.55 crores
• Hindi: 33.93 crores
• Kannada: 2.55 crores

Total: 264.26 crores

Coolie is reportedly mounted at a massive cost of 350 crores. In 13 days, the makers have recovered 75.5% of the estimated budget. If it drops further, the breakeven stage will be out of reach. All eyes are now on the growth during the third weekend, which will majorly decide its fate at the box office.

As news starts trickling in that overseas collections of Coolie has dropped after two weeks, Hamsini Entertainment overseas buyer has asked people to go by the figures that they put out =  “Only producers and Hamsini Entertainment (Overseas Distributor) will release official collection updates. Any other figures circulating online are unreliable and must not be treated as factual.". They also encouraged exhibitors, trade partners, and audiences to rely only on official information regarding the film’s performance. “The audience’s love and support are the true measure of success, and no campaign of misinformation can overshadow that. Cinema belongs to audiences, not to vested interests. Let us celebrate films with honesty and fairness," it stated.

 If you have seen Malayalam film Ronth now streaming on Jio Hotstar , you would have noticed the girl who elopes with boyfriend and is taken to police station. That actress is Lakshmi Menon.Kochi police has got a video clip that shows  Lakshmi Menon of Sunderpandian fame along with friend blocking a car and dragging out the driver an IT employee and beating him and abusing him.  They bundled him into a car and tiij him away from further bashing. The actress has gone underground and her friends have been taken into custody. The IT employee and the group involving the actress got into an argument in a bar in Kochi and it spilled outside. Lakshmi who did village girls like in Kumki said that she kept away from films as she did not want to be typecast and took up her studies. She was last seen in Shahi Kabir's directorial 'Ronth' alongside Arun Cherukavil, Kumaradas TN, Sudhi Koppa, Roshan Mathew and others. The film received a good response from the viewers, as it holds an IMDb rating of 7.1. The drama thriller film is available to stream on JioHotstar. She was last seen in Sabdham, a horror thriller film written and directed by Arivazhagan Venkatachalam. She was also seen in Chandramukhi 2 acomedy horror film written and directed by P. Vasu, and produced by Subaskaran Allirajah under Lyca Productions. It is a sequel to the 2005 film Chandramukhi. 

Naslen reminds Priyan of Vishnu Vijayam Kamal

 

Priyadarshan was about to direct Anbe Sivam with Kamal Haasan but it fell through. Later he directed the Hindi remake of Thevar Magan with Anil Kapoor. Kamal opted out of doing the remake of the film produced and directed by him as he wanted Dilip Kumar to essay Sivaji Ganesan’s role but could do so. Now Priyan who is Kochi for filming of the Hindi remake of Oppam that he directed in Malaylam was present at a promotional event of the film Lokah that has his daughter Kalyani in a central role of a superwoman. Here he startled everybody by saying Naslen was the second coming of Kamal Haasan. Naslen stood up and thanled the Directpr for the compliment. It maybe noted that Kalyani's mother Lissy acted with Kamal in Vikram ( old)

.... “Naslen is a favourite actor of mine. When I used to watch films like Vishnu Vijayam, I noticed the unique charm of Kamal Haasan as an actor. He exuded innocence while also conveying a cheeky confidence. Naslen feels like the second coming of that.” On hearing his words, a visibly moved Naslen stood up and expressed his gratitude, earning warm applause from the audience.

. The mention of Vishnu Vijayam is particularly significant. Directed by N Sankaran Nair, the film featured Kamal Haasan in the titular role opposite Sheela, during his formative phase as a leading man in Malayalam cinema. Earlier that same year, Kamal had already made a striking breakthrough with Kanyakumari, a landmark Malayalam film scripted by the legendary writer-filmmaker M T Vasudevan Nair and directed by K S Sethumadhavan. The film, which paired him with Rita Bhaduri in her debut, marked his very first outing as a full-fledged protagonist and introduced audiences to the adult performer who would soon dominate South Indian screens. It also launched the career of Jagathy Sreekumar and earned Kamal his very first Filmfare Award for Best Actor

Sharing the screen with Kalyani in Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, Naslen leads what is being touted as one of the most ambitious Malayalam films in recent years. Written and directed by Tharangam-fame Dominic Arun, the upcoming fantasy spectacle promises to fuse myth and dystopia in a striking new visual language. Actor Santhy Balachandran has contributed as an additional screenplay writer and dramaturgist, while Dulquer Salmaan produces the film under his Wayfarer Films banner.

Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra releases worldwide on August 28, clashing with Mohanlal’s Hridayapoorvam. Adding to the festive weekend, Fahadh Faasil’s Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira, also featuring Kalyani, opens a day later.

Priyadarshan, meanwhile, is directing Haiwaan, a Hindi reimagining of his Malayalam thriller Oppam. Saif Ali Khan plays the blind protagonist originally essayed by Mohanlal, while Akshay Kumar is reported to step into the antagonist’s role.

 

 

 

Mohanlal gets snubbed by Aryan In BiggBoss Malayalam - Show gets TOXIC

 Three weeks down, Bigg Boss 7 Malayalam has hit a new low. The host Mohanlal has been royally snubbed by a contestant Aryan Kathuria. Aryan Kathuria is  actor and model known for his  roles in movies like "1983," "Ormakalil," and "Falimy," and for being part  in over 50 national advertisements. A Punjabi from Malappuram, Aryan  yesterday at the weekly interaction with host Mohanlal given a hat to wear as part of the game and a punishment He made a dig at Lal by asking a tongue in cheek comment- Should I wear it while taking a bath ?. Lal was quick to notice it and retorted Are you trying to pull my leg ? , Aryan continued with- Should I it  be worn while sleeping ?.  He has been directly nominated for eviction but he seems to be at his toxic best. He has openly termed Lal as being partial and stated that if he were to go, it would do him no harm. He has claimed that his family owns resorts in Kerala.

Aryan who was Captain of the House in last week is part of the majority of cpntrdtants who give scant regard to Bigg Boss dictates and have a free run in the house. The start of disregard has now reached the show hosted by Mahanlal. The most toxic elements in the House at the weekend with Host turn timid. In earlier seasons, Lal was a soft Host compared to counterparts Kamal Haasan- Vijaysethupathi- Nagarjuna- Kiccha Sudeep. However this season, promos promised a tough Lal and clas in the attire from Thudarum. The promo even took a dig at the soft Lal along with other contestants who use tricks to stay on in the show. The only difference is that Lal does some tough talking but the other end – contestants seem to have no fear of it. Om a Tamil BB OTT edition hosted by STR, a contestant got into a tiff with him and in following weeks, she got badly mauled by STR fans oon social media. In fact she later realised that what it would be outside, apoligized and STR had to promise that she would face no wrath. Another errant housemate is Gizel Thakural= a Malayalali with mixed parentage and an actress – model in Bollywood. She is a constant offender who disobeys BB dictates. She gets several last warnings but is not shown the door as she is only one with curves inside.

MADHARAASI : SK- RUKMINI CHEMISTRY IS USP / MAKERS ASK AJITH FILM PRICE

 Producer of Madharaasi is asking the price of an Ajith film as they have put the collection figures to be on Amaran level or above. So how is the film ?. Telugu dubbing is on and what we hear is that the film’s strongest USP  is the cute chemistry between Sivakarthikeyan who aces the love genre, and Rukmini Vasanth who does it like nobody else right now. A kind of chemistry that SK and Sai Pallavi had in Amaran.

Sure the action sequences and seeing SK in a “mass orientated role” is exciting and all, but this chemistry that has been lost in most of the major films released , that our sources  found in this ARM directorial. The story of the film is about a rugged manpower agent who sizes up against a North Indian mafia in Tamil Nadu.

It’s a properly packed commercial film with comedy, sentiment, and action- backed up by a unique casting. The technical team is also impressive, with Anirudh leading. The film likely starts off with Sivakarthikeyan and Rukmini’s marriage or engagement, which suddenly stops for some reason .Then they would break up and SK would go through heartbreak and will grow his massive beard. Triggered by this incident, the plot of him going after the North Indian mafia in TN will start, as he tries to clear himself of charges that were levelled against him and believed by  Rukmini.

Sources say that this pair is genuinely great and gives a warm feeling judging by the scenes . They suit each other really well, and suit each other’s established mannerisms.Truly looking to see what ARM did with the two ( like he did with Suriya and Asin in Ghajini), and  Anirudh delivered a nice love track for them.

:ets take at what our Distributors tells about Madharaasi sale; Zee5 ahs locked the OTT.

Tamil Nadu

SK movies generally goes around 35 to 45 cr which is also his remuneration.

Amaran collected 158 cr gross which is around 82 cr share .

Now makers are asking 72 cr from distributors which is almost twice the previous.

Value.

According to it should be 55 cr and may be 60 cr Max

If it is 72 cr share then movie needs to gross 140 cr or over which only Ajith, Rajini, Vijay movies do with a hit talk . Kamal and SK had one movie each and Baahubali being excepriom.

I think 55 cr to 60 cr will have 105 cr to 115 cr target to break even which will be ideal.

KARNATAKA

SK movies goes for 4–5 cr Max but Amaran did 25 cr gross. Makers are asking 10 cr which seems too much

I think 7 to 8 cr would be apt need 15-17 cr for breakeven.

KERALA

SK movies goes for 2–4 cr and Amaran collected 20 cr . So makers are asking 7 cr which needs 16 cr to break even.

Telugu states

Generally 7-10 cr but Amaran did 50 cr gross so makers are now 16 cr to 20 cr meaning 30 cr to 35 cr to break even .

Hindi it did around 5 cr they are not bothered .

---

Amaran was sold for 70 cr and made 173 cr share .

Thats whooping 103 cr profit majority of which went to distributors.

---

Now new producer think SK Range increases to Tier 1 level

Maker is asking 120 cr and he promised SK assured Salary of 70 cr.

Breakeven targets from 205 cr to 220 cr .

Ie something which Ajith movies too dont ask .

Distributors all together are ready to offer 90 to 100 cr.

---

Lets see also there is low buzz on this one . AR Murugadoss has not been in great form.

 Phtos Cinema Vikatan

Hridyapoorvam Story - Meera- Basil cameo - Lal USA TOUR / Aishwarya in NTR film

 Hridyapoorvam Starring Mohanlal with Malavika Mohanan has Meera Jasmine and Basil Joseph in cameo roles. The plot is about a 45 year old bachelor who goes to Pune to attend the wedding reception of the man who donated his heart . The wedding foes not take place and the bachelor suffers a fall and injures his back. He cannot travel and has to stay back to get it cured. What follows is the plot. He stays in a house owned by a Retired Army Colonel who is bit eccentric. Basil is teaming up with Lal for first time and Meera had acted with Mohanlal in three films and two of them were hits- both Sathyan Anthikad directed films.

Malavika Mohanan adds freshness to the story with her graceful screen presence, while Sangeeth Prathap brings a natural charm to his character, making the trio’s chemistry a major highlight. The screenplay, written by Sonu T. P, stays rooted in realism, exploring themes of familial bonds, generational gaps, and personal growth with subtle yet impactful storytelling. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the trusted banner of Aashirvad Cinemas, the film is rich in production values and emotional authenticity. On the technical front, Justin Prabhakaran’s music adds an emotional undertone to the narrative, with melodies that complement the mood and message of the film. The cinematography by Anu Moothedath captures the serene beauty of Kerala’s landscapes and the intimacy of domestic life with visual elegance. Release Date Hridayapoorvam will be released in theaters on August 28, 2025.
ON August 28 Mohanlal is performing at Houston in USA for the show Killukam 25 years with Stephen Devassy the keyboard player. The show will perform at various US cities till September 1, It will be first time Prakash Varma who played baddie in Thudarum is making his first stage show., On return he will join Jailer 2 sets for a cameo. For the cameo and move to Drishyam 3 with Director Jithu Joseph and Meena,

Prasanth Neel – NTR film Dragon has added Aishwarya Lekshmi to the cast. Already from Mollywood, Tovino Thomas who plays the bad guy and Biju Menon are on the cast. Rukmini Vasanth is the heroine. Aishwarya was last seen in Thug Life directed by Mani Ratnam. "Dragon NTR" refers to the tentatively titled, upcoming film starring Indian actor Jr. NTR and directed by Prashanth Neel. The project, officially known as NTR 31, was slated for a June 25, 2026 release but has since been reported to be changing its name due to the existence of a Tamil film with the same title. It is a large-scale action drama and a significant collaboration between the popular actor and acclaimed director, known for the KGF franchise

Coolie Telugu and Overseas DROP

 “Coolie,” which released on August 14, completed its first week and has now entered the second week. As per our exclusive information from distributors in Andhra and Telangana, even with a strong second weekend, the film will still end up losing a minimum of Rs 10 crore. The Asian Suneil–Suresh Babu duo, who acquired the Telugu theatrical rights, are looking at losses beyond Rs 10 crore on their investment.

The Telugu rights were bought for Rs 44 crore, and with additional expenses, “Coolie” needed to collect over Rs 46 crore share to break even. Current trends indicate that will not happen.

The only silver lining is that “Coolie” has fared better than “War 2.” But the outcome remains the same: a losing venture for distributors.

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, “Coolie” features Rajinikanth in the lead with Nagarjuna as the antagonist, Shruti Haasan as Rajinikanth’s daughter, and Sathyaraj, Soubin Shahir, and Rachita Ram in key roles. Aamir Khan and Upendra make cameo appearances.

Much has been written about the disaster run of NTR and Hrithik Roshan’s “War 2,” with wild rumors even suggesting producer Naga Vamsi fled to Dubai after heavy losses. He has since hit back at trolls. Meanwhile, another narrative was spun by a section of media and social media that Rajinikanth’s “Coolie” is enjoying a dream run in Telugu states.

Big Fall For Rajinikanth’s Coolie: Dropping From 75 Crore To 5 Crore In 8 Days, SHOCKING Drop At The Box Office, Coolie had a phenomenal start, collecting a massive Rs 220 crore in its extended four-day opening weekend. However, the story changed dramatically once the weekdays began. After eight days, the film’s total India gross stands at Rs 261 crore, making the Rs 300 crore lifetime mark look very difficult.

Underperformance On The Global Stage

The film’s struggles were not limited to India. After a strong start overseas with a weekend of USD 16.75 million, the collections also dropped sharply during the weekdays. A film that was once expected to become an all-time Kollywood record-breaker globally might now finish as the 5th or 6th highest-grossing film from the industry.

Rajinikanth’s Film Heading For A Flop Verdict In Hindi With Under 27 Crore Lifetime, Set To Finish Below Ajay Devgn’s Disaster Son Of Sardaar 2

 Reports source:telegucinema.com and https://boxofficeworldwide.com/

Sardar Fame Mithran with Sanjay Leela Bhansali / Su from So Tamil remake/ Chemmen Hindi Rights

 Kollywood Director P S Mithran known for helming stylish and successful thrillers like Irumbu Thirai and Sardar,  has joined. producers Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shabinaa Khan for a film loosely based on Rowdy Rathore. The producers wanted to do a sequel to Rowdy Rathore. Rowdy Rathore is a 2012 action-comedy film directed by Prabhu Deva and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ronnie Screwvala. Starring Akshay Kumar in a dual role and Sonakshi Sinha as the female lead, the film was a massive commercial success, For three years the idea to do a sequel was underway with Siddharth Malhotra, YTV was acquitted by Disney India and they were not keen for a sequel. Mithran will do an action thriller like Rowdy Rathore but not have any link to it. Siddharth is not the hero. Sardar 2 is ready for release.

Blockbuster Kannada film Su From So is ready to stream on Jio HotStar. and on Kannada= Telugu TV channels. The latest development is that NS Rajkumar, known for producing over 17 films in Kannada and distributing more than 60 titles across South Indian languages, has now acquired the Tamil remake rights of Su From So at a record price. Rajkumar sees strong potential in adapting this Kannada blockbuster for Tamil audiences. The team is currently working on finalising the cast and crew lineup, with official announcements expected soon.

According to Rajkumar, it wasn’t just the humour that stood out, but also the underlying message in this comedy-drama—something he believes will strike a chord in Tamil Nadu as well. Su From So, produced by Raj B Shetty’s Lighter Buddha Films, was released in Kannada and later dubbed into Malayalam and Telugu, and is doing stupendously well at the box office. The film, directed by JP Thuminad, stars Raj B Shetty, JP Thuminad, Shaneel Gautham, Sandhya Arakere, Mime Prasad, and Prakash Thuminad, among others, who have all contributed to its popularity with their engaging performances. It was distributed by Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films for distribution across Kerala. After release, Anil Thadani’s AA Films acquired the North India distribution rights. The film was also released internationally by Phars Film. On August 8 the Telugu version was released by Mythiri. Film is set stream on Jio HotStar. They bought it for Rs 5.5 crore. The film entered the Rs 100 crore club in Kannada.

 

 Chemmeen novel by Thakazhi would have had an Hindi avatar with Sunil Dutt doing Madhu role  revealed Madhu at 60^th year of the iconic Malayalam film. Sunil Dutt bought the novel rights to film in Hindu but later dropped it as he was told that it could trigger Hindi- Muslim feud. “ If not Sunil Dutt would have been walking the seashore singing sad song like me in Chemmeen’ Hindi” quipped Madhu.i.

 

 

 

 

 

BiggBoss Tamil season 9 in October / Coolie recovers 61 % Budget

 Bigg Boss Tamil 9 will start in the first week of October 2025. Bigg Boss Tamil 9 will be hosted by Vijay Sethupathi. For the unversed, he had hosted the 8th season, In the statement, Krishnan Kutty said, “It is an honour for leading directors of Tamil cinema like Nelson Pradeep Kumar and Amaran director Rajkumar Periyasamy to direct the Bigg Boss show. This season will be directed by Praveen and Arjun. Viewers will be able to post comments about the contestants while watching the Bigg Boss show on Jio Hotstar.”

After this announcement, fans are quite excited to see who will enter the madhouse this year. As per Kutty, a few social media influencers are also expected to participate in Bigg Boss Tamil season 9.

The previous season of Bigg Boss Tamil was won by Muthukumaran.

Farina Azad,Poonam Bajwa,Shabana Shajahan, kuraishi ,Nakshathra Nagesh ,Neha Rajesh Menon Ashwin Kumar Lakshmikanthan,Umair Ibn Latee fVJ Parvathy, Rakshan Santhosh Prathap Akshitha Ashok Puvi Arasu Vinoth Babu Sathish Krishnan Divya DuraisamyRiyaz Khan Amrutha Srinivasa Bala Saravanan are in the list.

The overall net collection of Coolie in India stands at 216.01 crores in all languages after 6 days. Including taxes, the gross total comes to 254.89 crores. Coolie is made at an estimated cost of 350 crores. In 6 days, the makers have been able to revive 61% of the total budget. It may not achieve the breakeven stage, but seeing how close it gets to that mark will be interesting.

Check out the day-wise box office collection:

• Day 1 – 65 crores
• Day 2 – 54.75 crores
• Day 3 – 39.5 crores
• Day 4 – 35.25 crores
• Day 5 – 12 crores
• Day 6 – 9.51 crores

Total – 216.01 crores

Coolie is yet to beat Good Bad Ugly in a domestic feat!

Rajinikanth starrer earlier surpassed Ajith Kumar‘s Good Bad Ugly to become #1 Kollywood grosser of 2025 in India. However, it is yet to surpass its lifetime collection in Tamil.

For the unversed, Good Bad Ugly had earned 147.75 crores in its lifetime in the Tamil language. So far, Coolie has amassed 141.31 crores at the home ground, which means it is still 6.44 crores away from beating it.

Coolie Box Office Summary Day 6 (All Languages)

• Budget: 350 crores
• India net: 216.01 crores
• Budget recovery: 61%

Why Coolie missed the Bus in Tamil Nadu ? Shruti in Dulquer Film

  Coolie’s At the end of the second week it will be placed in between Jailer 511 crores worldwide and Leo 538 crores worldwide. With high negative WOM, the film grossed more than 400 crores. Imagine a WOM similar to Vikram. Loki has missed a very costly chance. If it had received positive response, confirm 800–900 crores. Coolie will at the maximum attain a break even status . It will fail as a certified theatrical hit. Table profits go to producers. Sun pictures may have already been profited from Coolie from the options other than theatres. But Theatre owners and distributors in TN and Kerala will incur losses because of Coolie. Leo’s 4-day gross is 357 Cr, whereas Coolie’s 4-day gross is 380 Cr.

It is behaving pathetically in theatres from day 5.

The dismal performance in TN can be multi reasonable.

1 ) The movie was not promoted in Coimbatore, Trichy and Madurai. These audiences were taken for granted. They taught a lesson to producers

2 ) Rajini no longer wields magic on Tamil audiences. He is not Vijay. He can’t sell his average movies to tamils like the other guy. Even the celebrated Rajini movie jailer didn’t reach 200 crores like Vijay s Leo and Goat .

3 ) Vijay fans who constitute a chunk of the Tamil audiences boycotted the movie except some who went to the theatre in search of memes.

People of Kerala have their own better movies to watch.

Its final collection can be like

TN 150 crores

Kerala 35 crores

Karnataka 65 crores

Andhra 80 crores

Hindi 45 crores

overseas 200 : Worldwide 575 crores.

After the blockbuster success of Mahanati and Lucky Bhaskar, Malayalam star Dulquer Salmaan has won over Telugu fans, who love seeing him in their films.

He stars in Aakasamlo Oka Tara and the recently launched DQ41 with debutant director Ravi Nelakuditi. Now, there’s an interesting update about the former.

Directed by Pavan Sadineni, the film stars Satvika Veeravalli as the heroine. On top of that, Shruti Haasan joins the cast in a prominent role.

With the Coolie star on board, the film adds fresh energy, and the team is confident about it. Fans were treated to a glimpse of the movie in the DQ birthday teaser.

This film is funded by major production houses – Light Box, Swapna Cinemas, Vyjayanthi Movies, and Geetha Arts. It will be released in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi, with the release date and further details to be announced soon.

 

 

COOLIE FIRST LOSS - KERALA / ANOTHER BEAST FOR SUN PICTURES

 Coolie’s first loss report comes from Kerala and WAR 2 that banked on NTR Jr to bring in moolah from Telugu States is too heading for a major loss. For Sun Pictures, Kollywood the home turf and overseas pull of Rajinikanth- Lokesh has made it a profitable venture. Like Beast which Produced by Sun Pictures received flak for shoddy content but gave profits, Coolie will be a similar story.

 Kerala advance booking witnessed a frenzy that no non-Malayalam film witnessed. The film’s theatrical rights for Kerala were bought for 14 Cr MG, with expenses. For full recovery, the film needs to collect close to 40 Cr gross. The film opens well with 9.75 Cr, and on day 2 holds well with 5.75 Cr gross. However, on day 3 the film sees a heavy drop in numbers with 3 Cr gross, taking total gross to 18.5 Cr. Today advance bookings are poor, suggesting the number will be lower than day 3. At this trend the film cannot post any decent numbers from tomorrow, and it is likely to close under 25 Cr gross. Which means Rajinikanth’s Coolie will end up with a heavy loss in Kerala. More than 30% loss is expected for buyers, and this is the first time that a Lokesh Kanagaraj film is facing a loss venture in Kerala. Even Leo, with mixed WOM, succeeds in achieving breakeven and profits in Kerala.

The Telugu States theatrical rights of the War sequel were bought by Naga Vamsi for 82 Cr excluding GST; with GST, the film needs to collect a 95 Cr share for break-even. The film sees a below-par opening and holds average on day 2. For three days, the Telugu states’ share is around 5 Cr, including GST, and the Hindi version’s recovery is just at 35%. Today advance bookings are also poor for the film, and even crossing 50 Cr share itself looks not possible. 

Vijay’s Leo, Rajini’s Jailer, and 2 Point O joined the 300 Cr club in 4 days. But Rajinikanth-Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie gathers a huge amount, 300 Cr gross at the box office in just 3 days, which is the first time ever in Kollywood history. The film needs to maintain a good hold on weekdays to achieve break-even and emerge as a success.

Main Hoon Rajinikanth - Court Explains who is Rajinikanth / LOKI BRUTALLY TROLLED

 n 2015, Rajinikanth moved to Madras High Court seeking a stay on the release of the Hindi film Main Hoon Rajinikanth to prevent using his name and reputation for commercial gain.

The Hindi spoof film, directed by Faisal Saif courted controversy for using Rajinikanth's name in the title without his consent. Although the lead actor Aditya Menon reassured that Main Hoon Rajinikanth is a tribute to the star and doesn't show him a bad light, Rajinikanth moved to HC stating that it might affect his fan base and that he is against "gross commercialisation of his name and reputation." In his petition, Rajinikanth said he has "never endorsed" any film or product using his name as it might "mislead his fans". He also submitted that despite he being exceptionally well known and enjoying the adoration and recognition of his fans across the globe, he has deliberately chosen not to authorise any biopic featuring him or create any work based upon his personal self.

HC restrained the film's producers from using the name, image and caricature and imitation of the style of Rajinikanth. "Rajinikanth is a well acclaimed actor with high reputation and he is a doyen of the film industry in India. If any person uses the name of that celebrity without his permission, he is entitled for injunction since he could be easily identified by the use of his name by the others," Justice R Subbhiah had observed.

The film, also featuring Kavita Radheshyam, was eventually titled Main Hoon Part-Time Killer after a lengthy court battle. The film was released across North India, but not in the south to avoid further legal disputes.

Rajinikanth was reportedly the first Indian star to establish his personality rights, disallowing people from imitating his screen persona for personal commercial gain.

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has enjoyed a 100% success rate so far, winning both critical acclaim and box office glory with films like Karthi’s Kaithi (2019) and Vikram (2022). Even his previous film “Leo,” despite facing heavy criticism for its dull second half and messy content, turned out to be a massive commercial hit. With such a track record, expectations skyrocketed when Lokesh teamed up with the biggest superstar of them all: Rajinikanth. “Coolie” generated unprecedented hype in Tamil and made a similar impact in Telugu, with its opening day collections proving the craze was real.

According to the production house, the film grossed Rs151 crore worldwide on Day 1, truly taking the box office by storm.

However, reactions and reviews — especially from Tamil audiences — have been brutal.

Compared to Telugu critics and viewers, the Tamil online crowd has been far harsher. The dominant sentiment on social media is that Lokesh Kanagaraj delivered a cringe-worthy script filled with plot holes “as big as a football stadium.” Some have even added “Coolie” to their list of the “worst films in recent Tamil cinema,” alongside GOAT, Thug Life, Kanuga, Indian 2, and Good Bad Ugly.

Before the film’s release, its trailer sparked wild fan theories, from parallel universes and Looper-style sci-fi to reincarnation themes. Lokesh acknowledged reading these theories and promised audiences would be “surprised” by his story. They were indeed surprised but by an outdated revenge drama packed with cringe scenes. As a result, Tamil fans, including many Rajinikanth loyalists and admirers of Lokesh’s earlier work, are trolling him relentlessly.

Even Nagarjuna Akkineni, who played the antagonist, is facing backlash from his own fans, while Aamir Khan is being widely mocked for his cameo, with many saying his trademark perfectionism “went down the drain” here.