STR- Mani combo with LYCA - Sudha Kongara to film Vettai Naigal book

LYCA big time film is with STR- Mani Ratnam and another one with Sudha Kongara based on VettaiNaigal ; Read on:

STR52 - Mani Ratnam & Lyca:

• This script has been in discussions with STR and Ratnam even before Thug Life, and they plan on launching it in mid-2026.
• The film is an out and out Love Story. Rahman has been roped in no surprise here.
• Ratnam is going to do a Tamil-Telugu bilingual love story film with Naveen Pollishetty, while Simbu wraps up his commitments.
• They plan on releasing this film in late 2027. It is not a big budget film.
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Along with these films, STR53 has also been signed with Sudha Kongara and Hombale. This movie is a rooted one which takes place in North Madras- inspired by Vettai Naigal novel. Sudha about the book;

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Naran’s Vettai Naaigal.
A world rich and rooted in the seas and shores of Thoothukudi.

Having bought the rights to this marvellous story, I’m now Very very excited and eager to start on the screenplay of the novel…a journey that’s usually excruciating but exhilarating too.

I get to live a life through this film that I haven’t experienced before - a Film maker’s greatest reward!

And then the cherry on top will be the CASTING. Who will bring this to life ? 😊

STR53 is to be done with Jude Joesph, which is a massive scale film.

Also STR60 will be written, directed, and performed by Simbu- likely a spiritual sequel to Manmadhan. Script is finished. Yuvan has been roped in, and it looks like AGS wants to do it but STR first wants to lock in a deal with them for STR50.

Confirmed STR Projects

STR49 - Ramkumar Balakrishnan & Dawn:

• Shoot begins from June 16th, primarily happening inside a college.
• Simbu plays a college rowdy, and Santhanam has been roped in as the second lead. STR will be sporting shorter hair and a clean shave.
• The shoot stretches for 60 days and the film will get wrapped up with this.
• All songs are completed but vocals need to be recorded.
• They have locked in the Christmas 2025 date and are working towards it.

STR50 - Ashwath Marimuthu & AGS:

• Shoot begins from early September this year, and updates will flow in from August.
• The screenplay and dialogue work is in full flow and will be completed in Late July.
• The story is not a remake/adaptation, and Ashwath has made sure that it doesn’t have any similarities in terms of arcs and beats to his previous films.
• The heroine has been locked along with a few other cast members. Mrunal Thakur seems to be their choice, but this could also be false.
• The film will be released in June 2026; STR wants to release it on the 6th, as then all parts of the date align with the number 6- his Manmadhan number.

STR51 - Desingh Periyasamy & STR:

• The pilot promotional shoot for this film has been happening since the start of May, and it likely that it has almost been finished.
• They are looking to release this promotional video in early July to space it away from Thug Life release. It has also a lot of VFX and musical work towards it.
• This project has been pitched to AGS to co-produce with Simbu, and they have struck the following deal. If the STR51 team shows the completed pilot video to Netflix and they agree to buy the film, AGS will join in. If not they will discuss another plan.
• Shooting for this film is likely to begin in the first quarter of 2026. Simbu will grow his long hair again for this, so wig rumors aren’t true.
• Simbu plays the hero and villain in this periodic film. It will be different from other period films, it is purely character driven and features unique dance and action. He has been personally trained for these segments.
• The team is planning for a Pongal 2027 release, which they plan to announce in the promotional video in July.