Rajinikanth at Sivan temple / L3 Empuran sequel about Pahalgam asks netizens

 

Superstar Rajinikanth made a quick stop at a temple in the Anaikatti hills near Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore before he proceeded to begin shoot for Jailer 2. The actor was seen getting out of his car and went inside the temple to offer prayers. Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, Jailer 2 also stars Ramya Krishnan.

Superstar Rajinikanth, who is currently shooting for director Nelson Dilipkumar's Jailer 2 at Anaikatti hills near Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore, made a quick stop at a local temple.

Rajinikanth Offers Prayers Before Jailer 2 Shoot

The video features Rajinikanth getting out of the car and walking into the temple to offer prayers. Some lucky fans managed to get pictures clicked with the icon.

Fans of the actor have taken note of his daily travel plans and been waiting to catch a glimpse of him.

On April 25, Rajinikanth was on his way from Anaikatti to Mangarai, and he visited the Matheswaran Sivan temple. The priest welcomed him and performed a pooja. The temple priest also enquired about Rajinikanth's health.

As soon as his car halted, fans came to know of his arrival and thronged outside the temple to meet Rajinikanth. The actor displayed his humble nature by greeting them with folded hands.

A video from the temple visit and a few pictures are now going viral on social media.

Fahadh Faasil In Jailer 2

Reports are rife that Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil is likely to share the screen with Superstar Rajinikanth in director Nelson Dilipkumar's upcoming film, Jailer 2.

The two actors had previously worked together in director TJ Gnanavel's Vettaiyan, which released in theatres in 2024. Reports suggest that Fahadh Faasil will be seen in a crucial role in Jailer 2.

Is L3 about Pahalgam reconstructed  by Murali Gopy - Prithviraj?

Comments on Mohanlal post on Pahalgam

A few of the caustic comments that reached the actor for his Facebook post:'Beware of Saeed Masoods who come to India after training from Pakistan'Shall we not make another movie to justify this attack, Mohanlal sir?We loved you unconditionally, sir, but the decision to act in ‘Empuraan’ was the final nail in the coffin

 

Call Prithviraj, we should go for ‘Empuraan 3’ to whitewash the Pahalgam terror attack

 

Balakrishna to join Rajinikanth in Jailer 2 / Ajith film 2nd Highest Pre Sales of 2025 / Empuran 43% Loss

 

While fans remain anxious about the release date, the filmmakers are reportedly in no rush. For those unaware, Shiva Rajkumar and Mohanlal made cameo appearances in the first instalment, and both actors had said that they would come back if called for  for similar roles in Jailer 2.

Adding to the excitement, there is speculation that Balakrishna might join the cast. Given his long-standing friendship with Rajinikanth and his reputation for powerful mass action roles, the buzz around this potential casting is strong. Though there is no official confirmation yet, the rumoured pairing has fans pumped up.

High-voltage screen presence of Rajini and Balayya together will be  pure fireworks guaranteed.

Good Bad Ugly registers 2nd best pre-sales of 2025!

With pre-sales worth 18.90 crores, Good Bad Ugly has recorded the second-highest day 1 pre-sales at the Indian box office in 2025. It surpassed Ajith Kumar’s own Vidaamuyarchi to grab the second spot. For those who don’t know, Vidaamuyarchi closed its day 1 advance booking at 18.40 crores. Ram Charan’s Game Changer is at the top with a massive 31.80 crores.

Take a look at the top day 1 advance bookings of 2025:

1.    Game Changer – 31.80 crores

2.    Good Bad Ugly – 18.90 crores

3.    Vidaamuyarchi – 18.40 crores

4.    L2: Empuraan – 18.15 crores

5.    Chhaava – 13.85 crores

6.    Sankranthiki Vasthunam – 12.40 crores

L2 Empuran as per Indian box office has yet to recover 43 % of the Rs 180 crores that has been invested. With 14 days over and falling occupancy as well as three Malayalam films releasing, it can be safely be said that it will not recover the cost and not cross the Manjumel Boys record ( Rs 142 crores). Boys highest collection in India was from Tamil Nadu and here the collection sharing percentage was in favour of theatres and distributors. Empuran on the other hand collected most in Kerala and was loaded in favour of distributors.

Though the collection of 102.18 crores is impressive, it’s not enough considering the exorbitant budget of 180 crores. If calculated, so far, 56.76% of the total cost has been recovered, and 77.82 crores more needs to be recovered. Considering the slow pace, it’s highly impossible. So, despite its strong total, the film will end its journey with a losing verdict at the Indian box office, as per Koimoi’s parameters.

Box office achievements

Recently, L2: Empuraan became the second Malayalam film in history to enter the 100-crore club at the Indian box office. Also, it’s currently the second highest-grossing Malayalam film after Manjummel Boys (142 crores). Globally, it’s the only Mollywood film to cross the major milestone of 250 crores. Before ending the run, it is likely to touch the 275 crore mark.

 

Rajinikanth Coolientiment and Record Telugu deal / Rajamouli- L3 Empuran title updates

 Jailer 2 release date has a flashback. In 1975 on August 15^th Rajinikant first film Apoorva Ragangal was releasd. Now in 50 year in filmdom, his 171 film release takes place on same date. The theatrical rights of Coolie in the Telugu states have reportedly been sold for 40 crores, creating a new benchmark for Tamil dubbed films.  Yesterday we had said that WAR 2 on same day with NTR Jr will not do any harm to Coolie in South States except two Telugu States but now trade feels that Coolie is the best bet than the Hindi dubbed.

Earlier Suriya’s Kanguva sold for 25 crores, Vijay’s Leo for 20 crores, and Rajini’s own Jailer for 17 crores were sold. This means Coolie needs to collect a minimum gross of 75-80 crores in Telugu to breakeven for the buyers . Read; https://southfilmy.blogspot.com/2025/04/coolieis-clear-winner-in-war-2-clash.html

Ashwin shared that Kalki 2 will delve deeper into the arcs of Karna and Ashwatthama, bringing these two mythologically rooted characters into the spotlight. He revealed that the sequel will primarily focus on these characters, giving both significantly more screen time  on Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan’s characters. In addition, Kamal Haasan’s mysterious character, Supreme Yaskin, will also be one of the major highlights of the sequel. While audiences only saw a glimpse of him in Kalki 2898 AD, the sequel will delve deeper into his dark persona.

Additionally, the sequel will involve heavy VFX work and elaborate world-building, which means post-production could take time. 

Rajamouli’s upcoming film SSMB 29, starring Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Priyanka Chopra, has been making headlines ever since its announcement. While initial reports suggested that the movie would be a two-part spectacle, fresh updates reveal that Rajamouli has opted for a single-film narrative. The film, set against the backdrop of Kashi, is a high-octane forest adventure that promises to push the boundaries of Indian cinema. With production already underway, the team has an extensive shooting schedule planned until mid-2026, aiming for a grand release in the summer of 2027.

Renowned composer Deepak Dev has sparked speculation about the title of the much-anticipated third installment in the Lucifer trilogy, starring Mohanlal, following his recent revelations in an exclusive interview with Club FM. Deepak Dev, known for his distinctive musical contributions to Malayalam cinema, hinted that “Azrael” could potentially be the title for Lucifer Part 3. The speculation arises from a pivotal song in the climax of Empuraan, the second part of the trilogy, featuring the resonant vocals of Usha Uthup repeating the word “Azrael.”

In the interview, Deepak Dev reflected on the creative process behind the trilogy’s titles, noting that similar organic developments occurred with the naming of Empuraan after a significant song in the first installment, Lucifer. He recalled discussions with director Prithviraj Sukumaran, who sought a commanding voice for the song, which inadvertently led to the title reveal for the subsequent film.

Empuran advance booking figures raise manipulation doubts

Empuran advance booking ifigres are manipulated and done under the system of corporate bookings is the charge levelled by many in the trade. Main reason is that Veera Dheera Sooran of Vikram, Nithin Robinhood and Mad Square 2 in Telugu States are lagging behind this the Tamil and Telugu dubbing version of Empuran in booking platform. Vikram film advance booking has come as a shock. These films now depend on word of mouth opinion to get the crowds, It was only today in Chennai and yesterday in Hyderabad that Empuran conducted a media meet. VDS has had Vikram- S J surya and Dushara Vijayan all over internet media as part of promotions. At the Chennai press meet the query was raised as to how a Malayalam film has crossed 10 cr advance booking which is more than a Bollywood film, Prithviraj updated it and said it was 60 crores and it was something that they too did not expect and hoped that the film lived up to the expectations. One trade expert on social media wrote, “The film is already getting a lot of advance bookings. So there is really no reason to make corporate bookings. This is totally unnecessary. Don’t overdo corporate bookings so much that it becomes clear to even the common public.” he practice of corporate and self-bookings has often been called out in Bollywood when films like Pathaan, Chhaava, Dunki, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan were accused of similar tactics, even though those accounted for only 5-10% of total sales.

In the case of Empuraan, it seems the self-bookings have touched the level of Sky Force, where more than 50% of the ticket sales were rigged, according to experts like Komal Nahta. Incidentally Prithviraj the Empuran Director was co-producer of Sky Force. As M9 puts it- However, the real test will be in the film’s footfalls post-release. If Empuraan sustains strong occupancies after day one, it will validate the genuine interest among audiences. However, if the film witnesses a sharp drop post the initial weekend, it would further fuel speculation about the advance bookings. At the Chennai meet, Lyca and Red Giant representative’s were present. Gokulam Gopalan distributes Tamil Nadu too.

Nayanthara - Sundar clash averted / Dual role for Allu Arjun in Atlee film/ Crumbling Kerala Box Office

Nayanthara highhandedness with an AD of Director Sundar C on the sets of Mookuthi Amman 2 led to stopping of the shooting. The dispute arose after the Actress who plays the title role and AD had an argument over a costume that the actress refused to wear . A different costume was her choice and that of her personal costumer. As the Directorial unit felt that the argument went overboard, they raised the matter with Sundar. He called for a packup. Tempers flew and things reached a flash that it was either the Director or the Actress who be in the film. It seems Producer Ishari Ganesh mediated and shooting started at a temple on outskirts of Chennai. Pollachi schedule was cancelled. Nayanthara and Sundar’s production companies are co- producers with Vels Ishari Ganesh.

On April 8th, the official announcement of Allu Arjun- Atlee film is expected. Sun Pictures is the Producer and like Theri, Mersal ( triple), Bigil,Jawan, Atlee has given a dual role to Allu Arjun. Anirudh is the composer. Shooting might be in August.

After Atlee moving to Tollywood with Allu Arjun, next in line is Lokesh with Ram Charan. It seems KVN Productions after Jananayagan with Vijay and Yash’s Toxic has signed a three film deal with Lokesh and one of them is a Ram Charan film. Whether Kaithi2 and a subject featuring Suriya as Rolex ae part of this we are not aware.

Empuran is turned out to be India’s No 1 box officer opener at Box office as per ticket booking platforms and on the other side last month – February 7 films released in the Kerala theatres. Out of these 17 films, 11 were huge disasters! The cumulative budget of these 17 films was 75.23 crore, and they together contributed 23.55 crore as Kerala’s theatre share. As per a report by Onmanorama, even in the month of January, only one film succeeded at the box office. “Rekhachithram‘ directed by Jofin T Chacko, was the only hit among the 28 movies released in January, as per the producers association. Tovino Thomas starrer Identity’, made on a budget of Rs 30 crore, managed to collect only Rs 3 crore from theatres in Kerala,” said the report.

Mohanlal most crucial film L2 Empuran release problem

Is Mohanlal’s Empuran producers fighting with each other over sharing revenue ? The strong buzz is that the film might not make it on March 27th. One version is that the one of the producer Lyca is asking for a pull out as the market condition is bad after Vidamuyurchi failure in Tamil Nadu. Close To Rs 40 cr share was got for Lyca from Tamil Nadu market. So far it has invested Rs 80 crores and wants it back with interest. Red Giant is not willing to advance any money and instead distribute on commission basis . Lyca distributed Vidamuyurchi on refundable deposit in Tamil Nadu and hence has no outstanding with theatres. We hear that either Ashirwad gives Lyca the money back or a share in digital rights and from Gulf countries and overseas sale Ashirwad the Producer is not able to rake up this money and negotiations are on.. If Red Giant steps in partly pays Lyca before release and a share after release is likely formula. As Ajith’s Vidamuyurchi collected only Rs 80 crores gross totally in Tamil Nadu, Empuran should collect more than that for Lyca to recover the investmen of Rs 80 crore with interest.. Malayalam film Manjumel Boys collected Rs 53 crores in TN. Other films that collected more than Rs 100 cr in Tamil Nadu are Rajamouli films and KGF2. Even Pushpa 2 collected only Rs 55 crores. Given this past records, Lyca wants to scoot off. In 2019, Lucifer collected Rs 2.5 crores in Tamil Nadu and at that year it created a record of a Malayalam film highest collection in Tamil filmdom.

Here why Empuran is most important film for Mohanlal career wise and financially for Ashirwad Films ? Lets us take a look at the post-COVID era box office of Mohanlal who had seven theatrical releases so far. Except for one, all were bombs. It started with Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, which turned out to be a box office bomb, wrapping up the India run at just 21.06 crore net. It was followed by three back-to-back box office duds - Aaraattu (11.24 crores), Monster (5.19 crores), and Alone (71 lakh). After four big box office duds , Mohanlal enjoyed his first success post-COVID with Neru, which was helmed by Jeethu Joseph and it was a sequel to hit film Drishyam. At the Indian box office, earning 44.83 crore net against a budget of 18 crores. Then came Barroz directed and acted Mohanlal and became the lowest earnrer in the actor’s career. Like Neru, Empuran is a sequel to hit film Lucifer and has potential to work wonders at the Indian box office.

Salman Khan and Chiyaan Vikram threat to Mohanlal / Anirudh is South highest paid composer

Empuran run at North India and Tamil Nadu will not be smooth as the two regions are seeing the release of two biggies- Salman Khan- ARM Sikandar in Hindi and Chiyaan Vikram Veera Dheera Sooran. At first Sikandar was to release on March 30th and thereby giving Empuran a three day run in North but the new date has put te brakes on that. Vikarm film is coming on March27. This date has come after OTT platform has scheduled it. Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2 will hit the big screens on March 27, 2025. Initially, it was supposed to be released in January, but plans shifted due to scheduling clashes with OTT platforms. Given the budget, Empyran needs a free run outside Kerala to recover it. In GCC countries, Empuran will be hit as Salman Khan release for Eid has always been a celebration.

While there’s no official confirmation about the same will be coming, a few weeks back, the industry buzz was that that Anirudh has become highest paid music composer of the South and he received an unbelievable hike for Jailer 2. For those who aren’t not in the know, the and it was told publicly by Rajinikanth himself , Anirudh the music composer was paid a sum of 10 crores for Jailer. As Ani’s music played a crucial role in Jailer’s blockbuster success, he has been given an 80% hike. It is said that Jailer 2 producers are giving Anirudh a staggering 18 crores for the sequel.If a comparison is made, he is aheam charan- Buji film signed by AR Rahman by a margin of 10 crores. If calculated ahead, Ani’s remuneration is 125% higher than that of ARR’s paycheck for RC 16 which is Rs 8 crores. Chaavaa BGM is said to be poor and though the film is a blockbuster, it has made Ram Charan film makers jittery.

Empuran must do a KGF for Lyca and Antony

Will Empuran bring much needed moolah for Lyca Productions ?. The Kerala Film Producers Association leader Suresh Kumar says that the film’s budget so far is Rs 141 crores and Mohanlal the hero and Director’s Prithviraj salaries are not included. Film is produced by Antony Perumbavoor who is said to be Mohanlal’s alter ego and so Mohanlal salary could be the investment and probably Prithviraj too has joined in on profit sharing. Rest of the money is probably from Lyca and it was advertised as the company’s first foray into Mollywood. . Lyca cannot take the investment from Kerala alone and Empuran has to do something like KGF or Kantara. Antony was bitter over Suresh Kumar talking about the big risk that Empuran is taking. Suresh is childhood friend of Lal and has the distinction of being the Producer of his first film and sounded the clapboard for first shot featuring Lal maiden film. Anto Joseph like Antony is Mammootty’s alter ego and he has got together his hero and Mohanlal together in a film directed by Mahesh Narayanan Anto talking to OTT Play reasons - “Certain films, irrespective of artistes’ remuneration, help make the industry bigger,” he says. “For instance, Kantara came at a time when Kannada film industry was going through a crisis. As a maker of a film like KGF and that too with an actor like Yash, you would never expect it to recover its budget from Kannada industry alone. But the movie helped make the industry one of the biggest in the country. And soon after that you had Kantara.” To a query that Tamil films and other language films are getting figures in Kerala , Anto has this to say -“Let me ask this, if a Rajinikanth or a Vijay film releases in Kerala, we Malayalis go to theatres to watch them and give them record-breaking openings. But none of our Malayalam films get that. Our audience wait for reviews and good reports before doing that for our films,” he says. For Tamils and other language film viewers, what makes them take to Malayalam films in a big way ? What made Manjumel Boys and Premalu run in Tamil Nadu and Andhra/ TS ? Was it reviews ?. Was it the promotion gala ? Word of mouth alone. Pushpa 2 was nowhere in Tamil Nadu and so was Game Changer. If Antony Perumbavoor dream of Empuran turning into a KGF comes true, then only Lyca will benefit but also Malayalam film industry will attract outside producers and corporate firms. Film is releasing on March 27th. We can expect promotions to start in major capitals in South.

Rajinikanth Lal Salaam - GVP Rebel - Mohanlal Empuram teaser poster on Diwali Day - Tiger 3 gets specail shows

On Diwali Day, Lal Salaam teaser was put out by Lyca. It shows Rajini as Moideen Bhai and as secular Muslim who is fighting communal forces. He is criticising the leaders who have communalized the game of cricket. Shots of Vikrant and Vishnu Vishal who are in different teams fighting each other and villagers caught in communal riots are seen. The question that comes up is that especially in Tamil Nadu there is Hindu – Muslim divide and incidents like what happened in Gujarat when India and Pakistan teams played do not take place.

Tiger 3 has opened at morning 7.10 AM in Sakti Cinemas Multiplex at Tirupur. The screenshot of the online booking has gone viral. Netizens are  asking how State Government gave permission when it denied it Vijay’s Leo and Rajinikanth Jailer. Leo producers even went to court and failed to get court nod as Government was firm that it can allot any shows before 9 AM instead it gave one extra one more show apart from the four permitted and that too as it was Holidays. Three other Tamils released with Tiger has got only five shows but this time the Government has given this permission till Nov 15^th though holidays end at November 13^th. Tiger 3 subtitled version has been released down South. Unconfirmed reports say that Yennai Arinthal starring Ajith is being remade with Salman Khan and that Gautam Menon who directed the Tamil version will also helming the Hindi version. Salman had acted in Veeram remake.

The official first look of 'Emburaan', the much anticipated sequel to Lucifer, directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and starring Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, is out, produced by Lyca Productions Subhashkaran and Aseerwad Cinemas Antony Perumbavooragiyoor.

Directed by one of the leading star actors, Prithviraj Sukumaran for the first time, the film 'Lucifer' was released starring Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. The film was a huge hit and created huge waves in South India.
A huge critical and box office hit, the sequel to the film is now in the works titled Empuraan.

Subhashkaran of Lyca Productions - Antony Perumbavoor of  Aashirvad Cinemas has produced the film on a grand scale at a huge budget.

This year, the first look of the film, which has created huge expectations not only in Malayalam but also in South India, has been released and is receiving great response from the fans. Mohanlal's dramatic appearance is a Diwali gift for his fans and a huge celebration. The first look of the film is currently going viral on the internet.

With GKM Tamil Kumaran at the helm, Murali Gopi will pen the screenplay, Sujith Vasudev will do the cinematography, Deepak Dev will compose the music. Suresh Balaji and George Fayez will serve as executive producers. The film is being made in five languages ​​namely Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi.

Mohanlal-Prithviraj Sukumaran's upcoming movie 'Empuraan' has reached its final stage. Announcements about the teaser and trailer of the film will be released soon.

 Suriya released the official teaser poster of Rebel starring G V Prakash and directed by Nikesh. It is produced by Gananvel Raja of Studio Green. Mamita Baiju, Karunas, Subramania Siva, Shalu Rahim, Venkitesh VP, Aditya Bhaskar, 'Kalluri' Vinod, Adira and others have acted. Cinematography by Arun Radhakrishnan, the film features music by G.V P.