When Kamal Haasan backed Rajinikanth to fight Red Card / Mani Ratnam with VJS

As Kollywood celeberates union of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, we delve back when Kamal backed his market rival. Scenario was 1993. 

Uzhaipali was a crucial time for Rajinikanth as he was facing a ban from Tamil Distributors. They asked him to cut the fees as projects major chunk of funds was going to actors. At that time yet another Star who commanded same or more than Rajinikanth was Kamal Haasan. All eyes were on Kamal as he was a market rival and if he went with Distributors, things coulf have gone  bad for Rajinkanth, But it did not happen, A lok at the events that unfolded.

According to reports, distributors urged the film producers to reduce the salary of Uzhaippali actors. This issue was discussed in a meeting and actors including Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan were also invited. During the meeting, Rajinikanth put his foot down and said that he wouldn’t take the pay cut.

Rajinikanth asked the distributors to consider other options and left the meeting. Infuriated, distributors decided to issue a red card to Rajinikanth.AVM’s Yejaman was ready for release hence AVM Saravanan requested the distributors that we have announced the release date hence this RED CARD system shall not impart for their film. They also agreed the same.

Despite the obstacle, Vijaya Productions Private Limited, the producer of Uzhaippali, was determined to make this film. Rajinikanth also was filled with the same determination and devised some solutions.

Rajinikanth met Kamal Haasan and talked about the problem he was facing. He was assured of help by the Vikram star. On February 5, a grand puja was also held for Uzhaippaali at Vijaya Vauhini studio. Veteran producer B. Nagi Reddy also extended his support to Rajinikanth and gave him 101 gold coins.

Bommai magazine also presented an interesting article on Uzhaippali. Despite the distributors backing out, Uzhaippaali received an abundant promotion. Uzhaippaali’s director P. Vasu was boosted with confidence after such tremendous support from renowned celebrities and the media. He completed Uzhaippaali’s shooting in 58 days.

• Kamal Haasan's Role: Rajinikanth met with Kamal Haasan to discuss the situation, and Haasan reportedly assured him of help. It was after this meeting that the production of Uzhaippali was officially launched, in defiance of the ban. Both actors had reportedly agreed not to budge on their salaries.
• Resolution and Outcome: With the support of the producers and other celebrities, Rajinikanth decided to distribute Uzhaippali himself through his own company, Ramana Film Distributors, bypassing the traditional distributors. All the co-stars arranged for a function to support Rajini with regard to distributors’ statement against Rajini and his film. This issue was brought to the attention of Chief Minister Jayalalitha and it was resolved amicably few days before the release of Uzhaipazhi.
  
  It is very important to note the film NSC rights released by our Thalaivar distribution co. RAMANA FILM DISTRIBUTORS.The film became a box office success, running for over 100 days. 
• 100 days function was not held as Rajinikanth did not want to show off his victory in front of those Distributors who opposed him. A scene in the film with dialogue YESTERDAY COLLIE, TODAY ACTOR BUT TOMORROW??  had irked Jayalalithaa as she saw it as a potential political rival in the making. 
• 
  
  Mani ratnam next is with Vijay Sethupathi and has Rukumini Vasanth as leading lady, His ikd team of Ravi Verman and A R Rahman are back,Cheeku chevatha vaanam was the film that Vijay Sethuoathi worked.previously.
  
  
  

NTR Jr pressure on Andhra Theatres /Mani laughs at Dhruv Project / 3BHK OTT Flop-Maargan HIT

In this exclusive conversation with Subash K jha, Mani replied, “It is a good question. I don’t have an answer as yet. Working on a script. Will wait till it falls into place. At this juncture of my life and career, I am in no hurry to move from one project to another.” He laughed off on these rumours. “Even I am hearing these rumours. I am not doing any such project,” he said.

NTR Jr is said to have entered the WAR 2 distribution war in two Telugu States. Naga Vamso who has bought WAR 2 is said to have enlisted NTR Jr in the fight against Asian Cinemas that includes Suneil Narang, Suresh Babu and Dil Raju who are distributing Coolie. In the North Indian scenario, War 2 has got 70 percent of the single screens and a chunk of multiplexes. Afer Aamir’s intervention, PVR and other national chains have allotted more screens but still Colie has only `5% of the market share. Read Boxofficeworldwide. Com report on Andhra States: The presence of Jr NTR is reportedly the game-changer in this screen-count war. As one of the biggest stars in Telugu cinema, his influence, combined with that of respected distributor Naga Vamsi of Sitara Entertainment, is a formidable force. Exhibitors across the region are reportedly favouring War 2 to avoid any conflict with the powerful duo. “NTR Jr. is an influential personality, same for Naga Vamsi. No one is willing to upset them,” a source explained.

This influence is expected to translate into a dominant screen share. While Asian Cinemas is aiming for a 60:40 split, Sitara Entertainment is reportedly pushing for a 70:30 ratio in favour of War 2. The source added, “NTR Jr. too is flexing his equations and stardom to get premium showcasing and has succeeded in doing so against Rajinikanth.” This advantage is not just limited to the south, as War 2 is also expected to have a clear lead in North India, ensuring a massive opening. While War 2 is poised for a bigger start, the final verdict will only be delivered by audiences when both films hit theatres on August 14.WAR 2 Hindi version is exactly 1 minute and 40 seconds longer than the other two- Tamil and Telugu..

With all recent releases like Mareesan starring Vadivelu- Fahadh Faazil dropping badly, Vijay sethupathi- Nithya Menen Thalaivan Thalaivi had a strong grip on box office especially on weekend and with four more days to go for Coolie, on Day 17, the gross stands at Rs 55 crores. The box office chart shows on second Sundays and Saturdays the film registered Rs 5 crores collection and an average of Rs 2 crores on other days.

Siddharth's drama film 3BHK has opened on a disappointing note on Prime Video as the lowest debut of 2025 - OTT Verdict. Siddharth‘s film has made the lowest debut for a film that arrived on an OTT platform other than Netflix after ending its entire theatrical run. During its theatrical run, the film earned 12.34 crore net in India. 3BHK, in its debut week, garnered a viewership of 1.2 million, taking the fifth spot in the list of the most-watched films in India on OTT for the week of July 28 – August 3, as per Ormax data.

The Tamil-language crime thriller Maargan, which hit theaters in June, is now making waves on Amazon Prime Video globally. Blending supernatural elements with an investigative plot, the film has now secured a spot among Prime Video’s list of top ten most popular movies worldwide, according to FlixPatrol.

 

Vinveli Nayagan and Master Story Teller WORST BOX OFFICE RUN ENDS

 As Thug Life window  bookings through BookMyShow app winds up with disastrous figures, the lowest in career of Kamal and Director Mani, we go back to what Mani thinks is a BAD FILM . When asked if there’s anything like a ‘bad film’, Ratnam replied, “I am an audience first. If I don’t like a film, it is a bad film. That’s how you look at it, you can’t pretend it’s not there. But as a maker, what you try to do is put your best in front. You try to make a good film. You want it to be a hit, but you also want it to be sensible, intelligent, engaging, and logical. So, that’s what you try to do.”

The filmmaker added that it’s important to accept the audience’s diverse opinions. “It’s true for any art, isn’t it? Art is something that reaches you individually. It’s your perspective. You have to anticipate and accept the diversity in views.”

Thug Life, in its lifetime, has registered a ticket sale of only 755K on BMS. The film could not even touch the 1 million mark and surrendered to its fate much before. Still, it managed to bring the seventh-best ticket sales for Kollywood films on BookMyShow in 2025!

Trending

Check out the top ten lifetime ticket sales of Kollywood films of 2025 on BMS.

1. Good Bad Ugly: 2.65 Million
2. Dragon: 1.98 Million
3. VidaaMuyarchi: 1.51 Million
4. Tourist Family: 1.39 Million
5. Retro: 1.10 Million
6. Madha Gaja Raja: 883K
7. Thug Life: 755K
8. Veera Dheera Sooran: 700K
9. Maaman: 562K
10. Kudumbasthan: 488K

Thug Life Ticket Sales Summary

Check out the ticket sales breakdown of Kamal Haasan’s film on BMS.

• Pre Sales: 360K
• Day 1: 154.32K
• Day 2: 66.59K
• Day 3: 63.18K
• Day 4: 38.16K
• Day 5: 14.71K
• Day 6: 11.86K
• Day 7:  10.8K
• Day 8: 9K
• Rest Of The Day: 26.38K

Total: 755K

Thug Life Box Office Summary

Check out the breakdown of the film at the box office after 15 days.

• India net: 44.77 crore
• India gross: 52.77 crore
• Overseas gross: 44.74 crore
• Worldwide gross: 97.51 crore
• According to a report in Pinkvilla, Netflix is reconsidering the deal with a 20-25 per cent dip from the previous quoted amount. The makers of Thug Life reportedly sold the digital rights for ₹130 crores. This whopping number was quoted because of Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam's combination, but the movie failed to leave a mark at the box office.

 

Shankar is lowesr ranked Despite Mani's Thug Life / Balayya Akhanda 2 to Roar

 

A big relief for Mani Ratnam ! on IMDb his Thug Life is not the wirst rated film. The worst rated is Indian 2 and directed by Shankar. Which film of Kamal tops the ranking platform ? Read ;

If we observe Kamal Haasan’s filmography, especially the movies in which he played a major role, the one that has received the lowest user rating on IMDb is S. Shankar’s Indian 2. Despite the veteran actor’s committed performance, the sequel failed to impress several critics. It currently holds an IMDb rating of just 3.8/10, making it the most poorly rated film in his illustrious career. In stark contrast, the original Indian (1996) enjoys a stellar IMDb rating of 8.1/10.

Kamal Haasan’s High-Rated Films On IMDb

On the other hand, many Kamal Haasan films have earned widespread acclaim and impressive ratings on IMDb. Some of his highest-rated titles include Thevar Magan (8.7/10), Anbe Sivam (8.6/10), Mahanadhi (8.6/10), Kuruthipunal (8.5/10), Papanasam (8.4/10), and Vikram (8.3/10), to name a few.

About Thug Life

Directed by Mani Ratnam, the gangster action drama ostensibly follows the story of a dreaded gangster who adopts a young boy. But years later, when the gangster becomes the target of a near-fatal assassination attempt, he begins to suspect that his adopted son is behind it. The film features Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan, Abhirami, Trisha Krishnan, Nassar, Joju George, Ashok Selvan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ali Fazal, and Rohit Saraf, among other cast members.

God of Masses Nandamuri Balakrishna reunites with the blockbuster director Boyapati Sreenu for their highly anticipated fourth collaboration, Akhanda 2: Thaandavam. This sequel to the hit film Akhanda promises to elevate the action and drama, blending intense sequences with spiritual undertones. Produced by Raam Achanta and Gopichand Achanta under the prestigious 14 Reels Plus Banner, the film is presented by M Tejeswini Nandamuri.

The makers have released the Teaser on the occasion of Balakrishna's Birthday and this is the Best Gift any Hero can get from his Team.

The most striking aspect of the teaser is Balakrishna’s sensational look — a powerful blend of ferocity and divinity that perfectly suits his character. Boyapati once again proves he understands Balakrishna better than anyone else, delivering a first look and teaser that truly elevates the star's aura.

The imagery of the Trishul with Nandi and the breathtaking, snow-covered Kailasam backdrop is mesmerizing, reflecting the meticulous research behind the character and the film's theme. Balakrishna's majestic walk adds a regal charm to the visuals.

The scenes where he hurls goons aside and the intense Trishul neck shot are simply mind-blowing. Action choreographers Ram-Lakshman have masterfully tapped into Balakrishna’s mass appeal. His dialogue delivery is as powerful as ever.

Thaman’s background score soars to divine heights, complementing the grandeur of Balakrishna's presence. Thaman is altogether in a different world when it comes to scoring music for Balakrishna.

The production values by 14 Reels Plus are top-notch, adding an impressive scale and richness to the overall presentation.

The Teaser is one material where it is Screaming the Passion and Commitment of the team in every frame.

Currently, the movie is being shot in the Grand Locales of Georgia, where a breathtaking sequence is being shot.

The makers promise that the film will do Thandavam in Theaters starting September 25th as Dussehra Special. The Divine aura of the movie is for sure to grip the audience across the country. This Teaser has done that magic already.

Aadi Pinnisetty plays the Antagonist, the evil opposite Akhanda. Samyuktha takes on the female lead role in the highly anticipated sequel, which is being made on a larger scale with a significantly bigger budget. The film boasts a talented team of experienced technicians, including music composer S Thaman, cinematographer C Ramprasad, editor Tammiraju, and art director AS Prakash.

Cast: God Of Masses Nandamuri Balakrishna, Samyuktha, Aadhi Pinisetty

Technical Crew:

Writer, Director: Boyapati Sreenu
Producers: Raam Achanta, Gopi Achanta
Banner: 14 Reels Plus
Presents: M Tejeswini Nandamuri
Music: Thaman S
DOP: C Ramprasad, Santoshh D Detakae
Art: AS Prakash
Editor: Tammiraju
Fights: Ram-Lakshman
PRO: Yuvraaj
Marketing: First Show

 

https://youtu.be/BU90JJ8u2bA

 

 

 

 

Thug Life reviews hit at Mani Ratnam Direction - As Producers Duo are SAFE

 

Even Influencers who were celeberated as Thugfluencers  by Kamal- Mani combo ,seem to have washed their hands after seeing Thug Life. The box office collection from theatres goes direct into the pockets of Mani Ratnam and Kamal , as the entire cost of Rs 200 crores has been got from non theatrical rights. In short, Madras Talkies and RajKamal will have nothing to worry. The opening day gross is Rs 8 crores from Tamil Nadu. In all other areas the film has been given on a distribution basis – an amount has been collected as advance and if the distributor share falls below it , shortfall will be returned. The only loss is Mani’s reputation as a Director while Kamal the Actor esteem is untouched. Biggest beneficiary is STR as his acting skills have been showcased.

As a critic based in Chennai for decades , I have never seen Mani being so brutally attacked by reviewers online . When Indian 2 was heavily trolled, I saw it as a disappointment as it was a poor sequel to a iconic film. Shankar too was hit badly. Mani ,ost films that were not blockbusters and just about average was not subjected to such harsh criticism. The general consensus in reviews is that Mani has lot the plot and that it is too outdated and very confusing. From not fleshing out characters and extending out scenes, all that a Director should not do has been attributed to him.

In contrast Bollywood sites have been generous with their praise of the film and talking about goosebump moments.  The Chennai based The Hindu wrote : Despite an excellent Kamal Haasan, a restrained Silambarasan TR, great production design and superb cinematography, Mani Ratnam’s film is a generic gangster drama that makes you grope in the dark for its beating heart

Thug Life is a gangster crime drama with stretches so generic and cold that you might wonder if it was really the filmmaker at the helm.

Most happiest person is Khushbu Sundar. Her daughter Ananditha name figured in list of Mani;s Assistants in the film credits. It seems Khushbu’s daughter worked for a few days and left as she sprained her ankle. Ananditha was photographed with Kamal and Mani at film pooja and it was speculated that she was appearing on screen but now it seems that it was AD to Mani.

 

Kamal Haasan to move CCI on Karnataka BAN ?

 Will Kamal Hasan move the Competetive Comission of India CCI against the Kernataka Film Chamber banning Thug Life ? A similar ban was issued by Tamil Nadu exhibitors against Viswaroopam as Kamal was planning to release the film on DTH along with Theatres.

In 2013, Kamal Haasan's film Vishwaroopam was the subject of a complaint filed with the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The issue stemmed from the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association opposing the film's planned release on a DTH platform before theatrical release. This opposition was seen as potentially anti-competitive, as it could limit the choice of release methods for filmmakers. 

Elaboration:

• The Complaint:

Kamal Haasan's production company, Rajkamal Films International, filed a complaint with the CCI against the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association. 

• The Issue:

The association threatened not to screen Vishwaroopam if it was released on DTH before theatrical release. 

• CCI Investigation:

The CCI found a prima facie case of potential anti-competitive practices and referred it for investigation by its Director General. The DG was ordered to complete the investigation within 60 days. 

• Potential Impact:

The CCI noted that the association's decision, if implemented, could stifle innovation in film release methods and hurt both producers and consumers. 

• Final Outcome:

The case was eventually resolved through a compromise/settlement between the parties, with the parties filing the memorandum of compromise with the CCI. The CCI then had the opportunity to consider the compromise and make appropriate orders, which could include accepting it, modifying it, or rejecting it. 

Thug Life ticket bookings opened in India/Overseas: Except Karnataka

The film is getting released this Thursday in theatres, and the overseas advance bookings opened a few days back, and today all India advance bookings opened for the film. Even in Telugu, the movie’s advance bookings have opened.

But Karnataka is still waiting, as Thug Life Tickets/Bookings did not start there. As said above, the ongoing issue because of Kamal’s statement has affected the film. We need to see how this issue will resolve.

The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) clearly said that without an apology from Kamal, the film will not be screened in their state.

 

Mani slams Rs 1000 Cr film craze / Meenakshi Chowdhary with Chiyaan

 Mani Ratnam when asked about the Rs 1000 crore club films, he felt irritated and answered : “Which is more important—box office or quality films? Earlier, audiences focused on quality. Now, it’s all about business. I hope this shift doesn’t kill quality in the future. I can’t make films just for the box office.”. Kamal Haasan is a co- Producer of Thug Life and going by what we hear the investment in hard cash is by RKFI and Madras Talkies contribution is Mani Ratnam’s direction.

Now audience of today that made Bahubaali – KGF – Pushpa franchise into Rs 1000 cr club cannot be called to be focussed on business and not quality and we cannot say that Director’s of these film compromised on quality to get more footfalls.  None of these franchises can be said to have gone out of the way to reach out to audience in a crass way. These films struck a chord with all regions in India. Take the case of Mani Ratnam films and his last outing PS 2. It worked largely with Tamil movie goers and nothing beyond it.

At one time quality films meant National awards and Mani was never a contender for this award. The box office masala formula is very much inherent in his films. For the first time probably the marketing is vey aggressive with Thug Life. Thogh Kamal speaks volumes about Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography , trailor is talked about for two things- Kamal- Abhirami liplock and Kamal’s I am your Adam seductive line with Trisha . Is Trisha the mistress of Kamal and his adopted son STR is dating her  is the problem? Add to it the Sugar Baby song.

We have seen biggest box office openers fall on Monday and finally go out by next Friday. Public is enamoured by the the boasts of entering Rs 100 cr club in one Day. It may matter to the Actor’s fans and his ego. Bottom of Mani’s line is that – Look Don’t evaluate me with likes of people whose films are in Rs 1000 cr club .I simply have no idea on how to make it jell with all kinds of audience. I am happy with my niche audience .

While his response sounds idealistic, it also feels outdated. Does he really believe that only bad films make 1000 crores? Were Baahubali, Dangal, or RRR lacking in quality? Were Jawan or KGF poor films? . It was Rajamouli who inspired Mani to make Ponniyin Selvan into two parts. Mani Ratnam has publicly acknowledged Rajamouli as an inspiration, particularly for the two-part structure of "Ponniyin Selvan". He has stated that "Baahubali," directed by Rajamouli, paved the way for him to make "Ponniyin Selvan" in two parts, as it demonstrated the viability of a two-part film format. 

Meenakshi Chaudhary has been making headlines for being the frontrunner to play the female lead opposite Kollywood star Vikram in the latter’s 63rd film, tentatively titled Chiyaan63. As per the latest buzz, Meenakshi has finally signed on the dotted lines. However, an official announcement is awaited to confirm the news.

Chiyaan63 will be going on floors in a few weeks. This highly anticipated biggie will be directed by Mandela and Maaveeran fame Madonne Ashwin, while Arun Viswa is bankrolling the project. Stay tuned for further updates. The actress was part of blockbusters like Dulquer Salmaan’s Lucky Baskhar and Venkatesh’s Sankranthiki Vasthunam. She is currently working on Naga Chaitanya’s NC24 and Naveen Polishetty’s Anaganaga Oka Raju. made her Hindi film debut with the movie "Upstarts" in 2019. She is expected to make a larger Bollywood debut with Maddock Films under Dinesh Vijan. 

 

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.
• 

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;

sudha_kongara

 

 35w

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.

 

 

 

THUG LIFE TRAILOR;; Kamal seduces Trisha - liplock with Abhirami - No VTV Jodi ?

 Thug Life trailor has thrown anew surprise – Trisha comes with Kamal Haasan and not STR as expected. Here again Kamal is shown to be seducing Trisha and at the same time, he grabs Abhirami and has a liplock. So is Kamal a womanizer ? Is Trisha leading him on for a reason ? Is the Trisha – Kamal relationship the flash point for the clash with STR ?

The son STR character is an adopted one is what we can gather and that Naazar could be his Thalapathy who is angry with adopted son given the major role. Joju George comes firing but could be the rival gangster or is he the Hitman – bodyguard of Kamal ?

Most important question is who is the baddie ? Is Ashok Selvan the cop who is playing a sakunni ? Or is STR the bad guy. Kamal said that he goes underground for a while and is taken to be dead and come back to take his sweet revenge – on whom ? Looks like STR who send him underground ?.

Intriquing is the one word summary. Another notable absence is the song or romance element. The focus now is the kis in the trailor. Some said that Kamal was kissing Trisha and not Abhirami. Read reactions : One user commented, "Doing such scenes for his age with heroines who were almost half his age is not at all normal and usual." However, another used defended the scene and said, "This s the problem with us .. taking and focusing on kiss scenes and intimate scenes out of entire trailer .... it seems normal nd usual .. stop giving too much focus."

The third user took a neutral stand saying: "On screen la how they look and if both actors r comfortable and picturized well nothing wrong ... lot of movies has kiss scenes on the flow without stuffing ... even Leo had it beautifully within the story with emotion."

On social media platform X, fans were quick to react. One user wrote, “A BIT UNDERWHELMING TRAILER CUT BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP ME TO GET HYPED UP FOR THUG LIFE.” Another added, “Until the synopsis leak few days ago, there wasn’t much of an idea about what #ThugLife was gonna be. And now, it’s cracked up the faceoff between KH and STR. What a blast of a trailer!”

Is Naveen Polishetty in Mani Ratnam Film ? Stalin to OK Kamal ET tax cut ? / Boney back with Marathi remake

Mani Ratnam next film with newcomers will feature Naveen Polishetty from Tollywood is what Telugu film sites are reporting. Naveen has given three hits in a row and his Jathi Ratnalu after OTT steaming got him wide reach outside the State. He speaks fluent Tamil and had attended an EVAM workshop in Chennai. His films are Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya, Jathi Ratnalu, and Miss Shetty Mr. Polishetty. His next film, Anaganaga Oka Raju’s glimpse, was recently released, and Meenakshi Chaudhary is playing the lead actress. The buzz is that the film will be a Sankranthi 2026 release. Ulaga Nayagan Kamal Haasan attended the FICCI event in Chennai was elected Chairman . About Thug Life he revealed forthcoming film Thug Life will be released on June 5, 2025. When asked if his character Rangaraya Sakthivel Nayakar in Thug is good or terrible, Kamal Haasan replied, “You won’t find the answer in Thug Life either…”. “He is both good and evil!” This suggests a multifaceted part, similar to many of his previous iconic performances. Kamal Haasan said the storytelling, features multiple characters, each on their own strength are strong enough to be play the lead in their own film. He mentioned that some characters will have interactions that even Trisha Krishnan’s character is not part of it and showcasing the depth of the screenplay. Producer- Actor- Minister Udhaymidhi who heard Kamal put forth a case for State Government to reduce tax on admission tickets said that his government would consider it seriously. Same Day, Udhaynidhi restored 90 acres of land that was given to film trade bodies to build houses but failed to do with the time period given and had to forego it.

A source told Bollywood Hungama, “Boney Kapoor was quite blown by Baipan Bhari Deva. He began the process of getting the rights to the film in 2024. The same year, he managed to acquire the rights. He now has the rights to remake the film in Tamil Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages.” The source further said, “He paid a whopping Rs. 2 crores for the remake rights as he is aware of the potential of Baipan Bhari Deva’s story.” Another source told us, “Boney ji will soon lock the directors for the South versions and also cast appropriate faces. He’s confident that the female actors from the four industries would be too excited to be a part of such a film, where all the females have author-backed roles.” Directed by Kedar Shinde and backed by Jio Studios in association with Emveebee Media, Baipan Bhari Deva features Rohini Hattangadi, Deepa Parab, Vandana Gupte, Suchitra Bandekar, Shilpa Navalkar and Sukanya Kulkarni. It tells the story of six estranged sisters who are forced to come together for the ‘Managala Gaur’ competition. It collected a huge Rs. 76.05 crores in cinemas

Kamal Haasan Thug Life to break Kerala film strike/ Lal- Ajay Devgn in Drishyam 3

Kamal Haasan- Mani combo Thug Life is creating problems for the Producer Madras Talkies and RKFI as Kerala Filmdom shuts down on June 1 due to combined call by Producers- Exhibitors to get the Government nod for doing away with local Entertainment tax and reduction in Star wages. Film is releasing on June 5th. Kamal Haasan who started his career in Malayalam industry is considered by Malayali viewers as one of their own actors who went on from Kerala to Chennai and made it big. Fans of Mani as in any State are legion in Kerala. For exhibitors the film is a goldmine as crowds will throng the theatres. By all likelihood, film would have bought by Gokulam Gopalan for Kerala region. Gopalan had recently burned his fingers with some of the high-ticket non-Malayalam films that he distributed being duds. It looks like Kerala Government might scale down on ET and AMMA might get some top actors to announce a reduction of their salary and also to get OTT/ overseas rights along with film’s wages. On the brighter side the strike will be called off and Thug Life will release as planned. However, one section feels that the exhibitors who have two associations might drop out of the strike call, if Madras Talkies goes ahead with June 5th release date. One major reason for Madras Talkies to not do so is that Kerala is a big market and a sure hit market as the State has dedicated fans for Kamal and Mani. Secondly, to get back the damaged reputation after Indian 2, Kamal has to with Thug Life get it back Trade expects Rs 50 crore gross collection from Kerala. The final box office collection of Vikram in Kerala was ₹40.15 crore. This made it the highest-grossing Tamil film in Kerala. Indian 2 collected about ₹4.2 crore in Kerala over the first three days. This was despite the film's strong pre-sale numbers in the state.

Drishyam two parts were released in Malayalam and later remade in other languages. Here the makers of Drishyam 3 are to start the film the Hindi cast and crew alongside the Malayalam version. Mohanlal and Ajay Devgn will work in Malayalam- Hindi versions simultaneously. Production costs will be shared. The idea is that both versions have a same release date. Before this Director Jeethu has to wrap up Malayalam -Tamil film RAM that has Mohanlal and Trisha in the lead. Film has been in production in the last four yea

Dil Se of Mani Ratnam and Hey Ram of Kamal was edited without Director's knowledge !!!

For Dil Se of Mani Ratnam featuring SRK, Priety Zinta and Manisha Koirala when released had audience walk out after 15 minutes of the show as they came to see Chaiya Chiya song featuring SRK and Malaika. Here again Bharat Shah was the presenter along with Ram Gopal Varma. Shah wanted the song to come gain second place and that too after a bomb blast scene. RGV told Mani and the query he got back was ‘How can Shah Rukh Khan hug Manisha Koirala and imagine Malaika Arora?’. Bharat Shah answer was that audience will not ask this and only to see the song again. Shah was worried as samosa sellers in theatres complaied that audience walked out after Chaiya song coming in 15 minutes after the start. ( source Bollywood Hungama) How one of the most iconic songs, "Chaiyya Chaiyya" came to be. The lyrics of "Chaiyya Chaiyya" are based on the Sufi folk song "Thaiyya Thaiyya" with lyrics by poet Bulleh Shah. Singer Sukhwinder Singh originally suggested the song to A.R. Rahman who was looking for a Punjabi devotional song to include on the soundtrack of Dil Se... Gulzar subsequently rewrote the lyrics and changed the name to "Chaiyya Chaiyya". The Tamil Version of the song is still called "Thaiyya Thaiyya". Source; Videowala, FB

Did you know that Hey Ram Hindi version was cut short by 20 minutes and that too without the Knowledge of Director Kamal Haasan ? Did you know that Uyire’s Hindi version Dil Se had the song Chaiya Chaiya two times and it was done despite objection from Director Mani Ratnam. Hey Ram completes 25 years and on this occasion a flashback. Bharat Shah who presented the film Hey Ram in Hindi felt that it was too long. He called Rajkumar Santoshi to see the film and trim it by 30 minutes. Santoshi who follows Tamil as his mother is a Tamil lady and was born in Chennai has directed superhit films like Damini, Ghayal, ghatak , Pukar and earned several awards after seeing it knew that from Kamal’s viewpoint, all shots were important but for North audience it was not digestible. He cut it by 20 minutes and did a fine balancing job between two versions.

Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan calls new faces / Pushpa 2 20 minutes reloaded Details

Pushpa 2 Reloaded scenes of 20 minutes details are given below. The 10 minutes extra coming on OTT version of the post bomb blast and were is Pushpa is not available now, APAN SCENES Almost everyone had this doubts how can maverick director like Sukumar left this thread unfinished well actually he didnt. Proper scenes were written on how he survived bullet wound. So these scenes come in second half- Where Pushpa deal with Dubai Don goes haywire for reasons i will mention below. He doesnt get his money for payment as promised in Hawala. He takes his note and goes to Japan in a container with all amenities needed for 30 days . After the initial fight where he makes grandcomeback in the fight. He eventually meets Japanese Don and gets his 5000 cr. RAMESHWARAM SCENE Rameshwaram where Shekawat loses again to Pushpa unable to stops sandlewood logs going to Srilanka. He manages to capture Dubai Don(Sachdev) and his gf. It is because of Shekhawat that Dubai Don asks Japanese Don not to pay to Pushpa team. That is why Pushpa travels himself to Dubai. So this scene is important for the thread. SYNDICATE MEETING SCENE Again such a mass scene getting cut. After failed hawala there will be a syndicate meeting where everyone questions Pushpa on what happened to 5000 cr syndicate money. Pushpa then guarantees he will bring back money in a month from Japan don directly. Even this scene is related to Japan . Such a nice scenes deleted man seriously JAALI REDDY WARNING SCENE Jaali reddy gets a visit from Pushpa where Jaali reddy warns Pushpa and pushpa warns him again in his perfect mass avatar. CHAIN SCENE This is nice emotional payback to the childhood scene of pushpa with Elder brother returning him back the chain. Allu Arjun really performed well. JAPAN SCENES Almost everyone had this doubts how can maverick director like Sukumar left this thread unfinished well actually he didnt. Proper scenes were written on how he survived bullet wound. So these scenes come in second half- Where Pushpa deal with Dubai Don goes haywire for reasons i will mention below. He doesnt get his money for payment as promised in Hawala. He takes his note and goes to Japan in a container with all amenities needed for 30 days . After the initial fight where he makes grandcomeback in the fight. He eventually meets Japanese Don and gets his 5000 cr. RAMESHWARAM SCENE Rameshwaram where Shekawat loses again to Pushpa unable to stops sandlewood logs going to Srilanka. He manages to capture Dubai Don(Sachdev) and his gf. It is because of Shekhawat that Dubai Don asks Japanese Don not to pay to Pushpa team. That is why Pushpa travels himself to Dubai. So this scene is important for the thread. SYNDICATE MEETING SCENE Again such a mass scene getting cut. After failed hawala there will be a syndicate meeting where everyone questions Pushpa on what happened to 5000 cr syndicate money. Pushpa then guarantees he will bring back money in a month from Japan don directly. Even this scene is related to Japan . Such a nice scenes deleted man seriously JAALI REDDY WARNING SCENE Jaali reddy gets a visit from Pushpa where Jaali reddy warns Pushpa and pushpa warns him again in his perfect mass avatar. CHAIN SCENE This is nice emotional payback to the childhood scene of pushpa with Elder brother returning him back the chain. Allu Arjun really performed well.

Madras Talkies and Rajkamal busy with auditions With Thug Life releasing on June 5, Madras Talikies of Mani Ratnam and RKFI of Kamal Haasan are busy with their new projects. RKFI office is filled with actors for audition for a webseries. Madras Talkies has posted on X the new project. Casting Call Madras Talkies is looking for talented actors (Male & Female) for its next production. If you fit the criteria, fill out the form, and you'll be notified about the audition if shortlisted. Casting is managed by Sharanya Spots Talent - (WhatsApp: 98846 66073) Meanwhile Kalki Producers have confirmed that actors Prabhas along with Kamal Haasan and Amitabh will start shooting for the sequel from June this year.

Shocker - INDIAN 3 DIRECT OTT - Jailer 2 for 2026 Release so Mani- Thalivar is ON - Sai replaces ARR

 

Indian 3 getting a direct release on NetFlix was the old buzz that is getting stronger as days go by. One reason is that Director Shankar has asked for a reshoot and more money and Kamal dates for Indian 3. Lyca that lost a pile in sequel and so also Red Giant has decided that enough is enough. Netflix has offered a big amount that will cear all debts and make Lyca go ahead with new ventures like Thalapathy's son Jason's film as Director/ Kamal fans might not like it and will he step in to take a way for theatrical release ? Kamal is away in USA ad will be back by December end.

 The reshoots, if they proceed, will be a significant undertaking with high stakes. Whether they will be successful in delivering a compelling narrative and attracting  audiences remains to be seen.

Rajinikanth and Mani film announcement expected on December 12. Jailer 2 promo will be out but release will be on January 2026 only. This means that Thalapathy combo is back and after Mani- Kamal in Thig Life, this film will rock the South screens. read https://southfilmy.blogspot.com/2024/10/rajini-mani-ntr-jr-nelson-combo-salman.html

Anagha Ravi is making her Tamil debut in Surya film directed by R J Balaji. Apart from this Vijay sethupati is also joing the cast. A R Rahman citing other committments has withdrwan from the film and Katvhi sera fame Sai has joined as composer. Sai is already composer of Lokesh's Benz that is produced by him.

Anagha Ravi made her debut on the silver screen with the Mammootty movie 'Kaathal The Core’ She acted in Tovino Thomas Anvesham Kanduethum and is awaiting a film by makers of Thallumala. She is a bisexuala and does not hide that.Nelson has told Sun Pictures that Jailer 2 is a film that requires time and cannot be rushed. Also he is taking share of profits instead of a salary.

Jailer 2 promo shoot in EVP - Keerthy Suresh wedding in a SHIP- Mega Star v/s Pushpa 2

 

Though Mani Ratnam wife laughed off the story that her hubby will direct Rajinikanth and that the director was going to do a film  with Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai, it looks like that the laughable story is getting into a reality. On December 12, Thalaivar birthday,, two announcements – one on Jailer 2 and other on autobiography and biopic are expected. Can we expect a third on coming together of Thalapathy duo ?

Rajinikanth took place in a promo shoot for the Jailer 2 and will be released on birthday. Shoot took place at EVP studio where BiggBoss Tamil house is erected and filming going on. A 4K remastered Thalapathy is coming on December 12 in theatres.

Keerthy Suresh wedding is a three day affair starting from December 10 and ending December 12^th. It will take place in a ship anchored in International waters off Goa , Guests will be ferried to the ship which otherwise is a place for tourists who play the casino tables. The bride’s father a Naur will oversee a wedding conducted in Nair style and have guests in Nair style attire – white dhoti with jero and kurta of Kerala style called hibba, There will be a Brahmin style of Keerthy’s mother Menaka ( ex actress) and another one a Christian one of the groom .

Is Mega Star fans working against Pushpa 2 ? The reaction to increase in ticket rates granted by Telangana Government and also a case filed in High Court are seen as handiwork of Mega Family to stop Pushpa 2 rampage. Advance bookings are at a high and there is no stopping the film’s biggest opening. However the Hindi scenario is different.

With Pushpa 2 set to release on December 5, starring Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil, the film is expected to do very well. However, audiences will have to wait a bit longer for the 3D version, and some may be disappointed by the lack of early Hindi screenings. It could be due to the poor response to the film’s songs and slow advances. 

Nevertheless, the film’s commercial appeal remains strong with early paid premieres scheduled for the night of December 4.

Source; https://boxofficeworldwide.com/

Thug Life on Kamal's lucky month - Mani- Abhishek - Aishwarya film a PR stunt ?

 

The news that Abhishek and Aishwarya are coming together after a decade and that too in a Mani Ratnam film has evoked mixed emotions. Just two days back there was strong news that the couple had distanced from each other and that Aishwarya and her daughter are staying in another house. Abhishek is said to be dating Nimrat Kaur, Then comes a news that all these news is false and that Abhishek is not a person who cheats on his wife. Nimrat also dismissed uch news. This followed by Mani film , has given room for the angle that PR of Big B is at work. After Raavan's Hindi debacle, Mani got badly mauled by critics and Big B himself took to twitter and said bad editing made the film inconsistent. Mani shot back saying that he did not make movies for Bachchan's good reviews.

After that Aishwarya worked with Mani and openly called him a Guru. She also publicly demonstrated it  at public function by falling at Mani's feet. If the film news is true, then too it is not so electrifying as coming together of Abhi Aish is not something that audience is just dying for. Secondly read this reaction ; They fell in love while working under mani ratnam's movie . They married each other after finishing a mani ratnam' movie . They gave birth to a child after finishing raavan.

And now just when we are hearing their separation rumors mani ratnam the part time movie director and full time couple therapist of Aish - AB is back to the rescue

Another comment ; And Mani Ratnam is one of India's best movie makers..I know you are joking but he is not some couple's babysitter. Also Aish working with him despite the open hostility of Bachchans shows she has agency and always did, she is not some deprived artist,. She chooses who to work with and when.

another one : Manisaaar = Maniratnam , just a meme of how everyone calls him mani sir, even Gulzar ( who must be at least 20 years older than him) calls him ManiSaaaaar

As Aish is the prodigy child of Mani Saar, he'll make his ways to cast his son in law anyways. I hope its a romcom please this time, nomore rom-tragedy

Also they can still go ahead and divorce but act together if the script is nice.

Aish at-least had PS I & II. Unsure what was the last movie AB junior did. So they might do the film just for that reason. It is not like they have 10 films lined up and they can choose what films they want to do in future.

On Kamal birthday today Madras Talkies announced release date as June 5th. Movies such as Vikram, Kalki 2898 AD, Dasavatram, and Panchatantra were released in June and emerged as Blockbusters and cult classics. So yet another blockbuster.