Thalapathy scares Prabhas , Rahman Virtual Band / Love Jihad Edited out in Nayan's film,

 Prabhas is truly a Pan Indian Star and even Bollywood actors push their release for him. But in Tamil Nadu, Thalapathy Vijay is a bigger Star. Raja Saheb will release on same date but in Tamil Nadu, it will come a day later. Read On ; Prabhas and Maruthi’s The Raja Saab faced multiple postponements and finally fixed the January 9th date for its theatrical release. Today, the film’s first trailer was released by the makers, and there is a big twist in the release date of Raja Saab’s Tamil version. 

To maintain the film’s buzz among fans, the makers released the first trailer of The Raja Saab a while ago, and they also mentioned the release date officially as 9th January, 2026. However, in the Tamil trailer, the release date is mentioned as 10th January, as the team wants to avoid a clash with Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan on opening day itself, which is also scheduled to be released on 9th January. This is probably the first of its kind for a big pan-India film, as one version is getting released on a date and the other version is getting released at a later date.

A.R. Rahman is developing "Secret Mountain," a virtual global band and metaverse-based musical platform that integrates AI, music, and storytelling to promote Indian creators and cultural heritage. Collaborating with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and utilizing tools like Unreal Engine, the project aims to create a digital, multimedia experience with AI-powered avatars and a lead character named Luna. The initiative, a step in Rahman's "Meta Band" concept, seeks to elevate Indian music and creativity on a global scale.  

Key Aspects of Secret Mountain

• AI Integration: The project leverages Artificial Intelligence to create a new form of musical experience, with a focus on empowering Indian creators. 
• Metaverse Platform: "Secret Mountain" is designed as a metaverse-based musical platform. 
• Music and Storytelling: It blends music with narrative to create a cinematic, multimedia experience. 
• Virtual Global Band: The concept involves AI-powered avatars within a mystical digital world, featuring a lead character named Luna. 
• Cultural & Generational Impact: The goal is to empower Indian creators and address generational challenges through innovative music and storytelling. 
• Collaboration: A.R. Rahman is working with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on the initiative. 

How it Works

• AI-Powered Avatars:

  The project uses AI-powered characters within a digital world to create its virtual band. 
• Multimedia Storytelling:

  Tools like Unreal Engine are used to craft a rich, immersive digital experience, with potential future extensions into film. 
• Global Reach:

  The virtual band aims to transcend geographical boundaries and introduce Indian music and culture to a global audience in new ways. 
• 

  Nayanthara starrer Annapoora love jihad scenes edited, A R Rahman virtual band,ni was taken off NetFlix after VHP termed it as promoting Love Jihad. Now JioHotStar is coming out with two controversial scenes being removed.Upon its release, two scenes from the film in particular received backlash. One scene features a mispronounced sloka from the Ramayana which says something about Lord Rama eating meat, and another where the titular character is seen offering Namaz before cooking biryani. The relationship Farhaan (Jai) and Annapoorani share in the film has also been equated to Love Jihad.two years later, the film is slated to premiere on JioHotstar in Hindi alone. Annapoorani also stars Achyuth Kumar, KS Ravikumar, Jai, Redin Kingsley, Sathyaraj and Karthik Kumar, among others. It is to be noted that the film marks Nayanthara's milestone 75th film. 
  
  

Prabhas Film Producers - Directors Target Deepika

 Real Reason Behind Deepika exit from Kalki

 June 5, a post was uploaded on an Instagram handle, speculating that Deepika Padukone may be dropped from the sequel to Kalki 2898 AD (2024). The report further stated that ‘her demand for shorter work hours post-motherhood is reportedly causing friction on sets. Kalki 2 makers are considering reducing or removing her role’ Now offivailly she is out of Kalki 2. Even before shooting started this report came and it had given an inkling of the Producers to drop her after she walked out Prabhas film Spirit.

 Vyjayanthi Movies team is said to have cribbed about Deepika asking that 26 of her personal staff be given the 7 Star treatment given to her and a luxury vanity van at her disposal, this far from true. Such issues never cropped up as the production company has worked with Deepika before. The point which the production company wanted a rethink was 7 hour schedule and every hour after that to be charged pro rata the salary of the actor. It means that as doing VFX might prolong a call sheet the production team will end up paying more than double. As compromise could be woeked out the option was to say goodbye. Apart from this no issues has been raised, Atlee camp sources say that Deepika has put same conditions and they have agreed, However Vyjayanthi Movie has a point when they say that Priyanka Chopra does not have this clause in her deal with Rajamouli- Mahesh Babu team and that she coming from Hollywood has not pitched this 7 hour work clause. Producers had no issue with 25 % fee hike and reports said that they wanted her to stick to Kalki Part 1 fee as Prabhas had not asked for a hike, Prabhas takes an advance and gets a share of the profits.

Back in May, Deepika was replaced in Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Reports suggested the fallout stemmed from scheduling and contractual disagreements. As a new mother, Deepika had reportedly requested an 8-hour workday, which translated to about 6 hours of actual shooting time. Questioning the actor's sense of feminism, Sandeep Vanga wrote on X: "When I narrate a story to an actor, I place 100% faith. There is an unsaid NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) between us. But by doing this, You've 'DISCLOSED' the person that you are... Putting down a Younger actor and ousting my story? Is this what your feminism stands for?

He then criticised what he called dirty PR tactics: "As a filmmaker, I put years of hard work behind my craft & for me, filmmaking is everything. You didn't get it. You won't get it. You will never get it.

Producer Ramesh Taurani in 2012 complained about Deepika as she  walked out of Race 2 . She shot for 6 days and quit as she got a Hollywood project.

Prabhas Rajasaab Hindi gets BIG OTT DEAL / Mahesh Narayanan Tamil Debut on Car Racer Narain

According to Cinejosh, the Hindi version of The Raja Saab’s post-theatrical streaming rights have been sold to Netflix for 100 crores.

This isn’t a surprising amount, as Kalki 2898 AD’s Hindi version was also purchased by Netflix for 175 crores. You might be wondering why Kalki 2898 AD fetched a premium compared to The Raja Saab, because Kalki 2898 AD was a big-budget mythological epic with a dystopian science-fiction setting. Besides Prabhas, the film also starred top actors from several industries, including Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan, so fetching that amount was only natural.

As per the live data, around 140.2K users have showcased their interest in watching The Raja Saab on BookMyShow. It currently ranks at #3 in BMS interests among upcoming Indian films of 2025. Maruthi’s directorial has surpassed every Indian film except two.

Prabhas starrer may soon surpass Jr NTR and Hrithik Roshan’s War 2 in BMS interests. Ayan Mukerji’s directorial has garnered 159.2K likes so far. With around a 13% jump, The Raja Saab will steal its #2 spot.

Pawan Kalyan’s swashbuckler action film Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 – Sword vs Spirit conquers the top throne. Set to release in theatres on July 24, 2025, it has gained a massive interest of 258.6K on BookMyShow.

Take a look at the top 5 Indian films with the highest interests on BookMyShow:

Hari Hara Veera Mallu: 258.6K
War 2: 159.2K
The Raja Saab: 140K
They Call Him OG: 128.3K
Vishwambhara: 115.4K

Mahesh Narayanan and Shalini Usha Devi team up for biopic on India’s first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan

The upcoming Tamil film will chart Narain Karthikeyan’s remarkable rise from the streets of Coimbatore to the elite world of international racing

Writer-editor-director Mahesh Narayanan, best known for helming critically acclaimed Malayalam films such as Take Off, Malik, C U Soon, and Ariyippu, is set to direct a new biographical feature on the life of Narain Karthikeyan, India’s first Formula One driver. The upcoming Tamil-language project, tentatively titled NK 370, was announced recently and is currently in development under Blue Marble Films. The film will chart Narain’s remarkable rise from the streets of Coimbatore to the elite world of international racing.

The screenplay is being penned by writer-filmmaker Shalini Usha Devi, who earlier co-wrote the Suriya-starrer Soorarai Pottru—a film that earned her the National Award for Best Screenplay, an honour she shared with director Sudha Kongara. Reflecting on the prestigious opportunity to spotlight a subject rarely explored in Indian cinema, Produced by Faraz Ahsan, Vivek Rangachari, and Pratik Maitra, with Amish Shah and Nilaanjan Reeta Datta attached as associate producers, NK 370 is being developed for a global audience with a focus on underdog stories that transcend national and cultural boundaries.

“People understand what F1 is now after Drive to Survive (documentary series on F1 championships) on Netflix, and now the F1 movie as well. So it’s great to tell the story about India’s first F1 driver. To break all the barriers to get there coming from India, there is a lot of drama in it,” said Narain in a chat with Sportstar.

Narain revealed that the project has been in the works for the last 18 months, and he will be involved in ensuring the on-track action is filmed realistically, which will include training the lead actor in the basics of racing.

Mahesh is currently busy directing his ambitious multistarrer Patriot, which is reportedly an espionage thriller featuring a stellar ensemble that includes Mammootty, Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Darshana Rajendran and Zarin Shihab, among others. Shalini is awaiting the release of her latest directorial Ennennum, a dystopian science fiction film featuring Santhy Balanchandran and Anoop Mohandas

Soori 's Maaman Rs 14.10 Crore or almost 115% Profit :/ Deepika role cut in Kalki 2

 

Budget:-

Salaries - ₹6.81 Crore

Soori - ₹ 3 Crore plus Story Remake Rights

Aishwarya Lekshmi -₹ 1 Crore (₹ 4 Lakh a day for 27 days )

Swasika - ₹ 26 Lakh

Raj Kiran - ₹ 60 Lakh

Other Salaries - ₹ 65 Lakh

Technician Salaries - ₹ 90 Lakh

Director Salary - ₹ 10 Lakh

Music Director Salary - ₹ 30 Lakh Expenses plus 25% Audio Rights

Production - ₹5.60 Crore

Production Costs - ₹ 4.60 Crore

Print & Publicity costs - ₹ 1 Crore

Total - ₹12.41 Crore

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Pre Release Business :-

TN Theatrical Rights - ₹ 9 Crore (Flat)

ROSI Theatrical Rights - ₹ 1.90 Crore (Flat)

North India Dubbing Rights - Not Sold Yet (A/o 31 May)

OTT & Satellite Rights - ₹ 12.50 Crore Flat Rights by Zee

Music Rights - ₹ 1.75 Crore (Flat) by Think Music

FMS Rights - ₹ 1.36 Crore (Singapore, Malaysia and Oceania)

Total - ₹ 26.51 Crore

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Post Release

TN Theatrical Gross - ₹ 39.89 Crore

TN Theatrical Nett - ₹ 32.17 Crore

Theatrical Share - ₹ 16.09 Crore

Distributor Share - ₹ 16.08 Crore

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Profit to Producer = ₹26.51 Crore - ₹12.41 Crore = ₹ 14.10 Crore or almost 115% Profit

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Profit to Distributor = ₹16.08 Crore - ₹ 9 Crore = ₹ 7.08 Crore or almost 80%

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Lark Productions made a 115% Profit and Distributor made a 80% Profit in Tamilnadu

Bumper Profits!!!

So the Film is a definite Superhit

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Note :- Lark Productions is believed to be owing Soori ₹8 Crore as his share of profits for both Garudan and Maaman

This could be an extra ₹8 Crore as part of profit share or inclusive of his salaries for both films

Deepika Padukone 8 hour shift denabd that led to her exit from Prabhas Spirit is not first instance.. In Kalki too this was an issue and now in the sequel her role would be reduced. The makers of Kalki also suffered as the actress took long hours for makeup and changeovers. “The actress never really worked effectively five hours a day,” a source in the Kalki unit told us. “If taking care of the Baby is the issue, she should have asked for a Baby-Sitter of her choice. She should have asked for shooting all her portions at a stretch to avoid traveling, accomodation and travel arrangements for the Baby and the Caretaker. Curtailing work hours makes no sense, they added.

They are now worried she would impose even worse conditions for the Sequel. A reliable source to Kalki team tells us that Nag Ashwin is looking ways to curtail her character to bare minimum or even ways to avoid her completely in the Second Part by tweaking the story a bit.

Read at: https://www.m9.news/movienews/m9inside-deepika-padukone-to-lose-kalki-2/

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.

Thalapthy is No 2 Pan Indian actor / LYCA still Empuran Producer / Blast Mohan - Prasanna in Ajith film

Ormax a leading agency list of top Pan Indian stars has raised many doubts as Prabhas is at no 1 and Thalapathy Vijay at No 2. Prabhas had no release in last one year and has no upcoming film coming in next six months. Vijay popularity is restricted to Tamil market and in the South, it is limited. What makes it jarring is that Allu Arjun comes third and the run of the film Pushpa 2 across India is much ahead of the above two actors. We can accept SRK at 4th and 5th as the former has not had any new releases and RC gave a Bomb called Game Changer. Next comes the shocker . Mahesh Babu is at 6th and Ajith Kumar at7th. So where is NTR Jr ? He is on 8th. Then we have two mega duds Akshay and Salman in last two. Out of this 10, five are from Tollywood and two from Kollywood and rest from Bollywood. So has KGF Yash lost his Pan India status ?. Looks like Toxic will have a tough road ahead.

Two major revelations and one misconception. First misconception was that Lyca has been thrown out of the film Empuran and we too said that they are no more than a Tamil Nadu distributor. Trailor says Lyca is Presenter of Empuran. Not only that Lyca is negotiating release of Indian 3 and has begun talks between Kamal – Shankar and Red Giant to get any early release. Also there is no hurdle to Vijay’s son’s Jason’s directorial venture. Along with the online release, the Empuraan trailer will also be launched on the IMAX screen in Mumbai. The official launch of the Empuraan trailer will be held in Mumbai on March 20. Mohanlal, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Manju Warrior, and Indrajith Sukumaran will also be a part of this grand event. Gokulam Gopalan and Anthony Perambavoor of Aashirvad Cinemas will also be in attendance..

Two revelations ; Blast Mohan of Jailer aka Actor Sunil and Prasanna are part of Good Bad and Ugly.

Next is that Mira Jasmine is also part of Nayanthara- Madhavan- Siddharth film Test releasing on OTT. Telugu film Court and Malaylam Ponman a comparision

When Telugu film Court was ready to release, the popular talk was that it is a film that will do well on OTT but not in theatres. Ponman of Basil Joseph made at Rs 3.5 crore at the Malayalam box office was said to an OTT film . Ponman collected Rs 18 crore. After the OTT release, praise if pouring in Instagram from Tamil Nadu for Basil’s PP Ajesh the role of a jewelers agent. Dubbed in Tamil, the monologue about life by Basil in the lodge is trending on social media.

Produced by Nani, Telugu courtroom drama Court: State VS A Nobody mounted on a restricted budget of 10 crore. Starring Priyadarshi Pulikonda, the film has managed to churn out a profit of 7.40 crore already. Nani‘s film has registered a profit of 74% at the box office already! It now needs to earn 2.6 crore more to claim a hit verdict for itself and become the second Tollywood hit film of 2025 after Venkatesh Daggubati’s Sankranthiki Vasthunam. Add to this Rs 8 crore from OTT deal. For Netflix, COURT marks its third consecutive success in Tollywood after Lucky Bhaskar and Daaku Maharaaj, both of which performed exceptionally well and even featured in Netflix’s global non-English Top 10 charts.

K Manikandan Kudumbasthan beats Amaran in profits . Madha Gaja Raja final tally . Salaar one year Netflix trending

Kudumbasthan, with a 101% profit, has surpassed the profits registered by Amaran. Starring Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi, the war biopic registered 83.2% profit at the box office. The next aim for Kudumbasthan will be the fourth most profitable Tamil film of 2024 – Garudan, which registered a profit of 117.5%. Kudumbasthan needs to earn a total of 21.75 crore.The film is also an achievement for the director Rajeshwar Kalisamy who has made his directorial debut with the comedy drama. Interestingly this is the second successful film for the actor K Manikandan who also delivered a success in 2024 with Lover. The Tamil comedy-drama has been mounted on a budget of a reported 10 crore, and it has churned out 101% profit with a total collection of 20.1 crore. In fact, the film has also earned a hit verdict for itself.

Madha Gaja Raja Vishal starrer has completed 35 days at the Indian box office. It enjoyed a glorious run in Tamil, accumulating a total of 47.55 crores net. Following the success of the Kollywood version, it was released in Telugu on January 31, 2025. However, the reception remained lukewarm as Madha Gaja Raja has only accumulated 1.15 crores in the second language.

Salaar 1 Year Trending - Jio Hotstar Hombale Films’ action-packed blockbuster Salaar – Ceasefire has achieved yet another milestone, trending on Jio Hotstar (Formerly known as Disney+ Hotstar) for an incredible 366 days. Directed by Prashanth Neel, the film stars Prabhas, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Shruti Haasan in a gripping tale of power, brotherhood, and rebellion that has captivated audiences worldwide. From its high-octane action sequences to its intense storytelling, Salaar – Ceasefire redefined cinematic spectacle and continues to dominate streaming platforms, even a year after its release. This sustained success is a testament to the film’s massive fan base and theirunwavering support. On this special occasion, Hombale Films expressed gratitude to its dedicated fans by sending exclusive goodies to 366 lucky fans who have been a part of this extraordinary journey. Their passion and love for Salaar have played a crucial role in making this film a cultural phenomenon. And, Rebel Star Prabhas says, “Overwhelmed by the love for Salaar: Cease Fire on Jio Hotstar! Can’t wait to set foot in Khansaar soon.” And this is just the beginning—brace yourself for Salaar 2, where the legend continues, the action intensifies, and the saga reaches even greater heights. The next chapter promises an electrifying cinematic experience that will push boundaries like never before.

Prabhas Salaar 1 trending even now : Future projects

Salaar Part 1 streaming on Disney+ Hotstar expanded its reach, leading to yet another extraordinary achievement—and is continuously trending for an unprecedented 350 days on one of the biggest OTT platform. The film is also continuously trending in top 10 on OTT platform. The fact that it has been continuously trending for an incredible 350 days on Disney+ Hotstar is a testament to its grand success. This has undoubtedly laid a strong foundation for Salaar: Part 2 – Shouryanga Parvam, because if this is the craze for the first part, director Nag Ashwin revealed that the script work on Kalki 2 has been completed and the makers are waiting for the bulk dates of Prabhas, Kamal Haasan and Amitabh Bachchan, who played the main roles in the film, to start shooting which is expected to commence in mid of this year. Prabhas is all set to start shooting for Spirit from May 2025. Prabhas will sport a lean look in Spirit and has already started to train to get into the world of Sandeep Reddy Vanga. “It’s going to be Prabhas like never before in Spirit. He is committed to get into a certain physique to play the part of an honest yet twisted cop. The film will be the third directorial of Sandeep Reddy Vanga with Bhushan Kumar after Kabir Singh and Animal.

The minus of Barroz - Is Hawa Hawai song being filmed for Prabhas film ?

 

December is going to see all big Superstars of South languages gearing up release and  prominent among them is Barroz that has Mohanlal in the director's seat and also as the actor. Next is Pusha 2 in first week of December and being a sequel, it has already created a huge  buzz. In Kannada we have Upendra with UI. Only Tamil Nadu remains free from top draws.

Barroz has lot of actors from other countries and they all speak the language that are alien to Malayalee audience and so the film is full of subtitles. You have to catch the dialogues from the subtitles. Secondly, the star of the film is not Mohanlal and it is a girl.  The character that Mohanlal is doing is very gigantic but not anything heroic about it. Fourth reason is that there is so many fantasy elements that will excite the children but will it work in theatres ?

Why did Mohanlal direct Barroz, If I do only it it will happen, otherwise nobody will do this  was Lal's answer. This what Cinematographer of Barroz Santosh Sivan told OTT Play. The film is in 3D format and it means shot in 2D and converted to 3D. Most of this films are bit tacky to watch.

As we are on subject of Lal as Director, lets us hear what he has to say about direction - It is only in Malayalam filmdom that an actor gets blamed for a film's failure. In other languages, it is the Director. As an actor I can only make my role in the film great and after that it is in hands of public. It is not an actor's responsibility as we go to another film and a role.

So if Barroz clicks, Director Mohanlal will be the winner !

The iconic Hawa Hawai song in Mr India is to be shot for Prabhas Raja saab is the talk. The song danced by Sreedevi is an evergreen experience. The film is a Boney Kapoor film and rights has been bought. The buzz is that it will be filmed on Nayanthara but again it seems Malavika Mohanan is also a contender. Whether it will be a shot by shot remake or have a new choreographer movements ?

Left to actress Nazirya, she would say Actor Nani is best suited to play her hubby Fahadh Faasil in Avesham telugu remake. Co actor Basil revealed this in an interaction for promotion of the Malayalam film that both of them co star. He said that after Nasriya acted with Nani in a Telugu film, she is his fan. Ravi Teja is to play the Fahadh role in remake.