Ajith talks about Media filming Dad's Dead Body / Prithviraj Stuns Rajamouli

 We know that Manu Anand co Director of Vishaal film Aaryan is on list of Directors adhik Ravichandran to direct Ajith. Now it seems Lokesh has joined the waiting list by seeking an appointment . He told Gobinath about it. Now the reports say that he has got an okay and to top it it will be funded by Kamal Haasan banner.

Ajith Kumar responded to the backlash for the comments he made about the tragedy that unfolded in Karur at a political rally. The actor shared in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, that the tragedy is not one person's responsibility, but the collective responsibility of everyone.

Speaking to Chanakyaa, Ajith said, "My interview to an English language publication, which was done with the intention to inspire youth in a positive manner, has been used by certain people to further their agenda. I understand that anything can be used to sensationalize the audiences. But I want to move forward in the path I like, with straight forwardness." He added, "My well-intentioned messages has not been carried properly. It has been used to pit Ajith against Vijay, and fans of Ajith against fans of Vijay."

Speaking about the Karur tragedy, Ajith said, "What happened in Karur was unfortunate. It was an accident waiting for a long time to happen. It has happened in a movie theatre in Andhra Pradesh, at a cricket stadium in Bengaluru, and has happened in many countries. The rules of behaviour at a public place applies to me and everyone. I trust my opinions won't be interpreted in the wrong way."

He added, "Some outlets pin the blame on the fans. I would like to highlight a situation. After the passing of my father, when we were transporting his remains, some outlets followed us with their cameras. They tried to record some visuals of a lifeless body. If certain outlets behave like this, then how can they question the fans or the party-people."

"Those who try to frame my interview against Vijay, should do well to keep silent. I have always wished well for Vijay. I wish everyone to lead a good life with their respective families," said Ajith Kumar.

Prithviraj Sukumaran Unveiled As Sinister Antagonist Kumbha In SS Rajamouli Film With Mahesh Babu And Priyanka Chopra

Rajamouli’s High Praise For Sukumaran

In a heartfelt post accompanying the reveal, the acclaimed direApart from Prithviraj Sukumaran in the antagonist role, the project features Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles. The film, also referred to as SSMB29, marks Rajamouli’s first major project following the massive global success of RRR, which featured Ram Charan and Jr NTR in iconic roles and became a worldwide phenomenon. The expectations are sky high given the director’s track record of delivering epic cinematic experiences.ctor expressed his admiration for the actor’s craft. Rajamouli shared, “After canning the first shot with Prithvi, I walked up to him and said you are one of the finest actors I’ve ever known. Bringing life to this sinister, ruthless, powerful antagonist KUMBHA was creatively very satisfying. Thank you Prithvi for slipping into his chair literally.” This praise from a director known for extracting powerful performances speaks volumes about what audiences can expect from this collaboration.

After Thalapathy who is most PROFITABLE AT BOX OFFICE ?

As Dude is ready for Rekeasem We give you a look at the profitability factor of Tamil heroes based on the box office of the their films in the last two years including the current. We have included Vijay too , though he has announced his exit from Kodambakkam fray. A sort of a comparison and to show the box office loss from his exit and next best in line.

Vijay 1. Master - 23% Profits 2. Beast - 25% Loss 3. Varisu - 30% Profits 4. Leo - 50% Profits 5. GOAT - 18% Loss Profitability - 47.63% cumulative profitability

Rajinikanth 1. Darbar - 50% Loss 2. Annathae - 60% Loss 3. Jailer - 115% Profit 4. Vettaiyan - 35% Loss 5. Coolie - 25% Loss Profitability/ Loss - 79.04% cumulative loss

Ajith 1. Valimai - 18% Loss 2. Thunivu - 43% Profit 3. Vidaamuyarchi - 60% Loss 4. Good Bad Ugly - 48% Profit Profitability/ Loss - 30.58% Loss

Kamal Haasan 1. Vikram - 120% Profit 2. Indian 2 - 65% Loss 3. Thug Life - 75% Loss Profitability/ Loss - 80.75% Loss

Suriya 1. Etharkum Thunindhavan - 20% Loss 2. Kanguva - 90% Loss 3. Retro - 8% Loss Profitability/ Loss - 90.54% Loss

Dhanush 1. Pattas - 20% Loss 2. Karnan - 50% Profit 3. Thiruchthrambalam - 75% Profit 4. Naane Varuven - 35% Loss 5. Vaathi - 36% Profits 6. Captain Miller - 25% Loss 7. Raayan - 55% Profits 8. Kubera - 8% Loss 9. Idly Kadai - 19% Loss estimated Profitability/ Loss - 60.68% Profit

Sivakarthikeyan 1. Doctor - 72% Profit 2. Don - 78% Profit 3. Prince - 40% Loss 4. Maaveeran - 24% Profit 5. Ayalaan - 27% Loss 6. Amaran - 105% Profit 7. Madharaasi - 45% Loss Profitability/ Loss - 87.2% Profit

Silambarasan TR 1. Eeswaran - 40% Loss 2. Maanaadu - 80% Profit 3. VTK - 47% Profit 4. Pathu Thala - 35% Loss 5. Thug Life - 75% Loss Profitability/ Loss - 74.20% Loss

Pradeep Ranganathan 1. Love Today - 155% Profit 2. Dragon - 95% Profit Profitability/ Loss - 397.25% Profit

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. 
  
  

Will Kingdom in Sri Lanka get Good response ? Sree Leela with Ajith/ Thalapathy in Malaysia

 Kingdom Tamil version will release in 20 theatres in Sri Lanka . Usually Tamil films featuring top Stars are imported to screen in the island. This is the second time  that a Telugu film dubbed in Tamil is getting released. Kushi - A romantic drama featuring Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha was released in SL. Box office wise Kingdom  has not done well in Tamil Nadu, a criteria that makes  films  get Sri Lankan screens . The Tamil version of Kingdom had invited protests from Tamil nationalist group NTK and chief coordinator Seeman. Though the Producers issued an apology and a clarification about showing Lankan Tamils as villains, the Distributor moved the court and got an order to the State police to give protection too theatres.

The film’s reception in Sri Lankan will show whether the sentiments raised by NTK is shared by Sri  Lankan Tamils. The country has a significant Tamil-speaking population, particularly in the Northern and Eastern provinces. As a result, Tamil films are screened in cinemas, and there is a strong interest in Tamil cinema among the local audience. Additionally, many Tamil films are available on various streaming platforms, making them accessible to viewers across the country.

As of now, some popular Tamil movies that are often screened in Sri Lanka include:

1.     Jailer - A high-octane action film featuring Rajinikanth.

2.     Leo - A much-anticipated film starring Vijay, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj.

3.     Kushi - A romantic drama featuring Vijay Deverakonda and Samantha.

4.     Dunki - Though primarily a Hindi film, it has significant Tamil content and is popular among Tamil audiences.

5.     Vaathi - A drama focusing on the education system, featuring Dhanush.

Sree Leela next in Tamil is the film with Ajith and directed by Adhik Ravichandran. The shoot was scheduled for December- January but we hear that it might be advanced to October- November and schedule to finish by February 2026 as Ajith moves to his car racing season . Sree Leela debut is the Sivakarthikeyan film directed by Sudha Kongara.

Tamil media circles report that the grand audio launch of Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is being planned in Malaysia on December 27th. This action drama is all set to be released for Pongal 2026. Jana Nayagan comes from director H. Vinoth and features music by Anirudh Ravichander. The cast includes Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, and Priyamani, among others. This is Bobby Deol’s second Tamil movie after he made his debut in Kanguva, where he took on the role of the main villain against Suriya.

 

Prithviraj Direct OTT Release lukewarm / Casting Managers of Kollywood

 Sarzameen, in its debut week, garnered a lukewarm viewership of 4.5 million, taking the top spot in the list of the most-watched streaming originals in India for the week of July 21 – July 27 as per Ormax data. It surpassed Tourist Family, Bhool Chuk Maaf and others. It will be interesting to see if Prithviraj and Ibrahim Ali Khan’s film will enter the top 5 most-viewed films of 2025 (excluding Netflix). Currently, the 5th spot is owned by Test, which garnered 6.5 million in its lifetime.

Prithviraj Sukumaran, Ibrahim Ali Khan, and Kajol have managed to bring the second biggest debut for a film on OTT. However, it is the biggest debut week viewership for an original film on OTT other than Netflix. Surpassing every single Hindi film of 2025 except for Kesari Chapter 2, it is roaring with its numbers!

 Dharma Productions rule the OTT game owning the top two spots for the biggest debut for a non-Netflix film. Kesari Chapter 2, was a theatrical to OTT release, with a viewership of 5.7 million. This is followed by Ibrahim Ali Khan and Prithviraj’s film, which is also produced by Dharma Productions.

Suresh Chandra Ajith Manager with Vijay's son Jason.

SouthBay is Rana’s  latest venture in South India, focusing on PR/Marketing and Talent pool management.

Some stars who're using SouthBay services are Priyanka Mohan, Aparna Balamurali, Aishwarya Lakshmi, and Pradeep Ranganathan.

Rana owns several dozen companies and has made massive investments in startups. Most are in AI and VFX companies. Some are Ikonz, Anthill Studio, and Kwan Entertainment. He founded Spirit Media, a VFX company, in 2005, which was closed in the 2010s due to failure. He has now reactivated it. Besides that, he owns his family's businesses, including Suresh Productions, RamaNaidu Studios, and RamaNaidu Film School Management, among others.

Jagadish (Vijay's Manager) and "The Route" are handling the dates and PR work for Thalapathy Vijay, Samantha, Atlee, Lokesh Kanagaraj, Keerthy Suresh, Rashmika Mandanna, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Krithi Shetty, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Kathir, Arjun Das and Monisha Mohan Menon.. Now  H. Vinoth is a new entry to this list.

Ajith Kumar's manager is Suresh Chandra. He is also the CEO of Done Channel1, a PR agency, and is a film publicist. He is known for announcing news related to Ajith Kumar's projects and racing team on social media. He is project designer of Ajith’s forthcoming film with Adhik as Director. His agency does PR work for film companies but actors and directors do not seem to be on their list. 

 

No SK v/s Thalapathy Clash / Rana Joins SK/ Kantara 1 to cross KGF 2 after video release

  It seems that Parasakthi of Sivakarthikeyan and Thalapathy Vijay’s Jana Nayagan are releasing for Ongal no doubt but they are not clashing. On January 9^th, Jana Nayagan will release and on January 14^th, Parasakthi will release and a gap of 5 days. Sivakarthikeyan is currently busy shooting for his film with Sudha Kongara, titled Parasakthi. The film also stars Atharvaa, Sreeleela, and Ravi Mohan in prominent roles. The Pollachi schedule of shooting for the film has recently commenced, and videos of the abovementioned actors from the sets have been making rounds on social media. Interestingly, one of these videos features Telugu actor Rana Daggubati, creating curiosity around his involvement in the film

A political period drama, Parasakthi also stars Dev Ramnath, Prithvi Rajan, Guru Somasundaram, Basil Joseph, Ranjan Ramanayake, and Papri Ghosh. Based on true events, the story revolves around the Anti-Hindi agitations in Tamil Nadu that happened in 1965.

Rana Daggubati recently had the release of Rana Naidu season 2 on Netflix. He was last seen in Rajinikanth-TJ Gnanavel’s Vettaiyan in Tamil. He played the role of a narrator in Keerthy Suresh and Suhas’ Uppu Kappurambu, which premiered on Prime Video recently.

Hombale Films making video of Kantara Chapter 1 leads to buzz that it will surpass KGF 2 collections. Hombale Films, the acclaimed production house behind landmark films like Rajakumara, KGF,Salaar, and Kantara, Yesterday released the much-awaited making video of Kantara Chapter 1,offering audiences a spectacular look into the epic scale and effort behind the film.The video, released as a wrap-up celebration, marks the culmination of over 250 days ofshooting, the result of more than three years of unwavering dedication. With thousands of crew members working tirelessly through each phase of production, the making video stands as a tribute to the passion and precision that define Actor and Director Rishab Shetty’s storytelling.

‘Kantara Chapter 1’ is one of the Hombale films’s one of most ambitious undertakings. The creative team behind the film includes music director B. Ajaneesh Loknath, cinematographer Arvind Kashyap, and production designer Vinesh Banglan all of whom have shaped the film’s
powerful visual and emotional narrative.

Scheduled for a worldwide release on October 2, the film will be launched in Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam,  Bengali, and English reaching audiences across languages and regions, while staying rooted in its cultural core. With Kantara Chapter 1, Hombale Films continues to push the boundaries of Indian cinema,
promising a deeply immersive experience that celebrates folklore, faith, and cinematic
excellence.

Kantara The Legend collections crossed Rs 400 crores but KGF 1 did not, KGF 2 crossed Rs 1200 crores and trade expects Kantara Chapter 1 to out beat KGF 2.

RAJNI MEDIATION WORKS AS SHANKAR - KAMAL TO START INDIAN 3

 Why Rajinikanth wants Indian 3 to be released ? He has agreed to do a film for Lyca Productions to compensate for the loss incurred over Lal Salaam . Now Lyca cannot proceed without getting Indian 3 released. After Thug Life, Kamal feels  Indian 3 has the chances of a winner. So Shankar who is now without any production house backing him for his Velpari needs a Indian 3.

Director S. Shankar’s last two films, Indian 2 and Game Changer, have both flopped. Despite having A-list stars, massive budgets, and impressive pre-release hype and promotions, both films crashed and burned. The production house behind Indian 2 and Indian 3 is Lyca Productions, which is currently facing its own financial troubles.

Naturally, the production house seems to be insisting on lowering the budget for Indian 3. However, Shankar has been firm in his demand for a production budget of 6 to 8 crores to complete the remaining portions. If this were before 2024, when these two flops had not yet occurred, the production house might have agreed to the budget. But considering the performance of Indian 2, this demand is seen as excessive.

What is the role of Rajinikanth here

Rajinikanth is acting as a mediator in this ordeal. He has worked with both the director and the production house on 2.0, which was released back in 2018. Additionally, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan are good friends. As a result of these relationships, Rajinikanth met with Shankar to convince him to proceed with a reduced budget. Latest news is that Shankar has agreed to Lyca’s amount and if everything goes right, the film will release for Christmas.

Thalapathy Vijay has been unbeatable since 2017. In 2017, Mersal earned around 23.8 crore gross, creating an all-time record in the state. It was followed by another record opening with Sarkar in 2018, which earned 31.75 crore gross. After Sarkar, Beast delivered the biggest opening.

Beast has the highest day 1 collection in Tamil Nadu

Beast is currently the biggest opener at the Tamil Nadu box office. Released in 2022, the film earned a mind-blowing 35 crore gross. Even Leo, despite a huge hype, failed to beat it and opened at around 34 crore gross. But now, it seems that Beast will finally be dethroned, and Coolie is likely to capture its position.

Rajinikanth is likely to seize the throne with Coolie

Now, with Coolie enjoying crazy hype in Tamil Nadu, Rajinikanth has a chance to dethrone Vijay’s Beast from the top spot. Rajini’s last record opener was Kabali, which earned 19.1 crore gross at the box office in 2016. It remained at the top spot for a year and was dethroned by Mersal.

So, Rajinikanth has an opportunity to seize the throne in Tamil Nadu after 8 years, and the task is likely to be accomplished on August 14.

 

 

 

Dragon Pradeep DUDE OTT SHOCKER / TOURIST FAMILY DIRECTOR TURNS HERO / Triple Pongal Clash

 Budget of Dude is 25–30 cr, and recently the OTT Rights of the film have been bought by Netflix (Third film bought from Pradeep) for 25 Crores.

This is a higher OTT deal than Sivakarthikeyan’s Madharasi OTT deal with Netflix. Pradeep appears to be in terrific form in the market.

This is the case because combining Theatrical, Satellite, Audio, and Dubbing rights- the film has already entered the profit zone for Mythiri, which is a record achievement for an actor’s fourth film. Pradeep Ranganathan, who is aiming for his 100 cr hat trick with LIK in September, and then another one with Dude in October.

After the sensational success of Tourist Family, its director who also played a small role in the film is making his debut as a lead hero in his upcoming project. The film is inspired off of the youthfulness of Manmadhan, and the title of the film is a famous tag from it- it’s either Flames or Corrected Machi. It’s directed by his AD, and Anaswara Rajan is in final talks to be playing the female lead.

Abishan is apperantly a co-writer of the film and his inputs are included.

Either Sean Roldan or Sai Abhyankar will get roped in, in the following weeks.

Following this film, Abhishan will be doing his second directorial with Dhanush- next year.

PONGAL 2026 - BIGGER THAN EVER??

Karuppu VS Jananayagan VS Parasakthi

Suriya VS Vijay VS SK

All the three of them have different goals.

Vijay is retiring so he wants his film to be a grand farewell for him.

SK’s 25th film is Parasakthi and all his rival actors Dhanush, Suriya and Simbu has delivered a blockbuster in their 25th film (VIP, Singam, Vinnaithandi Varuvaya)

Suriya’s long awaited comeback. Karuppu being a commercial entertainer from Suriya after a lot of preachy films.

Who will achieve their goal.

The theatre preferences are Jana Nayagan > Parasakthi > Karuppu. Will Karuppu beat these favourites ?

Thalapathy Vijay for Madurai West / Parasakthi about Brothers not anti - Hindi - Sudha

 Thalapathy Vijay is eyeing the Madurai West constituency for being elected to Tamil Nadu Assembly in the coming polls. From this constituency MGR was first elected to the Assembly. Currently the seat is represented by AIADMK’s Sellur Raja. Popularly known as Termocol Raja, he won twice from Madurai West, considered an AIADMK bastion. However, Seemans NTK garnered 9 % of total votes polled and played spoilsport for DMK. Raja promises to turn Madurai into Sydney on becoming Minister in AIADMK ministry still remains unfulfilled.

It seems Revathi who played sister to Vijay in Thamizhan is now Mother to him in his last film Jana Nayagan. Bollywood – Hollywood actress Priyanka Chopra’s first Tamil film was Thamizhan.

Sudha Kongara Director Parasakthi the Sivakarthikeyan film has debuked media reports and first one is that the film is about Hindi imposition in Tamil Nadu. We never said it. It’s about two brothers. So we assume that the brothers are Sivakarthikeyan and Ravi Mohan. About L2 Empuran, Prithviraj saaaaaaaaid that politics is in the background but nothing political in it. Similarly the Hindi imposition agitation is in the background and the two brothers are having their feud at that time. So the leaked photos are justified. Second media report debunked. After Dwan Pictures Akash got raided by ED, Parasakthi is shelved. No. Heaar Sudha - There are about 40 more days of shoot left for Parasakthi. We're currently waiting for Sivakarthikeyan's schedule. He is shooting for Madhrasi in Sri Lanka. Once that wraps up, we’ll resume the remaining schedule for Parashakti.” .

Now Madharasi was completed and waiting for release and after Sikandar’s historic drubbing at Hindi box office, SK wanted a relook and so that is why fresh shooting in SL. Now third report- it is releasing opposite Thalapathy Vijay Jana Nayagan. Sudha says - We haven’t officially announced our release date yet. That decision is with the producer.”

Background info on Parasakthi - Parasakthi stars Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan (formerly known as Jayam Ravi), Atharvaa and Sreeleela. The music composed by GV Prakash.The film has garnered attention not only for its solid star cast but also for its title. Since the name Parasakthi was first associated with the iconic Sivaji Ganesan classic film, its reuse sparked controversy,