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.

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. 
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  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.
  
  
  

Thalapathy Jananayagan l opposition grows

Actor Vijay s ,presumably his ultimate movie ,Jananayagan , has run into deep troubles even 4 months before its screening.

As already known to the readers of this space , This man started a new party TVK and set on mini state wide tours with a promise of corruption free, women safe , with an iron hand over the law and order situation in the state.

He didn’t stop with that . He addressed the chief minister as Uncle.

After getting trolled, in the next campaign, he addressed the CM as Mr CM sir .

I think in the very same day CM tweeted he is not afraid of new enemies.

Rajini joined the trade by saying the CM is capable of tackling old and new enemies.

The inner circles of CM did not like Vijay s speech

Now it is understood that two or three more new movies will be released on the same day of Jananayagan.

The movie will be trolled one month before its release by Dmk it wing.

Rajini fans, who believe, Vijay fans are responsible through trolls , for the week days debacle of the recent Thalivar movie Coolie,are also waiting for Jananayagan.

The fans of the old foe , Ajit, will join the celebrations.

The 12 th hour permission for the special morning shows are a sharp weapon designed to prevent the 3rd back to back 100+ c on day 1 for Vijay.

Let us see how Jananayagan fares against odds.

Good content is the best defense against such savage attacks. Strong fan base also helps. Sustainability in theatres is another important factor . Entertainment value in the movie alone can do it .

And Vijay is going to only increase the troubles by sharpening his criticism against the CM in the coming months.

Interesting scenario inside and outside the theatres for Jananayagan. 

Ghibran has composed music for three of H Vinoth's directorial out of six, including Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru, Valimai and Thunivu. When asked about not being approached for Jana Nayagan, Ghibran said to a media house, "This is not to be sensationalised. There is no obligation for H Vinoth or any other director to pick me just because we've collaborated in the past. Every composer brings a different flavour to a film,

Chidambaram Manorama Max and Nerariyum Nerathu

Things have gone from bad to worse as far as Mollywood or what we call content rich Malayalam filmdom. It was a few months back that my pal Satish known as Charles in film circles told me that a film Producer that he acquainted in Delhi was coming to meet me to sell his film in Tamil. He produced a film Nerariyum Nerathu in Malayalam. It was in second week in theatres and that too in limited shows. Here is where the most familiar story that we film journalists have seen unwinds

A mediator in Chennai has promised Producer Chidambaram that  if a screening can be arranged, it can be bought by Tamil distributors. So the question was if close to Rs 1 lakh was spend , will it bring in distributors ? This was for screening of Malayalam print. As no conclusive answers came it was shelved. Next a guy pops up to say that he will screen the film in Karnataka and other parts of India . Catch is send  money to an account for expenses. The deal boiled down to screening in Bangalore and money was send. Nothing happens. Chidambaram departs back to Delhi ( Gurugoan I think). Here too he is not left alone. A guy calls and says spend Rs 3 lakhs for dubbing in Tamil and you can make Rs 75 lakhs through satellite- OTT – theatre sales.  If so Why not buy the rights from us and you make money asks Chidambaram. End of discussion.

The OTT guys it seems say that at least two weeks the film should run in theatres for them to buy. So what happens is that the films run to empty houses and distributors pay to keep the film collection from dropping below the cut off mark of theatre to take it off. Who pays for this artificially injected oxygen ? Produce off course. If this is the case post prelease, During Production, the manager or controller takes the money but has no accounts to show. Another area is Digital marketing and here yet another round of guys who promise good reviews to place in Wikipedia emerge and they too vanish once they see money.

Why I am provoked to write this account of Chidambaram and his journey as film Producer ?  He calls from Delhi and says that a guy said give Rs 2 lakhs and we will see that it is streaming in Manorama Max. Imagine paying money to get it on OTT ! I told Chidambaram to take the phone and talk directly to channel. It worked. Film is streaming from November 1 and as of date it is third in top 10 of channel list.

Producers Association to Kerala Chamber should form a mechanism by which they register genuine OTT dealers- mediators and take action on erring Production managers. Chidambaram is an ex Central Government employee and it was PF money and personal loan that went towards funding. If a right course correction initiated by Chamber was in place, Kerala would have seen more Chidamabarams. The case of NRI Producer is even more worse.  Actor- Director who curates film for NRI  producer tells at the outset that it will not run in theatres but will make your family name big and you a toast of the Malayalali Association that you are  a member. NRI comes as they want to leave behind something that the next generation can be Proud about. But now this Actor- Director is pissed off. He says that by Chamber or Theatre Owners putting out real collections, many NRI Producers have stopped coming. One of the NRI Producer who directed a film with this Actor  as hero had a long tale to tell about her not so sweet experience.

• Cast: Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Shibla Farah, Swathi Das Prabhu, Rajesh Azhikodan, Swetha Vinod, Nisanth SS, Aparna Vivek
• Director: Renjith Venugopal
• Genre: Romantic Drama
• Runtime: 1 hour and 32 minutes
• Streaming Date: November 1, 2025
• Where to watch: ManoramaMAX

 

 

Venkatesh - Ajay Devgan Drishyam 3 NOT Mohanlal's Copy

 From what we learn Drishyam 3 Malaylam will not be able to release along with Hindi and Telugu versions. Reason being that both these versions have not been started yet. Secondly, Telugu version is not likely to have Venkatesh as he moves to other projects. Hindi version starring Ajay Devgn will not be remake of Malylam version as they have their own set if story writers and do not want to share any copyright royalties. REad ON

Both Drishyam 1 and 2 were massive hits in Malayalam and also succeeded when remade in other languages like Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi. For Drishyam 3, Jeethu Joseph initially planned to make it as a multi-language project. His idea was to shoot the film simultaneously in all versions with the same lead actors who starred in earlier remakes. That meant Mohanlal in Malayalam, Venkatesh Daggubati in Telugu, and Ajay Devgn in Hindi. While the Malayalam version is already on floors, the Telugu and Hindi versions are facing delays. In Telugu, Venkatesh is currently busy with a cameo role in a Chiranjeevi film. He will soon start shooting for a movie with Trivikram Srinivas. Because of his busy schedule, he cannot allot dates for Drishyam 3 soon. In Hindi, the makers are facing legal issues. Reports suggest that Bollywood writers had already developed a separate sequel story for Drishyam 3 that was different from Jeethu Joseph’s script. Once Jeethu warned them of possible copyright violations, the project was put on hold. As a result, there is no clarity on when or whether the Hindi version will start.

 With these complications, Jeethu Joseph’s ambitious plan to shoot Drishyam 3 in all languages at the same time seems difficult to execute. Now, the director may proceed with only the Malayalam version starring Mohanlal and release it as a pan-India film with dubbed versions. However, fans are confused about the final outcome because the discussions around the project keep changing. Jeethu Joseph still believes that the story deserves to be told in multiple languages. But for now, only Mohanlal’s Drishyam 3 looks certain to go ahead, while others remain uncertain. Without Venkatesh in Telugu and Ajay Devgn in Hindi, it will be difficult for Drishyam 3 to reach the level of box office success that the previous instalments had in those languages.

Director Jeethu in Pinkvilla : The Hindi and Telugu producers are concerned that if the Malayalam version releases first, it could affect their box-office performance, since audiences would already know the story. They've been discussing this with our producer, but nothing has been finalized yet. Releasing all versions together could also affect our business.

For now, we're continuing with our shoot. By the time we finish, if a decision has been made, we'll proceed accordingly. Otherwise, we'll release the Malayalam version first, just like before.

Mammootty Speech Irks Marxists as Lal - Kamal Escape

 Mega Star Mammootty speech at Kerala’s India’s First Extreme Poverty-Free State event has not gone down well with hardcore Marxist supporters. They feel that he made a dig at CPM Government by saying that highways and other developments cannot be an achievement without eradicating poverty itself. In short he debunked the claim that freeing 64,000 families from extreme poverty was not such a great feat, From what we know Kamal Haasan was very much in Chennai and had no public function and Mohanlal too was in Chennai shooting for BB Malayalam in Vel Film City on October 31. Whether he left for Dubai in wee jours of November 1 st is not known. These Two celebs did not turn up at Thiruvanthapuram to be part of the Kerala State Government prrogramme to mark India’s First Extreme Poverty-Free State: It was left to Mammootty who after a stint in Hyderabad and UK to come to Thiruvanthapuram to make the event special. On sidelines, Actor Prem Kumar who was acting Chairman of Chalachithra Academy was replaced by Resul Pookutty Oscar winner and reason was that ASHA workers protest got a support from Kumar. A Look at Controversey behind Mammootty Speech

Mammootty's speech at an event declaring Kerala "extreme poverty-free" on November 1, 2025, was not inherently controversial itself. Instead, the controversy stemmed from the opposition and ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers boycotting the government's entire event and its core claim, arguing that the state was not truly free from poverty and that using film stars was a political gimmick. 

Mammootty's Statements

Key Points of Mammootty's Speech

• "Only extreme poverty has been eradicated; poverty still remains": This was the central point of his speech. He noted that while the state had achieved the significant milestone of eliminating extreme poverty, the larger problem of general poverty had yet to be fully addressed, placing a greater responsibility on the Chief Minister and the government.
• True development is not just infrastructure: Mammootty stressed that development is not merely about constructing "highways and large buildings" but about improving social life and eradicating poverty completely. He stated that "any amount of dazzling developments will have no value before a starving stomach".
• Call for collective effort: He called for the public to stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" with the government to continue the fight against poverty, emphasizing mutual love, trust, and brotherhood as Kerala's true social wealth. 
• Nuanced Remark: In this highly charged political environment, Mammootty's statement distinguishing between "extreme poverty" and "poverty" was interpreted by some as a subtle acknowledgement of the opposition's arguments or a non-partisan stance that avoided fully endorsing the government's celebratory claims without directly criticising them. 

Overall, Mammootty's speech was widely reported as a thoughtful, responsible, and largely apolitical take on a politically contentious event, rather than a controversy caused by an inflammatory statement. 

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Context of the Controversy

 

The controversy was related to the event itself and the state government's declaration: 

• Opposition Boycott: The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) boycotted the event and a special Assembly session, calling the government's claim a "pure fraud" and a "publicity stunt" ahead of elections.
• ASHA Workers' Protests: ASHA workers, who were involved in identifying the impoverished families, held protests and wrote an open letter to the invited actors (Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Kamal Haasan), urging them not to attend. They argued that many ASHA workers themselves live in extreme poverty on meager daily wages (₹233) and that the state could not be called "extreme poverty-free" while they suffered.
• Expert Skepticism: Developmental economists also reportedly brushed aside the government's claims, noting a lack of a proper study to support the conclusion. 

His speech acknowledged the limitations of the declaration, which was seen by some as a subtle recognition of the protestors' concerns. In a personal note, Mammootty mentioned that he has not been active in public forums or his hometown... "But looking now, I see that in this period, a lot of astonishing development has taken place,"

The ceremony concluded with Mammootty formally receiving the extreme poverty eradication project report.

 

 

Pranav Mohanlal Ends Dad Monopoly/ Dies Irae Slow- Predictable/ Fa Fa with Rajini

 One of the biggest excitements for audiences about Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2 was the rumored cameo of Balakrishna. However, it is now confirmed that Malayalam actor Fahadh Faasil will replace him in the film.

Fans were eagerly waiting to see the powerful combination of Balakrishna and Rajinikanth on screen. Reports suggest that director Nelson and his team were very keen to bring the Akhanda actor on board and held several discussions with him.

Unfortunately, Nelson couldn’t convince Balakrishna to be part of Jailer 2, leading to his exit from the project. The role will now be played by Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil, who had earlier worked with Rajinikanth in Vettaiyan. Fans are excited to see them share the screen once again. The film is slated to be released in June 2026.

Before Pranav Mohanlal‘s arrival, his father Mohanlal was claiming the top 3 spots in the list of the biggest Malayalam openers of 2025. With son’s arrival, Mohanlal’s own Hridayapoorvam, with an opening of 3.25 crore, took an exit from the top 3.

Dies Irae Box Office Day 1

On the opening day, Friday, October 31, Dies Irae earned 4.5 crore at the box office in India. It registered an occupancy of 46.2% in the theaters on the opening day. It would be interesting to see if the film manages to mark a few more milestones over the weekend.

Mixed Views:

Some fans even feel Dies Irae has redefined Malayalam horror and raised the standard for storytelling in the genre. But not everyone agrees. While most agree the film isn’t bad, some found it less layered than Bramayugam. They say that apart from Pranav’s acting, the music, and the visuals, there’s little to discuss. They felt the scares were mild, and the tension didn’t build as expected. The first half moves slowly, with a few repetitive moments, though it ends on a solid twist. The second half drags again until the final fifteen minutes, when the main conflict appears — only to end predictably. As a result, Dies Irae has divided opinions. For some, it’s a bold and fresh take on horror. For others, it’s a missed opportunity that promised more than it delivered.
The film landed right on time for the spooky season, and fans expected a true scare-fest. The trailer and teaser kept the mystery alive, revealing nothing about the story and only teasing its eerie tone. That secrecy built strong word of mouth. Viewers praised Christo Xavier’s haunting sound design for adding depth to the atmosphere and enhancing the tension. Many also called Pranav Mohanlal’s performance the best of his career. Director Rahul Sadasivan has been lauded for pushing Pranav to explore his full range as an actor.

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