Kamal Haasan- Mohanlal and extreme poverty in Kerala

 Two recent functions involving Film Actors and Kerala Government has caught attention for in one function Kerala Government to mark end of extreme poverty in the State held again in Capital and had Mammootty as Chief guest. Total expenses for this function was Rs 1.5 crore.. The first was the function held in Capital city to felicitate Mohanlal for getting Dada saheb Phalke award. The award carried a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs but cash starved Kerala Goverbment spend Rs 2 crores for function. 

Other invitees Mohanlal and Kamal Haasan did not attend. CPM blasted media especially newspapers for not acknowledging an historic event by writing Editorial pieces. Malayala Manorama Kerala No 1 newspaper got Kamal Haasan to write about extreme poverty eradication move of Kerla Government and had it published in the Edit page of the Daily. Mammooty plain talk at the function was not digestable to many hardcore CPM cadres.

The Kerala government approved ₹2 crore (20 million Indian rupees) for the special felicitation event titled "Malayalam Vaanolam, Lal Salaam" held in Thiruvananthapuram to honour actor Mohanlal after he received the national Dadasaheb Phalke Award. 

The total estimated cost requested by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) was ₹2.84 crore, but the government sanctioned ₹2 crore. The event was organized jointly by the Cultural Affairs Department, KSFDC, Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, and the Cultural Activists Welfare Fund Board. A portion of the funds, specifically ₹1 crore, was reallocated from the budget for the 'Vajra Jubilee Fellowship' for young artists. 

wasThe article, written by Kamal Haasan published on November 7, 2025, is titled "പുരോഗതി അളക്കാൻ കേരള മാർഗം" (Kerala's way to measure progress) and discusses the Kerala development model, which he praises for prioritizing the well-being of the majority over mere economic indicators. 

Read; https://southfilmy.blogspot.com/2025/11/mammootty-speech-irks-marxists-as-lal.html

Thalaivar 173 to Bail out Kamal From Thug Life Loss ? Rajini - Sundar combo A Risk ?

         Was the coming together of Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan for Thalivar 173 to help the latter come out of a Rs 178 crore that was incurred due to flop of Thig Life ? see; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkA9Y4CYJ80 , YouTuber Cheyyaru Balu says that Mahendran co producer in RKFI mismanaged the Thug Life business and more so after a top excecutive in Star Vijay ( now part of Jio HotStar ) quit. Mahendran is an ex Star Vijay employee. Secondly is Rajinikanth not taking a risk by uniting with C Sundar whose films have  no appeal outside Tamil Nadu ? For a Rajini film budget, the film has to do reasonably well in other States and overseas to make it feasible. Kamal Haasan and Red Giant of Inbanidhi Stalin are producers of the new project.  We had reported Sundar C- Rajini project ( https://southfilmy.blogspot.com/2025/10/mammoottys-patriot-london-shoot-details.html:

With his retirement rumors doing the rounds for a few days, superstar Rajinikanth has announced a new film with director Sundar C, which is like a big gamble given the latter’s image. 

Whether a director delivers strong content or not, every director has their own set of audiences. Some filmmakers have a universal audience reach, while others are limited to specific markets. Heroes like Rajinikanth, who enjoy a massive fan base across all languages and regions, always need to collaborate with directors who can make films with pan-India and global appeal.

Rajinikanth recently took a risk by teaming up with Director Siva for Annaatthe (Peddanna). Siva’s market is primarily rooted in Tamil Nadu, and he does not carry a brand that appeals internationally or in other language markets. This was reflected clearly in the film’s initial buzz and openings.

Rajinikanth also appeared in a crucial cameo role in Lal Salaam, directed by Aishwarya Rajinikanth. Due to the director’s limitations, the film could not secure strong openings either.

Now, Rajinikanth is taking another bold risk, or a big gamble, by signing his next project with Sundar C. Even though the actor and director delivered a blockbuster earlier with Arunachalam, Sundar C’s recent films, despite being hits, have largely appealed only to the Tamil Nadu audience. For a Rajinikanth film, a universal appeal is crucial. If Sundar C continues his usual route, the film could become a major risk.

However, the positive side is that Kamal Haasan, who is producing the film, is also convinced of the script. So, there is definitely hope that the film might turn out to be a universal entertainer. Still, it remains to be seen how this risk plays out for Rajinikanth.

Guest Appearance : Thappu Thalangal

Cameo : Thillu Mullu Financier : Mullum Malarum Extended Cameo : Moondru Mudichu Associate Director : Aval Appadithaan Distributor : Arunachalam ( Salem area) Advisor : Thalapathy / Padayappa Producer : #Thalaivar173

Muthu film kerala release by Aandavar That too when movie competed with #Kuruthippunalr

OG Loss to Telugu Distributors - second to Dhanush on OTT / Award to Vedan Lyrics

 

OG – Idli Kadai Views on Netflix till now

• OG received 3.2 million views in its first week (Oct 23–26) and 2.1 million views in its second week (Oct 27–Nov 2), totaling 5.2 million views over 11 days.
• Idli Kadai gathered 5.1 million views in just 5 days (Oct 29–Nov 2), nearly matching OG’s 11-day total.

Idli Kadai getting more views than OG on Netflix has surprised fans and industry watchers, especially since Pawan Kalyan’s film had a much bigger OTT deal and is part of a franchise film, which usually demands strong digital performance.

From a business point of view, OG was expected to attract massive viewership, but it hasn’t met those expectations so far, and it needs to maintain consistency in the coming days to increase its views.

OG’s theatrical rights in Nizam were sold for 55 crores, and against this, it managed to earn a share of 48.5 crores. In the ceded region, it closed its run at around 17 crore share, while the breakeven target was more than 20 crores. Even in Andhra, all territories suffered losses.

Speaking about Andhra, Uttarandhra’s rights were valued at 20 crores, and the Sujeeth directorial closed its run at a share of 16 crores. In Guntur, theatrical rights were valued at 13 crores, but the biggie earned a share of 10.6 crores. West Godavari closed at 8.8 crores against a breakeven of 10 crores. In Nellore, it closed at 4.7 crores, while rights were valued at 6 crores. The share of the Krishna district is reportedly 9.7 crores, while the breakeven target was 11 crores. Even in the East Godavari region, buyers have suffered losses.

Vedan, who received the Kerala State Award for the song 'Kuthanthram' in Manjummel Boys, is currently facing serious allegations of sexual assault. The announcement has left many questioning the ethics and credibility of the state awards, especially given that previous contenders were reportedly sidelined in earlier years due to ongoing legal cases. Prakash Raj the Chairman of Jury who headed the committtee that gave him the award is a known anti BJP man and Vedan's anti Modi “Voice of the Voiceless” in 2019. led to BJP asking for NIA probe.

While several artists and political figures, including Congress MP Hibi Eden, have publicly congratulated the rapper, many others expressed disappointment and anger, arguing that the move sends a damaging message to society. Critics have also accused feminist organisations and women’s groups of maintaining a “conspicuous silence” on the issue. Adding to the controversy, the award came just days after the Kerala High Court relaxed Vedan’s anticipatory bail conditions, allowing him to travel abroad for performances. The Thrikkakkara police have already submitted a final report on the case.

The song 'Bhoomi Vazhunnidam' by Vedan is included in the BA Malayalam fourth semester textbook of Calicut University. The "Vedan song" in Calicut University's BA Comparative Literature syllabus is the protest rap "Bhoomi Njan Vaazhunna Idam" (Earth Where I Live) by rapper Vedan, also known as Hirandas Murali. It is used in the module on new trends in comparative literature to analyze its themes of social injustice, caste oppression, war, and environmental issues, often in comparison with Michael Jackson's song "They Don't Care About Us". 

• Artist: Vedan (Hirandas Murali)
• Song Title: "Bhoomi Njan Vaazhunna Idam" (meaning "Earth Where I Live")
• Course: Fourth-semester undergraduate Malayalam Language and Literature / Comparative Literature at Calicut University
• Module: Puthu Pravanathakal (new trends) under Introduction to Comparative Literature
• Themes: The song's lyrics address global issues such as the Syrian war, Palestinian genocide, the death of Aylan Kurdi, and the murder of Asifa in Kashmir, along with themes of caste oppression and environmental destruction.
• Comparative Analysis: It is studied alongside other works, such as Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us," to compare themes of protest and resistance. 
• The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had provided stages for Mr. Vedan at its fourth-anniversary celebrations across the State, drawing huge crowds trending towards the young demographic. 

Lokah Beats Kantara in OTT / Rajamouli Gets Varanasi Title

 Kantara Chapter1 OTT viewership in South opening week is way behind Lokah. Lokah Hindi has been released but Kanata Hindi OTT has not got a release. Taking that Kantara a Kannada film that dubed into South and Hindi languages and is termed the highest-grossing Indian film of the year worldwide with Rs. 799 crore after the 5th weekend, ahead of Rs. 786 crore of Chhaava. It will be crossing Rs. 800 crore worldwide in no time, OTT reception in South is a surprise. Kantara Chapter 1 performed very strongly in Tamil Nadu right from day 1, and it even impacted Dhanush’s Idli Kadai, and it also joined the 70 Cr gross club, which is almost the closing collections for the film. 

This is the 6th non-Tamil film to collect more than 70 Cr gross in Tamil Nadu. Baahubali 2 is the first one to do this, followed by KGF 2, RRR, Avatar 2, Pushpa 2, and now Kantara Chapter 1, which performs superbly in Tamil Nadu. The film had a sort of crash in South India after digital release, with a drop from the previous weekend being around 70 per cent. That is despite a big holiday on Saturday in Karnataka. Without this holiday, the drop would have been closer to 75 per cent. The hold was better in Hindi at around 60 per cent, but even this was a bit higher than normal.

Two big blockbusters of the year, Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra and Kantara: Chapter 1, were released on the same day on Jio Hotstar and Prime Video, respectively. While the former is a superhero film headlined by Kalyani Priyadarshan, the latter is a folklore action drama spearheaded by Rishab Shetty.

Lokah has now overtaken Kantara: Chapter 1 in the opening weekend in the digital space. According to the latest report in Ormax, Lokah registered 3.8 million views (Data considered between October 27 to November 2), whereas Kantara: Chapter 1 garnered 3.5 million views in the same timeframe.

Kantara: Chapter 1 is yet to be released in Hindi on OTT. On the other hand, Lokah is streaming in multiple languages, including Hindi, and that could be a key reason behind the superhero film’s dominance on the OTT charts.

Bollywood Hungama has learned that the team of the film has locked a title. A source told us, “The name of the film is indeed Varanasi. It is said that the title rights were with somebody, but S S Rajamouli’s team reached out and secured the rights.”

The source further said, “It is an apt title as per the story of the film. Hence, they were very keen on naming their film Varanasi.”

Reports also state that a grand announcement event will be held on November 15 in Ramoji Rao Film City, Hyderabad. Along with S S Rajamouli, Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran, the others from the team of the film are expected to be present, including Oscar-winning music director M M Keeravani. It is reported that fans will get a chance to attend the launch event and that the event will be live streamed on JioHotstar.

• A smaller production house, "Ramabhakta Hanuman Creations," headed by director CH Subba Reddy, claims to have already registered the title Varanasi for their own film. They have released an official poster with the title and expressed their intention to proceed with their project, creating a title clash.
• The Conflict: The smaller production house has challenged Rajamouli's team, demanding they either change their film's title or compensate them. It is currently a matter of industry speculation whether Rajamouli's team will negotiate, use a title extension (e.g., Varanasi: The Untold), or if this is part of a promotional strategy. 

Legal Context

Generally, a film title alone is not protected under copyright law in India; protection often relies on trademark law and actual use (acquiring a "secondary meaning"). The trade associations have their own rules for title registration, but these are not always binding in court on non-members. Given that Rajamouli's team reportedly secured the rights, and their film is a large-scale global project with significant buzz, they may be in a stronger position

Rashmika in Kerala Athrapally / Bahubali EPIC Hindi Flops/ Dude on November 14th.

 Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dude was released this Diwali, and it posted strong numbers during the holidays and slowed down after. Now, the latest news is that the film’s OTT streaming details are out.

Directed by debutant Keethiswaran, the film collected around 110 Cr gross worldwide. With Dude, Pradeep Ranganathan scored a hat-trick of 100 Cr grossers, and the film is all set to make its OTT debut now.

The film’s digital rights were bagged by Netflix for all languages, and the movie will stream from 14th November. It maintains a 28-day theatrical window like any South Indian movie. 

Made as a lovely entertainer, the film also stars Premalu fame Mamitha Baiju as the female lead, with the latest sensation Sai Abhyankkar composing the music. 

National crush Rashmika Mandanna is juggling multiple projects. Her recent release was Thamma, and her next film, The Girlfriend, is set to hit cinemas on November 7, 2025. Now, her upcoming movie Mysaa has officially entered the shooting phase.

It’s been announced that the pan-Indian film has begun filming today in the forest area of Athirappilly, Kerala. Directed by debutant Rawindra Pulle, the film will see the Pushpa actress playing a Gond tribal woman.

Rashmika’s first-look poster, which was recently unveiled, showcases her in an intense avatar. The makers describe Mysaa as an emotional action drama. Actor Tarak Ponnappa has been roped in for a key role, though further details remain under wraps.

Produced by Anil, Ajay Sayyapureddy, and Srikanth Sathi under the UnFormula Films banner, the movie features music by Jakes Bejoy.

Rashmika Mandanna has had a busy year with four releases so far, including the Telugu film “Kubera.” Her fifth release of 2025, “The Girlfriend,” is set to arrive in theaters this weekend (November 7).

While the film’s trailer has generated curiosity, it still needs stronger pre-release buzz. 

Since it is a heroine-centric love story told from a woman’s perspective, the film might face an uphill task in drawing audiences initially. In recent times, several female-led films have struggled to secure strong openings.

The going has been tough for S S Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Epic, especially in Hindi. With a playing time of a staggering 3 hours and 45 minutes, the period action drama is a big turnoff for the box office.Producer & eminent film business analyst Girish Johar feels it is not all a loss for Baahubali: The Epic. “It has amassed around Rs. 18 crores nett, across all languages, in two days, domestic market, which I feel is a very good fair number. This is a first of its kind where two parts of the film are released as one film, kind of a repeat run but of a different kind. Both the earlier parts were watched by large section of the audiences earlier. So, a technical re-release now is also still being cherished by its fans. This move by its makers will add more strength to Baahubali being a cult film, for all time.”

Taran Adarsh Trade Guru feels the promotional pitch for Baahubali in Hindi was wrong. “It should have been promoted as a film that is a solo film, not just a repeat run. A lot of people are under the impression that it's a repeat run and that's the reason why they are staying away. The fact that both the parts have been combined and made into one film is unknown to many. So, if at all, they would have promoted the film well in the Hindi market, I am sure it would have met with a better response in the Hindi market.”

However, according to Taran Adarsh, there is a silver lining. “The Baahubali epic has met with a fantastic response in the Telugu states. It's packed everywhere, running to packed houses. The response is phenomenal. The Telugu version is doing superlative business.”

Dhanush- Mari Selvaraj War Historical Mega Budget / Actor Lokesh Thumbs Down

Mari Selvaraj is doing the biggest budget film by breaking all barriers.Director Mari Selvaraj has confirmed that the writing process for D56 is turning out to be bigger and tougher than any of his previous works. The film’s shoot is planned across multiple countries, indicating a large-scale international production, marking his first-ever historical war film. Dhanush is said to be portraying one of the most powerful and challenging roles of his career in his 56th film, which is currently in the pre-production stage.

Mari Selvaraj is one of the directors in the Tamil film industry who sees continuous successes without any failures. His recent film, Bison, is also super successful at the box office, and Mari Selvaraj is all set to break all the barriers with his next film with Dhanush.

Director Lokesh Kanagaraj is making his debut as a lead hero, but his screen presence in the glimpse of the film released today disappointed everyone. 

Directed by Arun Matheswaran, Lokesh’s first film as a hero is titled DC, and it stars Wamiqa Gabbi as the female lead. imilar to of Bonny and Clyde seems to be hinted at in the one minute teaser. It features multiple shots of Lokesh and Wamiqa strolling together down a walkway and then into a room. When the camera pans to Lokesh it shows him walking with his sleeves rolled up, smoking a cigarette and covered in blood.

As she approaches him and Wamiqa appears determined and adds a flower to her hair. They are in a room together at the end staring at one another waiting to see what will happen next. Wamiqa is introduced as Chandra in the video and Lokesh is introduced as Devadas.

Lokesh, who last starred in Shruti Haasan's music video, Inimel is making his acting debut in this movie.

The music for the movie was written by Anirudh Ravichander. Ain't Nobody, the song that plays during the teaser has lyrics by the strange Heisenberg and vocals by Ram Kumar. The movie's release date and other specifics are still pending. 

If we observe the films of Lokesh as a director, all are gangster films, and even for his acting debut, he goes in the same path, as the DC Glimpse suggests a violent/gangster film mixed with a love story.