Ilaiyaraaja v/s Dude : OTT Release Delayed / Pressure Tatics ?

The copyright case filed by Ilaiyaraaja against Mythiri Movie Makers the Producer of Sude will delay the release on OTT. Good Bad and Ugly which hot released on NetFlix was removed through a court order over Ilaiyaraaja copyright case. While the theatrical run continues to flourish, Netflix has acquired the OTT rights for Dude, reportedly securing the film for around Rs 20 crore. According to TOI report, the platform is expected to release the movie on November 14, potentially offering it in multiple languages beyond the Tamil and Telugu versions that premiered in theatres. From my sources, Director Adhik and keertherswaran approached Illayraja legal team to give NOC for months and Illayaraja team kept delaying the NOC . Makers already agreed to give royalty to owner of song which is legally music labels which owned the audio rights. Generally music lables gives royalty to authors of the song ie Music director and Lyricists and finally post 2012 even singers of song got the status of author. Law also made it clear it is duty of owner of song to share the royalties of the song to authors if the song is used by someone for commercial purpose. So process is producers approach music label for song usage for commercial basis. They negotiate a price and agree on terms. Music label then pay royalties to author of songs as per legal terms . Producers no way are obligated to take permissions or get NOC from author. However Illayaraja legal team claims they never signed any legal terms to music label. About reuse of their song in any format… Back then (When these songs were made ) no such legal clauses existed which is grey area. AR Rahman from 1990s was first to include this clause legally . It is only then other music directors including Illayaraja started including the same clause. ________________________________________ So Producers are not obligated to ask Illayaraja an NOC or pay him royalty directly Illayaraja legal counsel are playing with one grey area.. If you observe all legal cases of Illayaraja copyright claims happen in Madras Highcourt where Judge out of respect to illayaraja gives injunction leaving Illayaraja and Producers to settle off the court. Ut all started with Manjummel Boys. They settled outside court. Mythri was different Mythri decided to not settle. They made money all they wanted already so they decided to fight out. GBU case was not setback where they lost . Court just gave interjection asking movie to be be stalled in OTT unless Illayaraja gives NOC. They are fighting it out to put an end of blackmailing technique of Illayaraja . Mythri is challenging them in different way. And Dude is actually building their case. The copyright case filed by Ilaiyaraaja against Mythiri Movie Makers the Producer of Sude will delay the release on OTT. Good Bad and Ugly which hot released on NetFlix was removed through a court order over Ilaiyaraaja copyright case. While the theatrical run continues to flourish, Netflix has acquired the OTT rights for Dude, reportedly securing the film for around Rs 20 crore. According to TOI report, the platform is expected to release the movie on November 14, potentially offering it in multiple languages beyond the Tamil and Telugu versions that premiered in theatres. From my sources, Director Adhik and keertherswaran approached Illayraja legal team to give NOC for months and Illayaraja team kept delaying the NOC . Makers already agreed to give royalty to owner of song which is legally music labels which owned the audio rights. Generally music lables gives royalty to authors of the song ie Music director and Lyricists and finally post 2012 even singers of song got the status of author. Law also made it clear it is duty of owner of song to share the royalties of the song to authors if the song is used by someone for commercial purpose. So process is producers approach music label for song usage for commercial basis. They negotiate a price and agree on terms. Music label then pay royalties to author of songs as per legal terms . Producers no way are obligated to take permissions or get NOC from author. However Illayaraja legal team claims they never signed any legal terms to music label. About reuse of their song in any format… Back then (When these songs were made ) no such legal clauses existed which is grey area. AR Rahman from 1990s was first to include this clause legally . It is only then other music directors including Illayaraja started including the same clause. ________________________________________ So Producers are not obligated to ask Illayaraja an NOC or pay him royalty directly Illayaraja legal counsel are playing with one grey area.. If you observe all legal cases of Illayaraja copyright claims happen in Madras Highcourt where Judge out of respect to illayaraja gives injunction leaving Illayaraja and Producers to settle off the court. Ut all started with Manjummel Boys. They settled outside court. Mythri was different Mythri decided to not settle. They made money all they wanted already so they decided to fight out. GBU case was not setback where they lost . Court just gave interjection asking movie to be be stalled in OTT unless Illayaraja gives NOC. They are fighting it out to put an end of blackmailing technique of Illayaraja . Mythri is challenging them in different way. And Dude is actually building their case. The copyright case filed by Ilaiyaraaja against Mythiri Movie Makers the Producer of Sude will delay the release on OTT. Good Bad and Ugly which hot released on NetFlix was removed through a court order over Ilaiyaraaja copyright case. While the theatrical run continues to flourish, Netflix has acquired the OTT rights for Dude, reportedly securing the film for around Rs 20 crore. According to TOI report, the platform is expected to release the movie on November 14, potentially offering it in multiple languages beyond the Tamil and Telugu versions that premiered in theatres. From my sources, Director Adhik and keertherswaran approached Illayraja legal team to give NOC for months and Illayaraja team kept delaying the NOC . Makers already agreed to give royalty to owner of song which is legally music labels which owned the audio rights. Generally music lables gives royalty to authors of the song ie Music director and Lyricists and finally post 2012 even singers of song got the status of author. Law also made it clear it is duty of owner of song to share the royalties of the song to authors if the song is used by someone for commercial purpose. So process is producers approach music label for song usage for commercial basis. They negotiate a price and agree on terms. Music label then pay royalties to author of songs as per legal terms . Producers no way are obligated to take permissions or get NOC from author. However Illayaraja legal team claims they never signed any legal terms to music label. About reuse of their song in any format… Back then (When these songs were made ) no such legal clauses existed which is grey area. AR Rahman from 1990s was first to include this clause legally . It is only then other music directors including Illayaraja started including the same clause.

________________________________________ So Producers are not obligated to ask Illayaraja an NOC or pay him royalty directly Illayaraja legal counsel are playing with one grey area.. If you observe all legal cases of Illayaraja copyright claims happen in Madras Highcourt where Judge out of respect to illayaraja gives injunction leaving Illayaraja and Producers to settle off the court. Ut all started with Manjummel Boys. They settled outside court. Mythri was different Mythri decided to not settle. They made money all they wanted already so they decided to fight out. GBU case was not setback where they lost . Court just gave interjection asking movie to be be stalled in OTT unless Illayaraja gives NOC. They are fighting it out to put an end of blackmailing technique of Illayaraja . Mythri is challenging them in different way. And Dude is actually building their case. The heart of the issue Unlike A.R. Rahman, who explicitly included clauses to retain copyright in his early contracts, Ilayaraja often did not have such provisions in his agreements with producers between the 1970s and 1990s. As a result, film producers and music companies like Echo Recording and Sony Music claim that they acquired the copyright to these songs. Ilayaraja maintains that he has always retained the copyright, and any agreements with producers only constituted a license for a specific use, such as for audio cassettes. He has consistently fought to defend his creative ownership and ensure that his economic and moral rights as the original composer are protected. The outcome of these ongoing legal battles will significantly impact the rights and royalties of music composers in the Indian film industry. Case against Dude movie makers: In October 2025, Ilayaraja sued the makers of the Tamil film Dude for using two of his songs, "Karutha Machan" from Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naathu (1991), without permission. The Madras High Court permitted Ilayaraja to proceed with the legal action against Mythri Movie Makers, Sony Music, and other involved parties.

Lokesh set for Hero Launch / Bison set to overtake Dude / Tamannah in Sundar C

Lokesh has finally decided to go ahead with his launch as heroo and put all other projects with Rajinikanth solo and with Rajini and Kamal in the back burner. Read ON. The Tamil Star Director Lokesh Kanagaraj was all set to debut as a hero in Captain Miller fame Arun Matheswaran’s directorial, and despite the disappointing result of Coolie, he is not stopping acting. Besides Coolie, Lokesh also announced the most-awaited Kaithi 2 and a film with Aamir Khan. However, the bad result of Coolie brought a lot of changes in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s lineup, and it is said that he desperately wants to work with Rajinikanth immediately and wants to deliver a huge blockbuster. He is said to have three scripts ready for the film, and there was also another buzz that Lokesh Kanagaraj might hold his acting debut movie. But the latest news is that the Kaithi director is turning into a hero as per the plan. Arun Matheshwaran and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s film’s Pooja ceremony is happening today, which is said to be a gangster film. Lokesh also went through some extensive training for this film, and he will work in parallel as the lead hero, and on the other side, he will prepare the scripts for his next project.

We had reported that Bison is a long term hit and box office is moving towards it in Tamil Nadu. Read; https://dhakshinscreen.blogspot.com/2025/10/bison-long-term-hit-keerthy-in-balagam.html . For 5 days, Dude collected 40 Cr gross in Tamil Nadu, whereas Bison collected 26 Cr gross in Tamil Nadu, and Pradeep Ranganathan’s film has had a good lead till now. But on the 6th day, Bison performed neck-to-neck with Dude, and both films’ gross will be almost the same. This trend indicates that there is a chance of Bison taking the lead over Dude in the coming days if it continues its solid run at the theaters. Now, we need to wait and see whether Dude picks up during the coming weekend and takes the lead again, or Bison takes the lead and matches the Dude’s overall numbers in TN in the full run. The film is expected to gross more than 50 Cr in TN alone at the current trend. Dhruv Vikram finally scores a much-awaited blockbuster, and Mari Selvaraj continues his successful journey

Director Sundar C is currently wrapping up the shoot of Mookuthi Amman 2, starring Nayanthara. While the filming is nearly complete, the movie involves heavy VFX work, so post-production is expected to take some time. Meanwhile, Sundar C is preparing to begin his next project, bringing together Vishal and Tamannaah once again. The director had earlier worked with the duo in the 2019 film Action. This upcoming movie is said to be a full-fledged commercial entertainer filled with comedy, action, and emotional moments. Actress Kayadu Lohar, who is gaining popularity, is also said to play another female lead in the film. According to reports, the promo shoot has already been completed, and the main shoot is likely to begin in November 2025. Both Mookuthi Amman 2 and the new film with Vishal are planned for theatrical release in 2026. Fans can look forward to two exciting projects from Sundar C in the coming year.

Realistic Budget- Equal Theatres : Tamil Diwali Safe

Diwali box office for Tamil films has brought cheer as three films that did not have Superstars but gave all concerned profits. Major reason being that the three films got equal share of screens. This level playing field as well as the second factor being that the budget of each film was realistic enough ( Rs 20 crores to Rs 60 crores) to make it possible to get a profit. The profit mark was attainable as the films got a six day holiday to recover the costs. On expected lines, Dude the third outing by Pradeep Ranganathan is number one. This film is a hit in Telugu markets as well. Bison struggled at the opening but showed steady climb and stayed put. Diesel of Harish Kalyan too put in a god account with Rs 2 crore in the weekAccording to the latest update from the makers of Dude, the movie collected Rs. 95 crores gross globally in five days and is all set to cross the Rs. 100 crore mark by today. Pradeep Ranganathan is poised to create a sensation by achieving back-to-back Rs. 100 crore grossers just in the beginning days of his career. Dude’s collections once again prove that Pradeep has emerged as a massive crowd puller not just in Tamil but also in Telugu. The movie also stars Sarathkumar, Hridhu Haroon, Rohini, and Aishwarya Sharma in key roles. Sai Abyankkar composed the tunes. The movie performed strongly at both the domestic and North American box offices. By the end of Tuesday in North America, it earned around $46K from 204 locations, pushing the total gross past $575K. Dude is on the verge of crossing the Rs. 100 crore mark, making it Pradeep Ranganathan’s third consecutive film to achieve this milestone. At the end of its fifth day in theatres, the film Bison had earned over Rs 22 crore in India. While it had a slow start with Rs 2.7 crore, the film quickly veered past hurdles to catch up in the race, collecting over Rs 5 crore each on Monday and Tuesday, thanks to positive word-of-mouth reviews and critical ratings for the filmmaker's portrayal of caste issues in sports and throwing light on the life of a kabaddi player who rises past these struggles. The film Telugu version os releasing on October 24th. Diesel, on the other hand, had the quietest start of the three. The film recorded an India net of ₹1.01 crore and a worldwide total of ₹1.15 crore, with no overseas earnings reported. Despite limited buzz and smaller screens, Diesel did find some attention for its action moments and music. However, the competition from larger festive releases has overshadowed its box-office performance. While Bison and Diesel have earned their share of appreciation, they are unlikely to challenge Dude’s commanding box-office run. For now, the festive crown firmly rests with Pradeep Ranganathan’s energetic crowd-pleaser — a clear Diwali winner both in numbers and audience love.

Coolie- Leo in BOOK MY SHOW TOPPERS/

Let’s check the list of those titles on BOOK MY SHOW that managed to sell the maximum tickets before release. 1) Pushpa 2: The Rule Allu Arjun’s action-drama created hype due to the popularity of the first film. The trailer and scale hinted towards an entertaining ride. Ticket prices were undoubtedly very high. But people did not opt to compromise as they had to enjoy for three hours, with 12.55 million tickets being sold for a week in advance. 2) Kalki 2898 AD Prabhas is a superstar who creates records. With Saaho and Radhe Shyam emerging as flops, and Adipurush being criticized for mocking Ramayana, expectations were very low. However, 8.47 million tickets were sold out as the glimpses were enough to make everyone excited. 3) Kantara: Chapter 1 The intense transformation of Rishab Shetty in the climax of the first film grabbed a lot of attention. Audiences ensured not to miss the prequel, with the Hindi market breaking records in terms of collections. The booking proved everything, where 8.21 million tickets sold in a brief period. 4) Jawan Fans were ready to see a new side of Shah Rukh Khan. The songs became a chartbuster, and the superstar’s massy presentation pulled everyone to the theatres. The excitement was bigger than Pathaan, and 7.65 million tickets were purchased. 5) Jailer Nelson shifted to a different subject after the audience did not like Beast. A big superstar like Rajinikanth was on screen. Additional hype was created with Kaavaalaa trending everywhere. As usual, Rajni fans could not stop themselves, with 6.61 million tickets sold. 6) Animal Ranbir Kapoor moved to a dark character. He was completely different, but intense and violent. People decided to go inside the auditoriums to believe what they were hearing about RK. 6.43 million tickets were purchased before release, and the shows were packed, contributing to a strong run. 7) Leo Lokesh Kanagaraj became a kind of brand with Vikram. This time, he brought Thalapathy Vijay for a new subject. Fans did not care about the mixed response and simply ran to get their seats, with 6.06 million tickets sold in advance, leading to huge collections in the end. 8) Stree 2 The popular characters returned. Their looks did not change. The crew members also remained the same. The only difference was the item song, which was new. The creation of a horror-comedy universe impressed the audience, and the Independence Day release helped a lot, selling 5.81 million tickets in advance. 9) Salaar Prashanth Neel’s world-building process is very unique. He does not go overboard anywhere and simply creates characters, presenting his actors in a different form. This time, the story of Khansaar and everyone living inside it attracted the audience, contributing to a sale of 5.59 million tickets. 10) Chhaava Vicky Kaushal’s intense appearance in the first teaser was sufficient to leave a positive impression. People were confident that the actor won’t disappoint them as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj this time, and they booked their seats, leading to advance sales of 5.44 million tickets. Very few films for this year created similar records. New franchise entries like War 2 and Housefull 5 also failed to pull audiences. Thamma is the next big release for this month, and more titles are on the way. Let’s see which film will take a spot in the above-mentioned list during the upcoming months.

Mammootty London shoot. /DQ Kaanta / Fa Fa--Nazriya- Suriya, Rajini Jailer 2 action/ Atlee- Ranveer

Mammootty continues to stun his fans. Latest video from London shows Mega Star at his stylish best. Mammootty comes to spot in a Red Land Rover and his swag and slow walk brings back the Stly Icon back. Don Dulquar film Kaanta in which he has acted and produced along with Rana has officially got a release Date; November 14th. The movie is a tribute to golden era of Indian films, 1960’s and talks about the ego clashes between a star and a director.

Dulquer Salmaan has called it his passion project and the glimpses of his performance in teaser and trailer have created good anticipation for the film. Recently, DQ as a producer delivered a remarkable blockbuster like Lokha aka Kotha Lokah Chapter 1 and Kaantha looks another great film from him.

According to 123Telugu, Malayalam star couple Fahadh Faasil and Nazriya Nazim (30) have been roped in to play pivotal roles in the drama. Role details More about the film While the official announcement is still awaited, reports suggest that Faasil will be seen as the antagonist, while Nazim will play the leading lady. The film will feature Suriya as a powerful police officer. The project is being produced by Suriya under his newly launched production house. It is set to release next year. Suriya is currently busy with 'Karuppu' Suriya was last seen in Retro, which received mixed reviews and is now streaming on Netflix. Up next, he will star in Karuppu, directed by RJ Balaji and also featuring Trisha, Natty Subramaniam, Indrans, and Yogi Babu. Originally planned for Diwali 2025, it has been pushed to next year.

Jailer 2': Behind-the-scenes clips show Rajinikanth's action sequences Sun Pictures just shared behind-the-scenes clips from Jailer 2, the much-awaited sequel to the hit Tamil action-comedy. Directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, the footage shows off intense action scenes and the lively energy on set. 'Jailer 2' cast and crew Jailer 2 brings Rajinikanth back in action, with fan-favorites Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, and Mirnaa returning. New faces S. J. Suryah, Shiva Rajkumar, Nandamuri Balakrishna, and Mithun Chakraborty (teaming up with Rajinikanth after decades) join the mix. With talent from Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema joining forces, this sequel is shaping up to be one of this year's biggest cross-industry events.

Ranveer Singh recently surprised fans with a high-octane new video for Agent Ching, a commercial ad directed by Atlee. The ad, part of the Agent Ching series, also stars Sreeleela and Bobby Deol. Reports suggest the project was made on a staggering Rs. 150 crore budget, though many remain skeptical about the figure. The ad grabbed attention for Ranveer Singh’s daring stunts and Sreeleela’s hot avatar. When the trailer dropped, some viewers initially thought it was a full-fledged film. They later realized it was a commercial. To promote their product, a press meet was held with Ranveer, Bobby Deol, Sreeleela, and Atlee. Ranveer also shared insights about the upcoming Rs. 800 crore Allu Arjun-Atlee film, starring Deepika Padukone, Rashmika Mandanna, and Mrunal Thakur. He said: “I visited the sets because my wife is working in it. Atlee is making something you have not seen in Indian cinema.” This statement is expected to fuel excitement among Allu Arjun fans. They hope the film will push Indian cinema to new heights. Blockbuster filmmaker Atlee, known for record-breaking films like Jawan, Bigil and Mersal, makes an explosive advertising debut with the biggest ad campaign ever, Ching’s Desi Chinese’s dhamaakedaar film Agent Ching Attacks. Featuring the Ching’s mascot, the sensational Ranveer Singh, who is now joined by superstars Sreeleela and Bobby Deol, this larger-than-life film brings signature Atlee style, never-before-seen visual effects, and thrilling action. A phenomenal crew has united to create a spectacle that’s all set to set the internet on fire! Director Atlee said, “For me, love is the secret ingredient. Ching’s wanted something India won’t just watch, but love, and that’s why I said yes to my first ever ad. Ranveer’s madness, Bobby sir’s magic, and Sreeleela’s freshness, we’ve cooked this with a lot of heart. Now it’s for the audience to taste.” The new Ching’s Desi Chinese ad has truly erased the line between advertisement and cinema. It’s an 8-minute goosebump-worthy experience packed with drama, comedy, action, music, and masala. The ad raises the glamour quotient with Sreeleela and the heat with Lord Bobby! After blockbuster comebacks in Animal and The Ba*ds of Bollywood, Bobby Deol brings his signature swag to the Ching’s universe once again.

BIson Long term Hit / Keerthy in Balagam Director Film

After Diwali holidays the box office that settles down will be as follows in Tamil Nadu 1. Bison - 85/100 - Mari scores a 5/5 with Bison. Breakeven needed is just 30 crores. Will definitely become a huge success 2. Dude - 50/100 - Mid film with a superb first half and tedious second half. Breakeven needed is 60 crores. Diwali release is a big plus and will reach break even and barely becomes a hit. 100 crores grosser in Tamil Nadu alone is a tough thing. Hopefully PR makes a comeback with LIK 3. Diesel - 30/100 - IDK what research did that director do. Worst screenplay. A lot of characters are there in the film but none of them are strong. Only music and a couple of action blocks are good. Final prediction Bison - SUPER HIT or even a BLOCKBUSTER Dude - ABOVE AVERAGE to HIT Diesel - DISASTER or FLOP (0 occupancy in second day itself) Bison (2025) - Review Bison is a sports drama set against the backdrop of caste faction violence and revenge killings between two rival groups led by Lal and Ameer. One fights to preserve his social standing, the other to rise above domination. The film doesn’t take sides and makes it feel real. Pasupathy shines as a caring , fearful father who wants his son Kittan (Dhruv Vikram) to stay away from violence, but circumstances pull him in. How Kittan rises from this hostile world to represent Indian kabaddi team at the Asian Games forms the heart of the story. Anupama Parameswaran, who plays Kittan’s love interest, feels somewhat unnecessary. The movie would have worked even without her character. Only issue is the film’s focus: it often shifts between being a factional social drama and a sports story, without strong thematic grounding. Still, Bison is a good watch. Pasupathy steals the show with tremendous acting, while Dhruv Vikram fits his role perfectly restrained, subtle, and sincere. And Nivas K. Prasanna’s background score is outstanding it lifts several scenes to another level. This is a grounded, sincere film with great performances and music. It is worth watching for its intent and realism.

Dil Raju is producing a film with Vijay Devarakonda, directed by Ravi Kiran, titled Rowdy Janardhan. The film’s pooja ceremony was recently held, and Keerthy Suresh is playing the lead actress. After this film, she is in talks for another exciting project under dilraju productions with a strong female character. Balagam director Venu has prepared a very strong and rooted story titled Yellamma. The project was initially planned with Nani, and after several changes in the male lead, it is now in final talks with Devi Sri Prasad for the music.

BAHUBALI THE EPIC CENSOR RUNTIME DETAILS

Sharing the news on social media, the makers announced, “#BaahubaliTheEpic is Certified U/A with a 3 hour 44 minutes runtime! Witness The Epic in theatres worldwide from 31st October. #BaahubaliTheEpicOn31stOct.” The post immediately created a wave of excitement among fans eager to revisit the legendary story of Mahishmati on the big screen. The film is not only re-releasing in Telugu but also in all other languages and formats. Completing such extensive post production work in advance once again showcases Rajamouli and his team’s commitment — and serves as a valuable lesson for others who continue post-production until the last moment.

Described as a “single-film version” of the Baahubali saga, Baahubali: The Epic has been meticulously re-edited to merge both films into one seamless narrative. This special edition promises not only restored visuals and sound but also selective alterations, new technical enhancements, and even previously unseen moments. It aims to present the grandeur of Rajamouli’s universe like never before — an immersive experience for both first-time viewers and longtime fans. The original Baahubali film series changed the landscape of Indian cinema when it first released in 2015 and 2017. The films not only redefined the scale of visual storytelling but also became global cultural landmarks, celebrated for their world-building, emotional depth, and timeless dialogues like “Kattappa ne Baahubali ko kyun maara?” With Baahubali: The Epic, S.S. Rajamouli invites audiences back to where it all began — an unforgettable world of loyalty, betrayal, and destiny. This Diwali season, fans can relive the legendary saga in its grandest form yet. The film is set to hit theatres worldwide on October 31, 2025. It will release in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam, across multiple premium formats including IMAX, 4DX, D-Box, Dolby Cinema, and EPIQ, making it one of the most extensive re-releases ever mounted for an Indian film.