Kalyani BEATS Jhanvi at Box Office / Game Changer Editor to Dirrect Prithviraj

 This past Friday saw the release of two big films: Janhvi Kapoor’s Param Sundari and Kalyani Priyadarshan’s Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. Among the two, Lokah has clearly won over audiences more.ctor in a never-before-seen avatar. Ticket sales reflect this trend as well. Over the past 24 hours, Lokah sold more than 2.98K tickets on BookMyShow, while Param Sundari recorded around 1.50K, roughly half the numbers of the Malayalam superhero movie.

While Param Sundari has received mixed reviews, Lokah is being praised across the board.

The superhero film is expected to see even stronger numbers on Sunday, with momentum likely to continue into the coming week. Directed by Dominic Arun, the film is produced by Dulquer Salmaan. Keerthy Suresh father Suresh is the producer and person who sounded clap for Lal’s first film and Lokah’s heroine’s father Priyadatshan has worked as Director for many film produced by Suresh.

Actress Keerthy Suresh took to social media today and showered praised on Mohanlal for his newly released Malayalam film Hridayapoorvam and Kalyani Priyadarsha for her movie Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra. As fans would know, Hridayapoorvam brings back the celebrated duo of veteran director Sathyan Anthikad and Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal, offering a blend of nostalgia and contemporary storytelling. Lokah, on the other hand, breaks new ground as Malayalam cinema’s first female superhero film.

Janhvi Kapoor has been surviving in Hindi cinema with the tag of glamour doll and the daughter of Sridevi. The young beauty has delivered more than a half a dozen films in the past two years. She had big hopes on Param Sundari, her recent release. The film opened to decent reviews but the box-office numbers are not encouraging. The opening and weekend numbers indicate that Param Sundari is one more debacle for the actress in her career.

Though the trailer looked promising, the audience showed no interest to watch the film. Param Sundari is also a boring attempt that has Siddharth Malhotra playing the lead role. Janhvi Kapoor was very confident on the film and she promoted the film on all the platforms but the result was disappointing. The actress is shooting for Ram Charan’s Peddi which is her next biggie from South. She also has Varun Dhawan’s Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari which is slated for October 2nd release.

 

Editor of Ram Charan- Shankar Game Changer , Shameer Muhammed  is to direct Prithviraj . The Editor turned down the offer to edit Khalifa the Malayalam film starring Prithviraj as he was busy scripting . Editor Shameer Muhammed grabbed eyeballs after his comments about Shankar and Game Changer went viral. Shameer initially was the editor for the political drama, but he exited the project midway. In an interview, Shameer Muhammed remarked that Shankar was highly unprofessional and called working on Game Changer a horrible experience. The Shamer directed Malaylam film is expected to commence in the second half of 2026 and is set to be an action thriller, showcasing the versatile a

Kaithi Malay remake to release / Basil seconf Tamil / Yogi Babu with Mahesh Babu

 The latest exciting news is that Kaithi is being remade in Malaysia as BANDUAN. 

Dato Aaron Aziz takes the lead as Dali in this film, directed by Kroll Azry and produced by NTOM along with Dream Warrior Pictures. The Tamil Cinema fans are astonished with the news of Kaithi’s remake getting released in Malaysia.

Kaithi’s Remake set to be released in Malasia in November

Banduan is set to hit theaters later this year, i.e., November 6, 2025, and it is going to be a wild ride full of action.

The tale of the film centers around Dilli, a former inmate eager to reunite with his daughter for the first time after getting out of jail. But things go sideways for him when he finds himself in the thick of a major drug bust led by Inspector Bejoy. 

When the whole police squad finds themselves in a tough spot, Dilli has to team up with the authorities, leading to an exciting fight for survival, sacrifice, and redemption.

As per the latest updates, Tamil star comedian Yogi Babu has joined AA22xA6’s cast. He has already begun shooting for his portions in Mumbai alongside Allu Arjun and popular actress Mrunal Thakur. It’ll be interesting to see how Atlee is going to showcase Yogi Babu’s comic antics in this sci-fi adventurous thriller.

AA22xA6 also features Rashmika Mandanna in a prominent role. The film is being produced on a massive scale by the Sun Pictures banner. Young Tamil composer Sai Abhyankar is scoring the music for this visual wonder. The ongoing buzz reveals that the makers are planning to release the movie as a Sankranthi 2027 festive treat.

Backed by Sun Pictures, the film is expected to use controlled sets and later integrate high-quality graphics and VFX. The aim is to offer a unique theatrical experience, unlike regular mass entertainers. With Yogi Babu on board, comedy is likely to have an important role in the story. However, with Allu Arjun as the central character, it remains to be seen how much screen time the comedian will receive. After massive hits like Pushpa 2: The Rule for Allu Arjun and Jawan for Atlee in 2023, this collaboration is being viewed as a potential blockbuster. Expectations are already high. Fans are now waiting for the official promos and updates to get a glimpse of what AA22xA6 has to offer at the box office.

Basil Joseph after Parasakthi the Tamil film starring Sivakarthikeyan and directed by Sudha Kongara is now featuring in Sirai. The film, which also marks producer SS Lalit Kumar's son LK Akshay Kumar's debut, has been titled Sirai. Vikram Prabhu joining hands with filmmaker Suresh Rajakumari for his directorial debut stars Anantha as the female lead, opposite Vikram’s character. It also marks the Tamil debut of Malayalam actor Anishma Anilkumar, of I Am Kathalan fame. The upcoming film is based on a story by director Tamizh, who is best known for 2022's Taanakkaran.

In an earlier interview with Cinema Express, director Suresh revealed that Sirai is based on a real incident that happened to Tamizh while he was working as a police officer. "It follows a cop as he takes a young accused to court. During their journey, he gets to learn about the accused’s past. The incident dates back to 2003, and we looked for the real young man to ask him about the case to learn what happened to him. But we could not find him. Therefore, we had to fictionalise the story," he added. Akshay Kumar stars as the young man who stands accused of committing a crime.

Suresh has previously worked with Vetri Maaran as his associate since 2015’s Visaranai.

The technical team of Sirai includes composer Justin Prabhakaran, cinematographer Madhesh Manickam and editor Philomin Raj. SS Lalit Kumar is backing the film under his Seven Screen Studios banner.

 

RAJINIKANTH PRO SLAMS TRADE BODY LEADER FOR COOLIE REMARKS

Finally, Cat has been belled, CAT -G Dhananjayan – Belled by Riaz the BOSS. Dhananjayan  is  a founder and the Treasurer of the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA) and his role as a box office trade expert and his findings about falling collections of Coolie has been slammed by Riaz Ahmed PRO to Rajinikanth, through his V4U Media YouTube channel. Riaz has raised a valid point- If you are a trade expert or a media person be sso but if you are part of a body that represents film Producers, then you have no right to open mouth about another production company business. Choose which boat you want to ride is what Riaz says.

Double role or multi-tasking by Dhananjayan who is a film Producer- exhibitor- award winning author of books on cinema and a man with solutions to all problems faced by Kollywood had mazed many including me. For long and till today he has been the source of content to many You Tube channels that thrive on Kollywood content. The part of him as an important office bearer of the Active Producers body of Kollywood was actually something that I wondered as to how he was going about it. In my videos in Kodambakkam Guys I had pointed out that this gentleman had while taking defense of a Suriya’s flop film had mentioned that this flop’s opening was equal to Rajinikanth’s Petta’s life time collection. This was far from truth. I don’t want to digress from my main topic- Dhananjayan and Rajini.

While riding with Suriya, he was responsible for exaggerating facts of the films that he was doing. It backfired badly. He has two books on cinema and got a national award for it. Currently he is Head of Sony LIV Tamil content. Riaz has let lose a barrage of support from many film critics in You Tube. All seem to have been waiting for the man to bell this cat and what more than the publicist of Rajinikanth. Dhananjayan has decided that he will no more be the box office analyst and announced his withdrawal from this field adding that he was doing so on his own as he was misunderstood and not because of any fear. A YouTuber Cheyar Balu had listed out how in yesteryears Rajini dealt with his detractors. This was seen as a scare. Rajini has since turned a new leaf. Classic example was when theatres screening Baba was attacked by PMK workers. If he had just given the HUKUM – Tamil Nadu politics would have been different TODAY.

 

Ravi Mohan in LCU / Madharaasi hopes to be a Coolie in North/ Anushka does a Nayanthara

 The next project from LCU is Benz, with Lawrence playing the lead role and Nivin Pauly appearing as the main villain. Madhavan was onboarded as another lead in this film.

But the latest news in Tamil circles says that Madhavan walks out of this project/LCU due to date issues, and Ravi Mohan is selected as the replacement.

Reportedly, Lokesh Kanagaraj himself has narrated the character and convinced Ravi Mohan to act in Benz, and his character is also said to be continued in the next LCU projects, such as Kaithi 2 and Vikram 2. Ravi Mohan’s addition marks the third star entry into the LCU (Lokesh Kanagaraj Cinematic Universe), with the other two being Lawrence and Nivin Pauly.

Seeing that Coolie collected close to Rs 50 cr in North markets Madharaasi is taking the same route by agreeing to 8 week window for dubbed Hindi version on OTT so that national chains can screen them. Coolie collected this amount in Hindi because Sun Pictures went all out with publicity and plastered Metro trains in Mumbai with film posters and on TV. Madharaasi on other hand has zero publicity and hopes that North markets will receive them. Amaran Hindi got Rs 2.75 cr from 45 days run. Another factor is that the North Indian gang is shown as the baddies in the film like Tamils in Sri Lanka were the bad guys in Kingdom. Madharaasi is releasing as Dil Madharaasi in Hindi

Anushka Shetty’s Ghaati is slated for a grand release on September 5. The action drama directed by Krish Jagarlamudi is jointly produced by UV Creations and First Frame Entertainments. The release was postponed multiple times due to pending work, and finally, the movie is now set for release. Rajeev Reddy of First Frame Entertainments has now confirmed that the star actress won’t be attending the promotional events.

“While commencing the project, we discussed all the terms. She clearly informed us about her unavailability for promotions. It’s her personal choice, and we must respect that. She might not attend the pre-release event either. I don’t think it is a big problem. Only an actor of Anushka’s stature can pull off the Sheela character in Ghaati. We can’t imagine anyone other than Anushka in that role,” stated Rajeev Reddy.

The producer also added, “We strongly believe Anushka has the capability to pull audiences to the theatres. We shot the movie in the Andhra-Orissa border. Had we shot in the Telugu states, it would have been difficult to handle the crowd. While we were shooting in a small village in Orissa, about 1000 people came to see Anushka in the wee hours. A lathi charge also took place once. That is the kind of pull Anushka Garu has.”

Anushka Shetty shines as Sheelavathi. Her performance feels raw, strong, and deeply tied to the land, as if she belongs to the mountains themselves. Playing opposite her, Vikram Prabhu brings a calm strength that keeps the film firmly rooted. The world of Ghaati is built with care, Thota Tharani’s production design and Ram Kishan’s gripping action scenes make the story feel real and alive.

Rajinikanth Tamil Nadu market shrinks - Will Kalki Nag be a saviour or do a Lokesh ?

 

As Rajinikanth market share in Tamil Nadu is shrinking, will Nag Ashwin who gave a Hit Kalki that entered the Rs 1000 cr club as next Director recover Thalauvar market or be another over hyped Lokesh ? Read on:

Rajinikanth’s films, including the latest Coolie, underperform in Tamil Nadu. 

At 75 years of age, Rajini still has a substantial market in all languages. But when we see his recent films, compared to other areas, the movies are not doing well in Tamil Nadu.

Kabali, with poor WOM, managed to set very big numbers in all other areas, but in Tamil Nadu, the numbers were not that huge. During the Petta vs. Viswasam clash, the former outshined Viswasam in all areas.

But Ajith’s Viswasam takes a clear lead in TN. Jailer, which set new records everywhere for Kollywood, failed to beat Ponniyin Selvan 1 and did not cross the 200 Cr mark as well.

Now, Rajinikanth’s Coolie underperforms in Tamil Nadu. Yes, it had a weak/below average WOM, but comparing to other areas’ performance, it should have collected at least 170 Cr in TN.

But reaching 150 Cr itself looks like a tough task for the film. Till now, it collected 132 Cr gross in 11 days in TN. All films of Rajinikanth in recent years are doing 10-15% lower on expectations in the main market of Tamil Cinema.

#Coolie 11 Days Box Office Collection :- Tamil Nadu : ₹129.25 Cr Andhra & Nizam : ₹63.00 Cr Karnataka : ₹38.20 Cr Kerala : ₹24.10 Cr Rest of India : ₹40.00 Cr Overseas : ₹170.35 Cr / $19.47 Mn Total Worldwide Gross : ₹464.90 Cr

Strong industry buzz points to Nag Ashwin, known for Mahanati and Kalki 2898 AD. Sources claim Ashwin recently narrated a script to Rajinikanth, who reportedly approved the idea and asked him to develop it further. Fans are excited about the possibility of this collaboration, though reactions remain mixed. Rajinikanth’s Coolie received criticism online despite high expectations, while Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD, though successful at the box office, faced divided opinions. Some fans believe the partnership could create something special, while others are cautious. They argue that Rajinikanth’s collaboration with Lokesh Kanagaraj already turned into a disappointment with Coolie, and fear that Ashwin may also face risks with the superstar.

 

 

JOHN WICK Stunt Director with YASH / Rajini Beats Vijay -Where and How/ Anirudh Secret

 

Perry, who is famous for designing the breathtaking stunts in massive hits like Fast & Furious, John Wick, and Day Shift, is here to create the action sequences for the film TOXIC.  In a statement, Perry praised the Indian team, calling them “world-class.” He said, “That’s precisely why I chose to work with them. We’re tackling a major sequence right now, and I’m super stoked about taking this on… this team is meeting it head-on.”

This isn’t just another project for JJ Perry, who has worked in 39 countries over his 35-year career. He expressed his genuine admiration for Indian movies and the vision of Toxic‘s director, Geetu Mohandas. “I’m a fan of Indian cinema; it’s creative, artistic, and bold,” Perry stated. “Geetu has great vision, and everyone from cinematographer Rajeev Ravi to the production designer and art team has been fantastic.” Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is an upcoming bilingual (Kannada-English) gangster film directed by Geetu Mohandas. It stars superstar Yash in the lead role and features a large ensemble cast. Jointly produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-ups is a high-stakes, large-scale film that merges depth with dazzle. It is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on March 19, 2026. Jointly produced by Venkat K. Narayana and Yash under KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-ups is a high-stakes, large-scale film that merges depth with dazzle. 

Finally Rajini fans can be happy. Thalaivar has beat Thalapathy at the box office 0 YES, at the Hindi box office. Read on : Even though there was no multiplex release for Leo due to a 4-week OTT window, the film did very well in Hindi belts and collected around 30 Cr net in India and emerged as the 2nd biggest grosser for Kollywood in Hindi belts after 2.0.

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie clashed with War 2, the Bollywood biggie, but it was successful in beating Leo collections at the box office. By its second weekend, the film had collected around 32 Cr net in India and surpassed Kabali (28 Cr) and Leo (30 Cr). Now, this action drama is the second biggest grosser for Kollywood in North India. Overall, the film has collected around 475 Cr gross worldwide and  is racing towards the 500 Cr mark.

If you think Anirudh is pocketing the singer fees by singing in his own songs or in other music composer songs then you are wrong . He does it free. Read on : He has sung nearly 175 songs for other music directors, while also working on his own music. He has sung songs in Tamil as well as Telugu. Gaali Vaaluga, Hoyna, and Baitikochi Chuste are some of his most popular works in Telugu as a singer.

Anirudh has not charged even a single rupee for the songs he has sung for other music directors. On average, a leading singer charges about 10 lakhs per song, which means he could’ve made 1750 lakhs or 17.5 crores.

This just shows his love for music. He sings because he wants to be a part of that project, and not because it will fetch him money. This is a true sign of a rockstar and an artist.

Anirudh has a terrific lineup of films ahead, they include Thalapathy Vijay’s Beast, the multistarrer Vikram, and Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2. Anirudh will also be serving as music director for NTR30. Anirudh sings most of the songs, and it is receiving high criticism. The netizens question him on that, and they clearly state that some of his songs are more suitable for other singers than him. Recently Anirudh faced negative reactions for singing Vijay Deverakonda’s Kingdom’s song, Anna Antene, and now, for Madharaasi’s 2nd single, Vazhiyiraen.

Rockstar Anirudh Ravichander’s Hukum World Tour Grand Finale lit up MARG Swarnabhoomi, Kuvathur, ECR on 23rd August 2025, drawing a record-breaking crowd of 50,000+ fans. It set a new benchmark as one of the biggest and best-organized live music events Chennai has witnessed in recent times.

The Hukum Grand Finale was organized by Brand Avatar, delivering a world-class concert that will be remembered as a milestone in Chennai’s live music history.

Mahaavatar boost to Indian Animation / Rajini KING OF KARNATAKA / VIJAY Reel Breaks Insta record

 Chaluve Gowda Co-Founder: @hombalegroup Partner: @hombalefilms

Board of Governors: @rv.university
Board Member: Mandya University took a risk with Indian Animation and Indian VFX by making substantial investments and employing 200 VFX Software and Visual personnel and spending 1 1/2 years to create Indigenous extrusion of characters in MAHAVATAR NARASIMHA t is a great thing for India

Sure the Software is still Western owned (American and British) but the Studio is Indian, On day 30, within just 24 hours, ticket sales spiked dramatically.  

Rather than entrust animation to a Japanese or Korean company, Hombale has decided to do their own VFX work using Indian talent

That is definitely a step in the right direction

More Indian VFX and who knows maybe we can finally start making world class Software

There are 140 Crore Indians and only a combined 5.35 Crore tickets were sold in 2024

By comparison there are 140 Crore Chinese and 12.85 Crore tickets were sold in the first 6 months of 2025

So if India can manage to push another 5 Crore tickets, we could be seeing Budgets of 1000 Crore becoming easier to gross locally and more work for Indian Animation

Especially with all our Puranas, Panchatantra, Mahabharat and Mythologies

More than 130.3K tickets were booked on BookMyShow, a number usually associated with an opening weekend rather than the film’s fifth week.

The sudden spike in bookings shows that audiences are choosing films with substance, animated or otherwise. At this rate, the film could well cross new milestones at the box office.

With the Rs. 300 crore gross mark now within reach, Ashwin Kumar’s epic is in no hurry to arrive on OTT. Produced by Kleem Productions and presented by Hombale Films, the movie is further lifted by Sam CS’s soulful soundtrack, which continues to strike a chord with viewers.

Continuing his record-breaking spree, Rajinikanth now has three all-time highest-grossing Tamil movies in Karnataka. Thalaivar’s Jailer and 2 Point 0 occupy the first and third places, respectively, in the list of top three Tamil movies in Karnataka, while Coolie stands in the second spot. However, given the considerable drops in the daywise collection, Coolie may not surpass Jailer’s lifetime gross in the Kannada land.

A reel shared by Vijay on his Instagram yesterday is now breaking the internet and has clocked the highest number of likes (10.3 million) for an Instagram post by any South Indian actor. The video features Vijay taking a selfie with a sea of fans during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) second state-level conference in Madurai on August 21. The fact that Vijay’s post amassed over 10 million likes within a day, and that too with just 14 million Insta followers, speaks volumes of Vijay’s craze. Vijay is currently working on his highly anticipated last film, Jana Nayagan. The actor will bid adieu to acting and enter Tamil Nadu politics by contesting the state assembly elections in summer 2026.

 

 

Nani HIT 3 copycat case gets serious . Narasimha biggest blockbuster of Bollywood

 Nani;s HUT 3 story plagarism case gets SERIOUS

PRESS NOTE 22nd Aug 2025 The writer of Agent 11 has filed a 61-point rejoinder in the Chennai High Court against the HIT 3 team. Case Timeline (Quick Recap): May 1: HIT 3 release May 9–15: Copyright complaint & notices sent May 20: Netflix received notice May 29: OTT release advanced; HC granted leave to sue June 18: Writers’ Association confirmed substantial similarities Defendants: D1 – Nani | D2 – Sailesh Kolanu | D3 – Prashanthi Tipirneni | D4 – Phani Kumar | D5 – Netflix Status: Counters filed by defendants. Rejoinder filed by Agent 11 writer.

Source OTT Trackers

Mahavatar Narsimha has become a major success in Hindi dubbed theatres, surpassing several big releases without heavy promotions. The film has now reportedly collected over ₹155 crores in Hindi, edging past Salaar, which earned around ₹153 crores. This collection also surpasses the Hindi versions of Saaho and Baahubali: The Beginning, both starring Prabhas. However, it still trails Rajinikanth’s 2.0, which leads with ₹189 crores, leaving a gap of ₹34 crores for Mahavatar Narsimha to close. Pushpa 2: The Rule remains the highest-grossing Hindi dubbed film at ₹830 crores. While Mahavatar Narsimha may not reach that mark, it has a chance to surpass 2.0 in the coming weeks thanks to minimal competition. Despite the recent release of War 2 and Coolie, Mahavatar Narsimha continues to enjoy steady shows. War 2 is already losing screenings due to poor attendance, and Coolie is not expected to impact its Hindi market run. With two Telugu films and two Hindi films set to release on September 5, 2025, along with a Tamil solo release, Mahavatar Narsimha still has time to improve its collections. North Indian theatres might even extend its shows in place of struggling films like War 2.

James Cameron to annouce SS Rajamouli film / Vijay Sethupathi joins SSR/ Dude Pradeep Diwali Bomb

 Vijay Sethupathi has been added to SS Rajamouli- Mahesh Babu cast and shooting will start from January next year. VS currently busy with Puri Jagganath film will move to a film with Pandiraj that is produced by Lyca Produuctions. At present he has no other commitments or offers from any other makers. Thalaivan Thalaivii will premiere on Amazon Prime Video, starting August 22. Besides its original Tamil language, the film will also stream in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada as well. At the box office, the film collected over Rs. 75 crores in Tamil Nadu, while its Telugu version (Sir Madam) registered only an average run. With its digital debut, the response from streaming audiences will be closely watched.Joining the leads are Yogi Babu, Roshini Haripriyan, Deepa Shankar, and RK Suresh. Sathya Jyothi Films backed the project, while Santhosh Narayanan scored the music.

After the mighty blockbuster RRR, Indian cinema’s biggest director, SS Rajamouli, has teamed up with superstar Mahesh Babu for a globe-trotting action-adventure tentatively titled SSMB 29. Priyanka Chopra plays the female lead. On Mahesh Babu’s birthday, Rajamouli announced that a big reveal is scheduled for November 2025.

Media reports now suggest there is a solid reason behind the delay. Around November, esteemed Hollywood director James Cameron will be in India to promote his next big outing, Avatar 3. Rajamouli, along with his team, is reportedly trying to get Cameron to do the honors for the glimpse release.

At an awards event in Los Angeles, James Cameron spoke highly of Rajamouli, particularly praising RRR. Cameron also told Rajamouli that he would extend his support if needed. Hence, the latest speculation is gaining traction. If Cameron launches the first look or glimpse, it will mark a new chapter in Indian cinema and enhance our visibility among Western audiences.

 

The other day, it was officially announced that filmmaker Vignesh Shivan’s movie, Love Insurance Kompany (LIK), starring Pradeep Ranganathan and Kriti Shetty, is set to release on October 17, 2025, as a Diwali special.

This led many to doubt the release of the actor’s other movie, Dude, produced by Mythri Movie Makers and directed by Keerthiswaran. It was also announced for a Diwali release, but many thought it might be postponed.

However, today, the ‘Dude’ makers cleared the air by releasing a poster that confirmed the movie is still on track for its Diwali release. An update is scheduled for 06:03 PM today, which many believe will be about the release date.

So, both LIK and Dude are coming to entertain audiences this Diwali, giving double the entertainment.

 

Rajini interference and Lokesh over condidence hit Coolie and Sun

 Is Rajinikanth reason for loose narrative and unnecessary cameos in Coolie ?  Lokesh Kanagaraj insistence that A censor tag will not harm the collections put Sun Pictures in position where it is facing revenue loss as family crowds are not coming in second week . Kannada , Telugu viewers are angry that Upendra and Nagarjuna are omitted in posters after first release. All this has resulted in Coolie beating Vikram as top grosser but will occupy a place below Leo in Kollywood openers list. So far Sun Pictures has made only 70- 80 %  recovery of the Rs 350 crore budget and seeing the drop, second week is crucial as it has to add 20% more to at least reach a break even. The mixed opinion are a result of Rajinikanth’s interference and Lokesh over confidence.

The talk from Coolie crew is that Upendra – Shoubin characters along with Aamir were all Rajinikanth idea to provide back up to film box office. Shoubin role was extended to a point that it diluted Nagarjuna’s role and Upendra and  Aamir were sheer waste and added nothing to the narration. Rajinikanth probably after Jailer thought that Mohanlal- Sivarajkumar- Jackie cameos had helped the film at box office. Placement of these cameos and that it was Director Nelson’s idea had worked while in Coolie it was not Lokesh idea. Another reason said is that the surgery that took place while Coolie was shooting had led to Lokesh to place less burden on Rajinikanth and only way to bring in cameo actors.

Irony is that when Lokesh directed Vikram, many thought that it would a  Kamal Haasan proxy directed film . It was not so and Lokesh had his way through. It made Vikram the 6^th top Kollywood opener.

Sun Pictures and the team received slight backlash for the way they promoted the movie. Many noticed and pointed out that the makers had used posters featuring all the stars before release. However, the post-release posters shared online featured only Rajinikanth, excluding others.

It seems like the makers took the criticism seriously, and today, they released a poster featuring Kannada star Upendra alongside Rajinikanth. Fans are happy and are asking the team to continue doing so.

Lokesh in interview said that he was not going to compromise on violence and so he refused cuts and accepted A as he overlooked the opinion that it could affect audience coming with kids as Lokesh felt that youth who are mainstay of viewing crowd would compensate for the family crowd. Now the violence in film has not satisfied the youth and bad mouth publicity had affected it badly. To break even it needs the family crowd in second week and so the rush to High court for U/A. Sun wants A certificate to toned down to U/A without any cuts. The case will come only next week and after weekend. By then the buzz would have faded out and everybody would have moved to Sivakarthikeyan and Madharasi.

Lokesh next Arun Direction and Kaithi 2 - Rajini- Kamal Distant One

 

We hear that that Lokesh will wrap Arun's film with Vasanth Ravi before starting production on his next directorial venture, Kaithi 2, starring Karthi. Kaithi 2, Only after that  is Lokesh next project with  Rajini- Kamal project, if everything falls in place . . Kaithi is delayed and not for the Rajini- Kamal project but Lokesh after negative feedback post Coolie is out, he feels that the expectations from him are higher and viewers are expecting a bigger one from the Kaithi sequel . Post Coolie, Lokesh has to deliver with Kaithi sequel.

LK07: Kaithi 2

The fifth installment of the LCU, after BENZ. The film is co-produced by KVN Productions and and Dream Warrior Pictures.

The film revolves around the ego clash between Dilli (Karthi) and Rolex (Suriya), which is narrated in a non-linear screenplay. Kamal Haasan also plays a role in the film, with Vijay playing a cameo. This film is the one that begins the present plot of the universe.

Shoot begins from December  2025, and will be shot on a 200–250 crore budget. Will continue until the end of the year. They will be taking loads of time with post-production and fine tuning, so the film will only be releasing late 2027.

As elections are fast approaching, Red Giant would not commit any huge investment till May next year. RKFI of Kamal is all set to go ahead with Anbu Arivu directorial. Despite bad word of mouth, Coolie collecting so much shows his good will, Rajini post Coolie has shown as a weak draw in Tamil Nadu. Indian 2 figures does not help Kamal either. Coolie has shown that Rajini’s draw in Tamil Nadu is not big as Vijay.

Primarily, Rajini- Kamal film has to collect from Tamil Nadu and after paying both heroes the market price and production costs, recovery at box office is near impossible task. Only if both heroes join as partners, can the Rajini- Kamal film take off. The project can take off when Jailer 2 and Anbu Arivu projects are blockbusters and Kaithi 2 brings back Lokesh.

 

VELS Film International, one of the leading production houses in the Tamil film industry, has produced many successful films and is currently producing the big budget films “D54” starring actor Dhanush, “D54” directed by war veteran Vignesh Raja and “Mookuthi Amman 2” directed by director Sundar C and starring Nayanthara . Following this, this new film starring Ashok Selvan is being jointly produced by producer Yuvaraj Ganesan of Million Dollar Studios & producer Isari K Ganesh of VELS Film International.

Actor Ashok Selvan, who has been playing different roles in every film, will be playing a different role in this film as well. Actress Nimisha Sajayan will be playing his opposite number.

The highly anticipated film “Happy Endings, Once More” produced by Million Dollar Studios has reached its final stages. The shooting of this new film is scheduled to begin today in Chennai and be completed in a single phase.

A commercial film that will appeal to all audiences, the film is directed by debutant director Manikandan Anandan . Music composer Thibu Ninan Thomas is composing the music. Pushpa Raj Santhosh is handling the cinematography. Bharath Vikraman is handling the editing.

Mithun with Rajini in Jailer 2 / NTR changed WAR 2 END/ Mammootty IS BACK

 The post from Mohanlal comes in the wake of celebratory updates from the film fraternity, confirming that Mammootty has made a full recovery, ending months of speculation about his well-being. Fans immediately embraced Mohanlal’s gesture, flooding the comments with messages of love and relief. Many called it a perfect symbol of the brotherhood between Malayalam cinema’s two towering figures. Mohanlal and Mammootty have been friends and contemporaries for over four decades, and their bond continues to be cherished just as much as their films.

Malayalam cinema fans were overjoyed on Tuesday as social media filled with celebratory posts confirming that veteran actor Mammootty has regained full health. Close friend and producer Anto Joseph was among the first to express his gratitude, writing, “The prayers of countless people across the world have been answered. Thank you, God, thank you, thank you.” While he did not directly mention Mammootty, the post has widely been understood as referring to the actor, given the context and Anto’s close association with him.

Soon after, industry insider Anura Mathai shared his excitement, writing, “The wait will be over soon! With the blessings of the Almighty, our Mammukka is back. We all waited with love, prayers, and hope — and today our hearts are full. Love you ikka.” Actor Maala Parvathi also joined in with a heartfelt note: “There is no better news than this. Mammukka has regained full health. Grateful to the doctors who treated him, to everyone who cared for him, and to the hospital. Love. Yessss… The King is back!”

Finally, George Sebastian, long-time associate of Mammootty, shared an especially emotional message: “With eyes brimming with joy, I stand before you with folded hands. To all who prayed, who stood by me, who comforted me when it seemed nothing would happen -- to all my dear ones, I offer my heartfelt thanks!” The heartfelt tone made the post feel almost like Mammootty’s own words, further moving fans. Adding to the chorus of relief, veteran filmmaker Siby Malayil, Puzhu director Ratheena PT, producer C V Sarathi and others also shared affectionate messages on social media.

According to an India Today report, Mithun has been roped in for a full-fledged role, integral to the storyline of Jailer 2. He is said to join Rajinikanth for shoot this week itself.

For the unversed, Rajinikanth has made special appearances in two Mithun movies in the past - Bhrastachar in 1989 and Bhagya Devta in 1997. The sequel, Jailer 2, is currently being shot in Chennai and other parts of India. It is being positioned as a bigger and bolder follow-up to the first installment that won hearts across the globe. Mithun, on the other hand, is awaiting the release of The Bengal Files.

Putting an end to recent speculation, young director Venky Atluri has denied reports that Bollywood star Anil Kapoor is playing a key role in his upcoming big-ticket Telugu film starring Tamil superstar Suriya. “We haven’t even approached Anil Kapoor. I haven’t met him or even spoken to him over the phone. We don't know how these rumours cropped up, hence these reports are false and baseless,” clarified Venky Atluri.

NTR Jr made Aditya Chopra change the climax to please his fans says journalist Subhash k Jha. Despite this War 2 is Telugu is trailing behinf Coolie Telugu in Two Telugu States. According to a report by journalist Subhash K Jha in Deccan Chronicle, NTR character was to die in the climax but he had it changed to please his fans.

Anil Kapoor with Suriya in Venky Film and more / RAKKIS OMR EPIQ SCREEN

 Three  news about Suriya. One is that he is doing a straight Malayalam film with Jithu Madhavan’s directorial and is produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu. Next is that Suriya’s Karuppu is being pushed from Diwali to Pongal and will take on Thalapathy Vijay Jana Nayagan and SK’s Parasakthi. 123Telugu has learned that noted director Venky Atluri recently met Anil Kapoor for a special role in his upcoming film featuring Suriya as the main lead.

The gossip in film circles is that Venky Atluri narrated the story of his new film to Anil Kapoor and requested him to play a crucial role. Reports suggest that Anil Kapoor liked his character and has given his nod. Though an official confirmation is yet to be made, this news is slowly going viral among film circles. Anl had acted in Mani Ratnam’s Pallavi Anu Pallavi and a Mohanlal- Priyadarshan film in a cameo.

Not many know that Anil Kapoor made his Telugu film debut with Bapu’s Vamsa Vruksham way back in 1980. It will be interesting to see what kind of role he takes up in this Venky Atluri film. Anil Kapoor has appeared in several movies that are remakes of South Indian films. Some of his notable remakes include Nayak (remake of Tamil film Mudhalvan), Mr. Bechara (remake of Tamil film Veetla Visheshanga), and Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (remake of Telugu film Pavitra Bandham). He also starred in Gharwali Baharwali, which is a remake of the Tamil film Thaikulame Thaikulame. 

 The blockbuster team of Director Chidambaram and write Jithu Madhvan after Manjumel Boys has launched next title Balan produced by Kannada banner KVN Productions. Director Jithu Madhavan, best known for helming films like Romancham and Aavesham.

It seems that Suriya who was to do Vaadivasal is to do the Jithu film for Thanu.

Rakki Cinemas is all set to open their 4th Venue this October 2025 at OMR with 6 world-class screens, including Chennai’s FIRST EPIQ Screen.

This news brought a superb response by the Tamil Movie lovers, as they always seek to experience movies on big screen. 

Qube Cinema introduced the Premium Large Format idea known as Epiq. Epiq employs immersive audio and Barco high contrast RGB laser projection on a 1.89 aspect ratio screen. The 4K-resolution content for Epiq will be expertly graded for high contrast projection.  

Recently, Hyderabad also got its first EPIQ Screen as Raviteja and Asian Group’s ART Cinemas introduced it. Now it is the turn of Chennai audiences to enjoy the movie watching experience in EPIQ Screen.

Will KPY Bala beat Sivakarthikeyan on September 5 ? Nayanthara Film with no Superstar Tag

 

Madharaasi is slated to hit the big screens on September 5 and same day KPY Bala's Gandhi Kannadi the debut film is re;easing. Bala is the comedian from Star Vijay TV channel.  Madharasi hero Sivakarthikeyan a top hero too like Bala had come from Star Vijay is today in the Rs 400 crore club. Given Bala’s popularity in the public and his charity acts have got him immense support. Given Director Murugadoss last outing Sikandar with Salman Khan being a disaster, will he regain his name with Madharasi ? Will Bala debut film be the case of David and Goliath ? Lets weigh the two films :

 After achieving his career biggest hit with Amaran, Sivakarthikeyan is gearing up to entertain audiences with the high-octane action thriller Madharaasi. Directed by AR Murugadoss, the film stars Sandalwood beauty Rukmini Vasanth as the female lead in her Kollywood debut.In a recent interview, the director was asked what kind of film Madharaasi is. Murugadoss stated, “It’s an action film with a love story at its core. The love track drives the action. Just like how Ghajini was a revenge story driven by love, Madharaasi will follow a similar style.”

Bollywood actor Vidyut Jamwal plays the antagonist, and Madharaasi marks his second collaboration with Murugadoss after Thuppakki. Anirudh is providing the tunes. N. Srilakshmi Prasad is bankrolling Madharaasi under the banner of Sri Lakshmi Movies.

Director Sherief of Ranam- Aram Thavarel fame's upcoming film Gandhi Kannadi, starring actor Bala, known for his stint in the hit comedy TV show Kalakka Povathu Yaaru marks his  debut in films, The plot is based on a real life incident is all we know. Apart from Bala, Gandhi Kannadi also stars Balaji Sakthivel, Archana and Namita Krishnamurthy, who is also a newcomer with projects such as November Story and Kannivedi and Fall to her credit, in pivotal roles.

Nayantara has walked the talk by shunning the Lady Superstar tag in the just-released teaser for her upcoming Malayalam comedy drama, Dear Students. Nayan’s gesture is winning hearts once again.

The Dear Students teaser, also featuring Mollywood star Nivin Pauly, promises to be a lighthearted comedy entertainer loaded with action. While Nayan is seen in the role of a cop, Nivin plays a restaurateur in the George Philip Roy and Sandeep Kumar directorial. The film, produced jointly by Vineet Jain and Nivin Pauly, is scheduled for release soon.

Coolie Falls Below Leo / Nagarjuna faces backlash

 Rajinikanth and NTR Jr missed creating box office history and Thalapathy Vijay is still the King of Kollywood Box Office. Cooolie Directed by Lokesh surpassed two out of three films from his own LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe). His film Kaithi collected Rs 6.4 cr on its opening day, while the Kamal Haasan-starrer Vikram minted Rs 37.5 crore on its first day. The only film that Coolie couldn’t surpass was Leo, starring Vijay, Trisha Krishnan, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Sarja. The 2023 film made an impressive Rs 76.2 crore on its first day and went on to make Rs 341 crore. Even though Coolie couldn’t beat Leo’s opening, it did leave behind several of Rajinikanth’s previous films. Coolie beat TJ Gnanavel’s Vettaiyan (Rs 31.5 cr), Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer (Rs 48.35 cr), Karthik Subbaraj’s Petta (Rs 14 cr), and S Shankar’s 2.0 (Rs 23 cr)

In Telugu states the film has collected more than 20 Cr gross and become the 1st ever film to do this from Kollywood. Pan-Indian star Prabhas has a rare record of a hat trick of 100 Cr opening grossers with Adipurush,  Salaar, and Kalki 2898 AD. Not even SRK could achieve it.  NTR’s last 2 films, RRR and Devara, opened with more than 100 Cr, and everyone expected that the War sequel will easily score an opening of 100 Cr and NTR will join this club.

But War 2 fails to open with 100 Cr+, and with that, NTR fails to match Prabhas’s record.

 

Nagarjuna villain act in Coolie has not gone down well with his core audience, They feel that he should stop accepting character roles and instead wait for right scripts and stage a comenack and point out Venkatesh as an example. Nag played a crucial character in Kuberaa, and it resulted in a mixed response from fans, as they liked his role in the 1st half, as there was a good balance, but in the 2nd half, the character was sidelined, and the film completely moved on to Dhanush’s side. After watching  Coolie , even the neutral audiences are disappointed, and fans are furious with Nagarjuna, as they are angry that he could do such a regular villain character for his stature.

SUN PICTURES WARNING TO THEATRES / ENDING EXPLAINED

 Sun Pictures  gave a  warning to cinemas. Their communication mentioned that their authorized representative will visit cinemas to check the actual number of tickets sold, ticket prices, and the DCR for their film Coolie. It added that “This check includes all tickets, with no exceptions for friends, family, or government officials.”

The letter mentioned that those found guilty of malpractice will have to pay a penalty of Rs. 2 lakhs. Moreover, the RO and KDM in that cinema will for Coolie will be cancelled immediately.

Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring Rajinikanth in the lead, has released in cinemas on August 14. The action packed film has left some subplots open-ended, leaving the audience asking for more. Here's a look at Coolie's ending

The film ends with the introduction of another syndicate member, Dahaa (Aamir Khan), who shares a dark connection with Deva's past. Recognising him, Dahaa brings Deva on board for a new mission, teasing a possible team-up in Coolie Part 2. Dayalan is then captured and killed by Dahaa.

 Coolie does not have any post-credit scenes. The movie ends on an emotional note when Deva decides not to inform Preethi that he is her biological father. He allows her to continue with life without the weight of the past. It is a great closing note, and the director evidently had the audience get out with that feeling in their minds.

As the scene dissolves, the credits roll, with no post-credits scenes or Easter eggs to keep audiences guessing. For anyone waiting for an extra scene, the lack of one could very well come as a surprising disappointment, but it certainly does not take away from the cinematic experience of the movie. In fact, it ensures that the emotional ending remains the highlight.

In an interview, the inspiration for the character played by Nagarjuna Akkineni, named Simon, came up. It was revealed that the role was largely inspired by Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight (2008).

Nagarjuna and Shruthi Haasan revealed details about obtaining inspiration from the character of Joker. As per Gulte, Nagarjuna mentioned that director Lokesh Kanagaraj is a big fan of Joker. “Lokesh had Heath Ledger’s Joker in his mind, he probably saw that madness in the Simon role,” Nagarjuna said. However, Nagarjuna is happy about one thing, he did not have to smile like Joker. He added, “I’m glad he didn’t put that smile.”