Lokah - Kalyani as Superwoman for ONAM / Coolie set to Break Pushpa 2

 Kalyani and Naslen in a Youth Vibe! "Lokah – Chapter One: Chandra" in Theatres for Onam

The seventh production from Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films, "Lokah – Chapter One: Chandra", will arrive in theatres as an Onam release. The makers have now unveiled the film's latest poster. The project is significant for being the first in Indian cinema to introduce a lady superhero. "Lokah" will reach audiences worldwide through Dulquer's Wayfarer Films.

Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen play the lead roles in this superhero entertainer, written and directed by Dominic Arun. Mounted on a mega budget, "Chandra" is the first instalment in a superhero cinematic universe titled "Lokah". Kalyani Priyadarshan essays the role of a superhero in the film. Following the release of the teaser, the project has generated tremendous hype. Cinephiles are eagerly anticipating its theatrical release.

The first look poster was unveiled earlier. Both the teaser and the initial poster hinted at a storyline and setting never before seen by Malayalam audiences. The film also stars Chandhu Salim Kumar, Arun Kurian and Shanthy Balachandran in pivotal roles. As the opening chapter of a multi-part cinematic universe, "Lokah – Chapter One: Chandra" carries massive expectations.

Cinematography: Nimish Ravi, Music: Jakes Bejoy, Editor: Chaman Chacko,Executive Producers: Jom Varghese, Bibin Perumbally, Additional Screenplay: Shanthy Balachandran, Production Designer: Banglan, Art Director: Jithu Sebastian, Make-up: Ronex Xavier, Costume Designers: Melvy J, Archana Rao, Stills: Rohith K Suresh, Amal K Sadar, Action Choreographer: Yannick Ben, Production Controllers: Rini Divakar, Vinosh Kaimal, Chief Associate:

 Sujith Suresh , Pro : Yuvraaj

 Coolie is chasing a never-before South Cinema record. 

Till now, no film has collected a double-digit gross in all 5 southern states: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. Rajinikanth’s Coolie now has a chance of chasing this never-before South Cinema record. 

The film starting with a double-digit opening in Tamil Nadu is obvious, and in Kerala, the advance sales have already crossed the 5 Cr mark, with high chances for a 10 Cr+ start. Karnataka advances have crossed the 4 Cr mark, with full-fledged bookings yet to open.

So, a double-digit opening for the film in Karnataka is also certain, and Coolie has a higher chance of opening with a double-digit gross opening in Telugu states as well.

For any film, this chance is very rare, but Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie has a high chance of achieving this. Even Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 has failed to achieve this, as the film opened in Kerala with a single-digit number.

Kalidas Jayram in Prasanth Varma Mahakali / Mrunal with SK shocks Dhanush Fans

 Jayram and family prayed at Tirupati temple for th success of son Kalidas who signed his first Telugu film Mahakali. Earlier Akshyae Khanna was signed. The film announcement came two years back as first woman superhero film but in between Kalyani Priyadarshan has a Onam release and that is said to be her in a first woman superhero film

Prasanth Varma’s first film from PVCU- HanuMan was a sensational hit, and the second movie with Nandamuri Mokshagnya was announced recently. , PVCU3 was announced through an astonishing poster. Mokshagnya  is the grandson of the Indian matinee idol, N. T. Rama Rao, who was also the former Chief Minister of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, and son of Indian actor and politician Nandamuri Balakrishna.

The movie set in Bengali where Goddess Kali is worshipped is titled Mahakali, and this which marks first Indian female superhero film will be helmed by a lady director Puja Aparna Kolluru.

India’s leading distribution company RKD Studios is venturing into production with this movie to be mounted on a large canvas with a big budget and lavish technical standards. The film written by Prasanth Varma will be produced by Riwaz Ramesh Duggal on RKD Studios and presented by RK Duggal.

The title poster sees a cozy moment between the girl and the tiger. It also sees circus set-up in the background, and crowd is fleeing as the giant wheel is set on fire. Like in HanuMan, there is a special object that can be observed in the title logo of Mahakali. Mahakali will be released in all Indian languages and also foreign languages in 3D IMAX format. Smaran Sai scores the music, while Sri Nagendra Tangalla is the production designer. The film’s lead cast and other technicians will be revealed later.

Is Dhanush- Mrunal Thakur romance just a media creation ? Why we feel so is that Venkar Prabhu is said to have approached Mrunal for his next film with Sivakarthikeyan. We all know that SK has lot of grudges against Dhanush and the latter too on SK. One being that Dhanush tried to keep SK under his thumb as a mentor by dictating which films to do and the latter that he went out of the way with SK to promote him at the start of the career but later moved over to turn into a rival. In fact it even soured Dhanush- Anirudh ties. Dhanush was overjoyed when GVP won his national award for Sir/ Vaathi as he was the hero. Anyway, SK after the Amaran box office hit has moved to Rs 400 crore club. So Dhanush fans are wondering whether Mrunal Anni ( sister) will join SK.

 

Mohanlal Effeminate Act for Jwellery Ad rocks / Kalyani Priyadarshan Onam Bonanza

Mohanlal appearing in an advt for VINSMERA Jewels is talk of the town and add to it that the ad Director is Prakash the baddie of Thodarum. After seeing the advt, I searched for reactions on the net and I copy paste a post by Karthik on X. I found this concise. Personally I had to revisit the advt to see the name of the client that has footed the bill.

A man yearning for his feminine side in a jewellery advertisement? That's precisely what Mohanlal pulls off with ease here! Directed by Prakash Varma (veteran ad film director and the one who recently debuted as an actor/villain the recent Mohanlal starrer Thudarum), the ad's narrative starts with a routine idea - big star is going to act in an ad and walks into the set. When the jewellery goes missing, there are enough signs for you to see what's going on. But not the why. As in, why would a superstar "steal" that? The 'why' is the ad's highlight. This side of Mohanlal is familiar to his fans, from films like Kamaladalam and Vaanaprastham. While we do have men's jewellery (the Men of Platinum campaigns have been showcasing sports stars like MS Dhoni, Suryakumar Yadav, among others) being endorsed by famous men, they don't go into getting those men to demonstrate or showcase their feminine side. They simply use the jewellery within the confines of 'manliness'. And many jewellery brands use male brand ambassadors already - Malabar Gold (including Mohanlal as a brand ambassador!), Jos Alukkas, etc. have used literally the who's who of Indian male film stars already. In this ad though, Mohanlal seems to be transfixed with the jewellery, removed from a female model's neck moments ago, in a way that he not only remembers his feminine side but also embraces it momentarily... till he is interrupted by Prakash Varma. The idea is particularly admirable in these days of the 'Animal' and Manosphere where men seem to forget XY and imagining that they are the non-existent YY. The only other actor who can pull such a thing effortlessly in India is Kamal Haasan. But Mohanlal is adequately versatile enough too, for this idea. While I admire the gender fluidity showcased in the ad, the larger question is this, though: Would women prefer/crave for jewellery if it is shown as being craved by a man (who happens to be Mohanlal, no less)? Or, would they prefer it if they see how it sits on another woman, Source; Karthik on X

Kalyani Priyadarshan has two Malayalam films slated for release during the Onam festival in 2025: "Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira" and "Lokah Chapter One: Chandra". "Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira", a romantic comedy co-starring Fahadh Faasil, is scheduled for release on August 29th, while "Lokah Chapter One: Chandra", a superhero film with Kalyani as the lead, is expected to be released during the Onam season, but the exact date is not specified. 

Here's a breakdown:

• "Odum Kuthira Chaadum Kuthira":

This film, directed by Althaf Salim, features Kalyani Priyadarshan and Fahadh Faasil in the lead roles. The movie is set to be a romantic comedy with a blend of humor and heartfelt moments. It is scheduled to clash with another film, "Maine Pyar Kiya", on August 29th. 

• "Lokah Chapter One: Chandra":

This film marks Kalyani Priyadarshan's foray into the superhero genre and is the first Malayalam film to feature a female superhero. The movie is produced by Dulquer Salmaan's Wayfarer Films and directed by Arun Gopy. It's described as a visually rich and action-driven story with a contemporary setting. The film also stars Naslen, Chandu Salim Kumar, and Arun Kurian, with Dulquer Salmaan rumored to make a cameo appearance. 

 

Nani to Join Karthi Marshal / Mithran to Direct Naga Chaitanya

 

Nivin Pauly, Nani is set to  join Karthi’s Marshal. Read https://dhakshinscreen.blogspot.com/2025/07/nivin-pauly-with-karthi-29-sai-to.html . Kollywood’s versatile actor Karthi has joined hands with director Tamizh, who previously delivered the critically acclaimed film Taanakkaran, headlined by Vikram Prabhu. The collaboration was officially launched today with a traditional pooja ceremony. The principal photography has also commenced today.

Titled Marshal, the movie’s pre-look poster has been unveiled, showing Karthi with folded hands. The image also suggests that the story unfolds in a coastal region. Marshal marks the 29th film in Karthi’s career. Adorable beauty and terrific performer Kalyani Priyadarshan plays the female lead.

Veteran actors Sathyaraj, Prabhu, and Lal will be seen in pivotal roles. SR Prakash Babu and SR Prabhu are producing the film under the Dream Warrior Pictures banner. The latest musical sensation, Sai Abhyankkar, is on board as the music composer, while Sathyan Sooryan will handle the cinematography.

Tamil actor Karthi also has a good image among Telugu audiences. The Meiyazhagan actor was recently seen in Nani’s HIT-3’s Climax. Now, it is being said that Nani will make a special appearance in Karthi’s film.

Karthi’s busy right now with two movies: ‘Vaa Vaathiyar’ by Nalan Kumarasamy and ‘Sardar 2’ by P.S. Mithran.

As per the latest update, Chay is reportedly in talks with acclaimed Tamil director PS Mithran for an exciting new project. This news has been making the rounds for the last two days. Known for his intelligent storytelling and gripping screenplays in films like Irumbu Thirai and Sardar, Mithran is set to collaborate with Chay for a social drama, as per the gossip.

If all goes well, the film will mark a fresh genre for Chaitanya, who is exploring diverse roles post-Thandel. Stay tuned for more updates. Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi’s Thandel was released in theaters this February and received positive reviews. Thandel received a blockbuster TRP upon its first television premiere.

The World Television Premiere of Thandel was on June 29 on ZEE Telugu, and the film got 10.32 TRP.

This is too good a rating, and it stands as the top 3 this year behind Sankranthiki Vasthunam and Pushpa 2: The Rule.

Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, Thandel brought superb accolades for Chaitanya, while Sai Pallavi also impressed everyone with her heartfelt performance. Their on-screen chemistry, last seen in Love Story, worked in this movie too.

Thandel received a blockbuster TRP upon its first television premiere. The film’s music, scored by Devi Sri Prasad, is the major highlight after the lead pair. The film also features Divya Pillai, Prakash Raj, Aadukalam Naren, Jabardasth Mahesh, and Babloo Prithiveeraj in supporting roles.

Anushka is REAL LADY SUPERSTAR / Kalyani Superhero and in Karthi film

 Anushka Shetty's Ghatti the female centric Telugu film OTT rights has been sold for Rs 36 crores to Amazon. No heroine centric film in the South has been sold for this price so far. Also OTT Play says that Anushka acting Benz is false new; Read on

Anushka Shetty's name gets associated with Kaithi 2

For the last two days, news has come out that none other than Anushka Shetty will be playing the female lead and that she has signed the dotted line. But we at OTTplay have come to know that there is no truth to this news, and the reports circulating are false.

One of the sources close to Anushka from Hyderabad has confirmed to us that no one has even approached her to date and that whatever news is being circulated is not true. The source goes on to add that Anushka is done with the shoot of her Telugu film Ghaati and has not committed to any other Tamil or Telugu film to date.

One can see Anushka after a long gap in Ghaati, which has been directed by Krish of Vedham fame. She will be seen in a crazy role in this film, which also features Vikram Prabhu, the noted Tamil actor, in a key role. Stay tuned for more updates on this project.

We at OTTplay have come to know that Amazon has spent a whopping ₹36 crore to acquire the digital rights. This is the highest-ever price for any female-centric film in the South and shows the kind of following Anushka Shetty commands, despite not doing many films of late.

Ghaati is Anushka Shetty's new film that is all set to hit the screens on July 11, 2025. The teaser surprised one and all, and the trailer will be out soon. The makers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the film resonates with the audience.

Vikram Prabhu in Ghaati

The news is also that Ghaati will be out on OTT within a month of its theatrical release, and that is one of the reasons Amazon has spent big on the film.

Ghaati also features Tamil actor Vikram Prabhu in a key role. Krish, of Vedham and Hari Hara Veera Mallu fame, has directed the film on a massive scale. A source close to the unit has revealed to us that Ghaati has been made on a budget of ₹45 crore, and out of that, ₹36 crore has already been recovered through digital rights. the producers are now in advanced talks to close the theatrical rights in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for over ₹12 crore, ensuring a profitable pre-release recovery,"

The teaser showcasing Anushka in a fierce, cigar-smoking anger-driven role created major buzz. Combined with Krish’s intense teaser cut,it sealed the deal at a record price.

Karthi next Marshal to be shot by Director Tamizh will have Kalyani Priyadarshan along with Vadivelu who plays a role equal to main lead. ‘LOKA – Chapter 1: Chandra’, the first instalment in a bold new cinematic universe. The film stars Kalyani with Basleen. Poster shows Kalyani in a superhero charchter.

All about Kalyani Priyadarshan and Naslen's film

Dulquer Salmaan announced Wayfarer Films’ seventh production in September 2024. Now, the team has announced that the film girst look , helmed by Arun Dominic, has wrapped up shooting after 94 days of shooting on January 29, 2025.  

Apart from Naslen, the film also features Arun Kurian and Chandu Salimkumar. All three actors had wrapped up shooting