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

Priyanka highest paid actress in Indain cinema / Prithviraj may quit 5 pan India films / AVM title consent letter a publicity stunt ?

#LatestUpdates on #PrithvirajSukumaran's upcoming projects #Prithviraj is planning to leave from 5 pan-Indian projects (2 #Telugu, 1 #Tamil, 1 #Kannada, and 1 #Bollywood) to concentrate on #Kaaliyan,the #Tyson,#Salaar2 and his other #pendingprojects.But the #directors and #productionhouses are pressuring #Prithviraj to do all these films on his own date schedules.Prithviraj suggested #5actors to #replace him in these #panIndianprojects.And the production house is planning to arrange a #meeting to take a #finaldecision to solve this #situation. reports Kerala Box Office When asked if he would portray the main villain in filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s globe-trotting adventure picture, he simply replied that the media knows more than he does. “Nothing has been confirmed yet. There are many things to be discussed. Once things are in place, we will speak about it,” he further elaborated. John Abraham has been added to SSRajamouli project and therefore it is said that Prithviraj is qutting the film and John is replacing him. Only after discussions will we know the truth from Prithvirak about it.

Vijay Antony who had got the title Parasakthi from South Indian Film Chamber has questioned how Dawn Pictures the Producers of Sivakarthikeyan Parasakthi got it from Tamil film Producers Council. If the title is renewed by AVM, then South Indian Film Chamber would have asked him to get AVM permission but this did not happen ? So the title validity has lapsed and the AVM letter is just a publicity stunt ? Dawn Pictures even got censor certification for the Parasakthi teaser. Now will censors allow another film with same title from Chamber ?. A similar confusion arose over Jailer title. Sun registered the title in Tamil Film Producers council and a Malayalam film by same nam was registered with Kerala Film Chamber. Both got censored.Similarly Vijay Antony has registred the title Parasakthi with Telugu Council and so also Dwan Pictures. However Vijay's title is having different spelling from the other.In age of digital, such confusion coming up is laughable and shows that all language trade bodies are not on same page.In fact it is not legally needed to have the title registered with any trade bodies for censorship.glish India Government has authorised Indian Film Makers Association the mother body of Indian film makers co- operative society limited (IFMA) is duly authorised to approve/ reject/ keep pending titles of Films/ TV Shows/ Web Series and other formats to the applicant member Producer ; watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh62kUuu5o0

Bollywood Hungama reports ; If sources are to be believed, Priyanka Chopra will walk away with a staggering Rs 30 crores fee, the highest ever paid to a female actor in Hindi cinema, for her female lead in S S Rajamouli’s untitled jungle adventure starring Mahesh Babu.This fee, reportedly less than what Mrs Jonas had asked for, came after months of negotiation between the two teams. “This is why they took so long to announce her participation in the project. She was not willing to budge over her fee, and why should she? Why should only the men actors get double-digit salaries in our films?” a source in the know informed this writer from Hyderabad. With Rajamouli’s untitled jungle adventure, Priyanka Chopra becomes the highest paid Indian actress of all times. More info on the film: the jungle action adventure will feature Mahesh Babu as a desi Rambo slashing his way through thick foliage. The actioner is likely to be shot in Thailand and also in India.

Prithviraj replaced by John Abraham / Thalapathy Vijay wife shifted to London

Prithviraj has been replaced by John Abraham in SS Rakamouli film with Mahesh Babu says a source. Reason being that Prithviraj does not have the dates as he is moving on new projects in South and Bollyood. John will take part in a few scenes in the Hyderabad schedule going on in Hyderabad Raed https://dhakshinscreen.blogspot.com/2025/01/malavika-in-aishwarya-lakshmi-out-no.html John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra, who have shared screen space in films like Karam and Dostana. Starring Mahesh Babu as the leading man, the film is expected to be an action adventure that will also be shot extensively in international waters. From what we hear, the makers kicked off the schedule with a Mahurat pooja on January 3 and later, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas flew down to Hyderabad sparking rumours of her association with the entertainer. Earlier this week, Rajamouli too shared an intriguing post about ‘capturing’ Mahesh Babu finally for the shoot of the movie. Meanwhile, John is gearing up for the release of The Diplomat. The film will hit the screens on March 7, 2025 and the first poster of it is out. The actor looks sharp in a grey suit and red tie, sporting a mustache and an intense expression. The poster carries a powerful tagline – “True hero needs no weapons” – and also reveals that the film is based on a true story. Sharing the poster on Instagram, he wrote, “Honoured to bring this story of courage and diplomacy to life. See you in theatres on March 7th.” The upcoming film follows the courageous journey of an Indian diplomat who embarks on a mission to rescue an Indian girl trapped in Pakistan, where she was allegedly coerced into a forced marriage against her wishes. The film also features Kumud Mishra, Sharib Hashmi, Amitoj Mann, Benjamin Gilani, Sadia Khateeb, Ashwath Bhatt, Ram Gopal Bajaj among others.

Bollywood Shaadi.com reports The report further stated that due to Thalapathy Vijay’s rumored relationship with Trisha Krishnan, his marriage with Sangeetha Sornalingam has been severely affected. Sangeetha has been absent from the public eye for quite some time now. According to a report, she is living separately from her husband in London where their daughter Divya Saasha is also pursuing her education. Sangeetha lives with her parents in London and this has furthermore led to rumors of her marital discord with the Theri actor. Thalapathy Vijay and Trisha Krishnan were seen in Ghilli, Aathi, Thirupachi, and Kuruvi. However, after Kuruvi, they did not collaborate on any film for 15 years. However, they reunited onscreen for the 2023 film Leo.

Malavika in Aishwarya Lakshmi out / no phones for Priyanka Chopra / LYCA banks on Prithviraj MAGIC

A report stated that the core team, including Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra, had to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This agreement stops them from sharing any details about the project. If someone breaks this rule, they face financial penalties. Priyanka arrived from Toronto to Hyderabad and shoot is on at an Aluminium factory at outskirts of Hyderabad (Serilingampally). Even the actors cannot bring their phones to the sets. To describe this situation SS Rajamouli put a post In the photo, he holds a passport. In the background, there is an image of a lion behind bars. Is Mahesh Babu the Lion ?

Malavika Mohanan is to act opposite Mohanlal in Hridyapoorvam directed by Satyan Anthikad. This is the 20 film of Lal- Anthikad combo. At first Aishwarya Lekshmi was play this role but now Malavika has replaced. Satyan’s two sons are assisting Dad. Produced by Ashirwad Cinemas.

Subaskaran's Lyca Productions Makes Explosive Malayalam Debut with Mohanlal's High-Octane Action Thriller "L2: Empuraan"; Teaser Out Now Lyca Productions, one of South India's leading production houses, is set to make its entry into the Malayalam film industry with the highly anticipated project, L2E Empuraan. Directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, the film stars "The Complete Actor" Mohanlal in the lead role, marking their hat-trick third collaboration as director and actor after the super successful films, Lucifer and Bro Daddy. As the second instalment of the trilogy that began with the 2019 blockbuster Lucifer, L2E Empuraan promises to deliver an epic cinematic experience. The teaser launch was held in Kochi today and was graced by the presence of Megastar Mammootty as the chief guest, the film's principal cast and crew, and other prominent personalities. https://youtu.be/AYzSvao5RbQ The teaser sets the stage in an abandoned town in Northern Iraq named "Qaraqosh," introducing the character Steven Nedumpally, a saviour with a dark and intriguing side as Ab'raam Qureshi, who leads the most powerful mercenary hit group in Asia. The film showcases Mohanlal in an action-packed avatar with larger-than-life visuals. The film explores themes of power, betrayal, and control by blending elements of the political nexus and the world of mercenaries. Lyca Productions, founded by Subaskaran and headed by G.K.M. Tamil Kumaran, is a top production house known for delivering high-budget and content-driven films. For its Malayalam debut, Lyca Productions partnered with renowned producer Antony Perumbavoor's Aashirwad Cinemas Pvt. Ltd banner and bankrolled this massive project. The stellar ensemble cast includes Prithviraj Sukumaran, Indrajith Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, Manju Warrier, Saniya Iyyappan, Sai Kumar, and Baiju Santosh in pivotal roles.

L2E: Empuraan was written by Murali Gopy, with music composed by Deepak Dev and cinematography by Sujith Vaassudev. Suresh Balaje and George Pius served as Executive Producers. Prithviraj Productions handled the Production Design and Mohandas served as the Art Director. L2E: Empuraan is slated for a grand worldwide release on March 27, 2025, in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi languages.