Nivin Pauly B'Day lineup / Kantara moves to Top 2 Indian Grosser// Kerala composer for Vijay Devarakonda

As actor Nivin Pauly celebrates his birthday, fans are celebrating the promise of what looks to be a monumental phase in his career. The upcoming year is loaded with a versatile lineup that audiences have been eagerly awaiting, signaling a brilliant new era for the star. While the slate is diverse, the biggest cheer is for his foray into the fan-favorite genres he has perfected. The fun begins with Sarvam Maya, a horror-comedy for Christmas 2025 that reunites him with Aju Varghese. Following this is the highly anticipated Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, a romantic comedy from the blockbuster Premalu team. Paired with Mamitha Baiju, this is the perfect Nivin Pauly entertainer that fans have been craving. But his artistic range doesn't stop there. He will showcase his intense side in the thriller Baby Girl, hitting theatres this November. His presence in Tamil cinema is also growing stronger, with director Ram’s unique romantic psychological thriller Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai releasing soon. In a massive future leap, he will also enter the Lokesh Cinematic Universe as the villain "Walter" in the 2026 film Benz. Capping off this powerful lineup is a high-budget political thriller directed by B. Unnikrishnan and backed by Gokulam Movies. His creative expansion continues beyond the big screen. Nivin is making his much-anticipated web series debut with Pharma, an intense drama exploring the world of medical representatives. As a producer, he also backs ambitious projects like the pan-Indian superhero film Multiverse Manmadhan and the Nayanthara-starrer Dear Students under his Pauly Jr. Pictures banner. Nivin Pauly is masterfully balancing the genres he is celebrated for with bold new challenges. For his legions of fans, this birthday marks the exciting beginning of a festival of cinema.

Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1 Box office data War 2 For the first week, Kantara Chapter 1 sets the milestone this year, and within 10 days, it surpasses Coolie’s full run collections and emerges as the top 3 grosser for this year in Indian movies. Tomorrow the film will cross Saiyaara and will settle at the top 2, but to reach the top 1 position, the film needs to maintain a stronghold for at least another two weeks, as Chhaava, which is in the first place, collected 800 Cr gross. Kantara Chapter 1 joined the 500 Cr grossers’ club yesterday, becoming the 4th Indian film to do so in 2025, and today, by beating Coolie’s lifetime gross (520 Cr), it became the biggest South Indian grosser this year as well. On the opening day and 1st weekend, Rajinikanth’s Coolie maintains a big lead over Kantara Chapter as it had the biggest opening and biggest weekend for Indian cinema this year. But after the weekend the film crashes, whereas the Kantara prequel maintains a strong hold.Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1 Box office data War 2 For the first week, Kantara Chapter 1 sets the milestone this year, and within 10 days, it surpasses Coolie’s full run collections and emerges as the top 3 grosser for this year in Indian movies. Tomorrow the film will cross Saiyaara and will settle at the top 2, but to reach the top 1 position, the film needs to maintain a stronghold for at least another two weeks, as Chhaava, which is in the first place, collected 800 Cr gross.

Vijay Deverakonda’s new film with Ravi Kiran Kola of Raja Vaaru Rani Gaaru was formally launched with a pooja ceremony. For the first time in her career, Keerthy Suresh is sharing screen space with Vijay Deverakonda. Rowdy Janardhan is the title. According to the latest buzz on social media, Malayalam music composer Christo Xavier will make his Tollywood debut with Rowdy Janardhan. Christo Xavier is known for films like Bramayugam, Turbo, and Sookshmadarshini. An official confirmation is awaited. The project will be bankrolled by ace producer Dil Raju under the banner of Sri Venkateswara Creations. Apart from Rowdy Janardhan, Vijay also has a film with Rahul Sankrityan of Taxiwala fame, and the project is now in the production phase.

Divine Power made me Hero - Pradeep / Rowdy Baby with Dhanush

During the promotional event of his upcoming film Dude in the Telugu states, Tamil actor Pradeep Ranganathan was asked an uncomfortable question by a Telugu journalist, which quickly stirred debate across social media. The journalist began with a dismissive remark, saying, “Please don’t take it otherwise, but you don’t look like a film hero. You’ve achieved so much success with just two films; is this your luck?” Pradeep Ranganathan also replied gracefully, saying that apart from talent, he believes divine grace has played a role in his success. He mentioned that audiences might see themselves in his characters, which makes his films more relatable. Veteran actor Sarath Kumar, who was present at the Dude promotional event alongside Pradeep, stepped in to respond. He stated that such questions are inappropriate and emphasized that there is no fixed standard for what a hero should look like. He added that anyone whose actions benefit society can be considered a hero. The film Dude appears to follow the familiar formula seen in “Return of the Dragon”: Pradeep dating a vibrant girl, only for a past love story to surface later. In “Dragon,” Kayadu Lohar and Anupama Parameswaran played those roles, while in “Dude,” Mamitha Baiju and Neha Shetty take on similar parts. As per the latest buzz, Pradeep Ranganathan will be taking a long break of 3 to 4 months after the release of his next project, Love Insurance Kompany (LIK). Also starring Krithi Shetty in a lead role, the sci-fi romantic comedy is slated for a December 18th release. Apparently, during his 4-month-long break, Pradeep Ranganathan will be focusing on completing a script. He may also consider directing the film, apart from starring in it. The talented actor-director will discuss scripts narrated by other directors during the break. Pradeep Ranganathan has amassed a decent fan base across the twin Telugu states, and his Telugu fans are eagerly waiting for his next projects.

Actress Sai Pallavi and Dhanush were seen together in Maari 2 (2018), and their song, Rowdy Baby, is a sensational hit, and even today many fans enjoy that song. The latest news is that Dhanush and Sai Pallavi will reunite for Mari Selvaraj’s upcoming film. Mari Selvaraj’s next film, Bison, starring Dhruv Vikram, is slated for release this Diwali, and the actor signed two projects after this: one with Dhanush and the second one is the first movie of Udhay Stalin’s son Inbanithi’s debut movie.Pallavi was last seen in Thandel earlier this year and in Amaran in Tamil last year. She has Mere Raho and 2 parts of Nitish Tiwari's Ramayana in the pipeline. Dhanush, on the other hand, is fresh off the release of his fourth directorial, Idli Kadai. The actor is awaiting the release of Tere Ishk Mein, directed by his Raanjhanaa filmmaker Aanand L Rai. He is set to portray former President APJ Abdul Kalam in Kalam: The Missile Man of India, directed by Om Raut, and Ilaiyaraaja in a biopic from his Captain Miller filmmaker Arun Matheswaran. Dhanush's upcoming projects also include one film with Amaran director Rajkumar Periasamy and D54 with Vignesh Raja.

Kamal as Pinrayi - Balchandra Menon as Oomen Chandy / Beef Biryani cut out in Shane film

Shane Nigam’s much-anticipated film 'Soul of Haal' has run into a censorship crisis, with the Censor Board instructing the filmmakers to remove a scene featuring beef biryani and dialogues related to a ceremonial salute. In response, the film’s production team has approached the Kerala High Court, challenging the board’s directive. The board’s objections include the dialogue “Dhwaja Pranama, the team is on guard” and a scene depicting the consumption of beef biryani. These instructions have delayed the issuance of the censor certificate, putting the film’s release on hold. Filmmakers argue that these cuts compromise the narrative and have sought judicial intervention to resolve the issue. Directed by debutant Veer, 'Haal' was originally scheduled to release on September 12, but the date was subsequently postponed.Haal is written by Nishad K. Koya, who is known for scripting Ordinary, Thoppil Joppan, Shikari Shambu and Madhura Naranga. The film, one of the biggest budget projects in Shane Nigam’s career, features Sakshi Vaidya in the female lead role. Sakshi amade her debut with Akhil in Agent with Mammooty in a pivotal role, She also signeda Pawan Kalyan film.

The supporting cast boasts seasoned actors such as Johnny Antony, Nath, Vineeth Beep Kumar, K. Madhupal, Sangeetha Madhavan Nair, Joy Mathew, Nishant Sagar, Niyas Becker, Riyas Narmakala, Suresh Krishna, Ravindran, Sohan Seenulal, Manoj K.U., Unniraj, and Sreedhanya, promising a strong ensemble performance. 'Haal' is slated for a simultaneous release in Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada, positioning it as a colorful, multi-lingual entertainer. In addition, the film marks Bollywood singer Ankith Tiwari’s Malayalam cinema debut. The censorship row highlights the ongoing tension between creative freedom and regulatory oversight, with filmmakers urging the court to allow the film to be released without compromising its content. The High Court’s decision is eagerly awaited by fans and industry watchers alike, who have been anticipating Shane Nigam’s latest performance. As the legal proceedings unfold, the film’s release remains in limbo, intensifying anticipation for one of Malayalam cinema’s most talked-about projects of the year. --IANS

Balachandra Menon is expected to play Oommen Chandy, Nivin Pauly is likely to be cast as Chandy Oommen—the late Congress leader’s son and incumbent MLA representing Puthuppally.Noted director B. Unnikrishnan, who last worked with Mammootty in 'Christopher', is said to be at the helm of the project. According to a report by Manorama News, the film will not be presented as a biopic of Oommen Chandy, who is rated among the most popular politicians in Kerala’s history. Among the details expected to be included in the movie are the various corruption allegations that led to political uproar in the state. Earlier, there were reports that Unnikrishnan was shooting the Secretariat blockade protest organised by the CPI(M)-led LDF workers in 2013. The Opposition workers had surrounded the Kerala Secretariat in August 2013 as a part of the protest against the solar scam—a major political controversy of the time when Oommen Chandy was in power. The longest-serving member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Oommen Chandy passed away in 2023 and his son Chandy Oommen became the new MLA of Puthuppally. Nivin Pauly is expected to portray the 39-year-old's role in the movie. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP and veteran actor Kamal Haasan is reportedly getting ready for a Mollywood return by being part of a rumoured biopic of incumbent Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Manorama News report said. The way his leadership dealt with the deluge of 2018 and the Covid pandemic will be shown in the movie. A younger Vijayan’s interventions during the 1971 Thalassery riots is also expected to find a place in the film. However, it was not exactly known if Haasan will be seen as Pinarayi Vijayan in the movie which is also expected to release before the southern state goes to polling booths next year. Report in The Week News Desk

Ayyappanum Koshy in Dulquer v/s Customs / Mohanlal blocks Ajay Devgn Drishyam

For fans of the Drishyam series, October 2 is a date that needs no explanation. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the announcement teaser of Drishyam 3, starring Ajay Devgn, on this special day. However, the date came and went with no teaser, leaving fans wondering what happened. While the official reason given was a delay in background music, the real story seems to be a plot twist worthy of the film itself. The truth is that a one-minute-25-second teaser was all ready to go. The real reason for the delay is a disagreement between the Hindi film’s producer, Kumar Mangat Pathak, and the creators of the original Malayalam masterpiece, director Jeethu Joseph and producer Antony Perumbavoor. What Really Happened On October 2? According to sources, there is a special clause in the contract between the Hindi and Malayalam teams. This rule says that the Hindi team cannot make any major announcements about their film without getting permission from the original makers first. This clause reportedly came into play after the Hindi team announced their film’s release date, October 2, 2026, right after Mohanlal began shooting for the Malayalam version.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) jumps into the Dulquer car confiscation issue to save the face of Customs Commissioner by raiding the house of the actor across Chennai and Kochi. Dulquer sgares the same address with Dad Mammootty made it look like the Mega Star was involved. Customes had no answers to questions like Whhy do you need to take custody of a car that was gegistered two decades back and in use on basis of reasonable belief . The court asked why it ignored the papers that showed Dulquer having bought the car that the actor had bought the car from the previous owner and that it was not that the actor was the first owner. It is said that Dulquer wanted the Customes to release the car unconditionally as taking it in custody was illegal. The court pointed out that taking the car into custody on just reasonable basis and without any solid reason to do so was not in order but the actor should follow the procedure and ask in writing for return of car. Now customs through ED is trying to further delay the car return. Ro make matters, Customs Commissioner is under severe cyber attack from the actor and his Dad's fans. The case is turning out to be a Ayyappan Koshy kind of drama.

No Bahubali 3 / EPIC Runtime locked / Samantha in Vetrimaaran- STR film

Producer Shobhu Yarlagadda has announced that Baahubali: The Epic will have an impressive runtime of about 3 hours and 40 minutes. Fans of the franchise are eager to see how the creators have merged both parts of the original story into one spectacular film. As per the producer, Baahubali: The Epic has its runtime finalized and neatly divided into two parts: the first half, Baahubali: The Beginning, and the second half, Baahubali: The Conclusion. This format allows viewers to relive the full journey of Amarendra and Mahendra Baahubali in a single sitting, with all the drama, action, and emotion that made the original films iconic. With this announcement, expectations are high for Baahubali: The Epic, which aims to deliver a cinematic spectacle that honors the legacy of the franchise while offering a spectacular ride to the fans.Producer Shobu Yarlagadda has officially clarified that Baahubali 3 will not be announced in Baahubali: The Epic. While fans were hoping for a major update, he confirmed that the team still has a lot of work to do before anything can be revealed. The statement puts to rest any speculation about a third installment being hinted at in the re-released version.

Samantha is excitedly anticipating her big comeback in films, with reports from Tamil circles suggesting that she is in discussions to take on the female lead role in Vetrimaaran and Simbu’s upcoming project. If this project materializes, then definitely this will be a perfect way for a comeback for the actress, as Vetrimaaran’s films always have a great scope for solid performances.The film’s shooting is expected to start this month, and Anirudh is likely to compose the music, and it will be his first time with Vetrimaaran.

Kamal Haasan at Karur / Rishab Shetty love Affair and Atheism

Kamal Haasan, Rajya Sabha MP, would be at the stampede site in Velusamypuram, interact with the local people and is also expected to meet the families of victims, according to sources in MNM. Taking to his official X handle (Formerly known as Twitter), the Vikram actor wrote, "My heart trembles. The news coming from Karur brings shock and sorrow. I am at a loss for words to express my deepest condolences to the innocent people who lost their lives trapped in the crowd congestion." He added," I urge the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that those rescued from the congestion receive proper treatment and that those affected receive appropriate relief." Forty one persons were killed and over 50 were injured in the September 27 stampede at the rally addressed by top actor Vijay, the chief of fledgling Tamila Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Director Puri Jagannadh expressed grief over the tragic stampede at the Karur rally in Tamil Nadu on Saturday (September 27). He also stated that, owing to the unfortunate incident, Team Puri Sethupathi has postponed the title and teaser launch event planned for Vijay Sethupathi's film.

Rishab Shetty and Pragathi Shetty's love story Known as the ‘power couple of Sandalwood’, Pragathi and Rishab’s love story is a fairytale. While he enjoys the limelight, being in front of the camera, she is the wind beneath his wings. According to reports, Rishab met Pragathi, a costume designer, at a film event. A couple of weeks later, they chatted on Facebook and became friends. Gradually, the couple fell in love. However, Pragathi’s parents were against the relationship as Shetty was yet to find success in the film industry. After convincing them, they tied the knot in 2017. Rishab and Pragathi welcomed Ranvit in 2019. Their daughter Radhya was born in 2022. As per reports, Pragathi joined Rishab in Bell Bottom, the 2019 Kannada language film, as the costume designer. She also worked on Kantara (2022). Netizens came out on X (former Twitter) to discuss Pragathi’s cameo in Kantara Chapter 1. She features in a blink-and-miss role in the first half of the film, during the chariot scene. Not just Rishab’s wife, his son Ranvit, also has a cameo. Pragathi played a brief role in Kantara (2022), where she was seen as the king’s wife. Recently, during an interview, Rishab was asked about the negative reviews surrounding Kantara: Chapter 1 particularly the criticism that the film promotes superstitious beliefs. His calm and thoughtful response has now gone viral on social media. Rishab Shetty said he doesn’t make films with any biased agenda or propaganda. He added that while he believes in God, he also respects people who don’t share the same belief and simply asked that others respect his faith in return. Read more at: https://www.m9.news/movienews/rishab-shetty-viral-statement-kantara-criticism/

Shankar's Velpari copied by Kantara 1 / NETFLIX Removes Bahubali - WHY ?

 Some viewers on social media claim that parts of Kantara: A Legend-Chapter 1 resemble the Velpari novel. They believe Rishabh Shetty drew inspiration from the novel while shaping certain sequences in the film. This has created sharp discussions online. In the middle of this, Trollers began targeting director Shankar. They argue he is already struggling after two back-to-back flops, Indian 2 and Game Changer. Since he holds the rights to the Velpari novel, they feel he might be upset if the film really borrowed from it. Some even suggest Shankar should act against the Kantara team, as he has yet to announce his next project. On the other hand, many argue that Kantara: A Legend-Chapter 1 is Rishabh Shetty’s original work with historical elements, and not an adaptation of the Velpari novel. So far, there is no official confirmation linking Kantara: A Legend-Chapter 1 to the Velpari novel. The claims remain pure social media speculation. Still, the debate has triggered wide reactions online, with audiences divided over the film’s originality.

Audiences couldn’t help comparing Kantara 1  with Bollywood’s big banners. They pointed out how films like War 2, reportedly made on a Rs 300–400 crore budget, lacked strong VFX, story depth, and cinematic emotion. In contrast, Kantara: Chapter 1 achieved more with less. Its sincerity, artistry, and grounded approach won over audiences, making it a reminder that passion and purpose matter more than inflated budget

Netflix has removed both parts of Baahubali just weeks before S. S. Rajamouli’s big re-release. Even after a decade, the filmmaker stays deeply connected to his iconic universe. He is now finishing work on Baahubali: The Epic, a recut that combines Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. This version includes improved visuals and some never-seen sequences. It is scheduled to release in theatres on October 31. As fans wait for the re-release, both films suddenly disappeared from Netflix. Many believe the removal is due to expired streaming rights. Others see it as a clear move to build hype and push viewers back to the big screen. If the films vanish from other OTT platforms too, it will confirm a planned strategy to fuel excitement. Read more at: https://www.m9.news/movienews/netflix-drops-baahubali-before-rajamouli-re-release/