This weeks’s Tamil releases are Chekka Chivantha Vaanam and Pariyerum Perumal, while in Malayalam it is Lily. Devadas starring Nagarjuna and Nani is this week’s major Telugu release, while Bollywood has Sui Dhaaga and Pataakha.
Chekka Chivantha Vaanam
It’s a multi-starrer gangster thriller, directed by Mani Ratnam, and has four main leads – Arvind Swami, Arun Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi and Silambarasan. The film is jointly bankrolled by Lyca Productions and Mani Ratnam’s home banner Madras Talkies.
The film also stars Jyothika, Aishwarya Rajesh, Aditi Rao Hydari, Dayana Erappa, Prakash Raj Jayasudha, Thyagarajan, Mansoor Ali Khan and Cheenu Mohan. The music for the film is composed by AR Rahman, cinematography is by the director’s long-time associate Santhosh Sivan and the lyrics are penned by Vairamuthu.
Prakash Raj plays the patriarch Senapathi, the don of Chennai. He has three sons – Varadhan (Arvind Swami) is wild, roguish, a philanderer and has a brutish way of dealing with business matters. He is also the heir apparent. Thyagu (Arun Vijay), looks smooth and sophisticated but has a rakish charm. He also harbours a desire to sit on his father’s throne. The third son is Ethi (Silambarasan), neglected and the least loved. While the three sons wage war against their unidentified enemies, Vijay Sethupathi plays a cop (Rasool) who appears to be both friend and foe.
Pariyerum Perumal
Directed by Mari Selvaraj, who has worked as an assistant to director Ram, and produced by Pa. Ranjith under the banner Neelam Productions, the film is about a young student who ungergoes a transformation after learning about politics. The film stars Kathir and Anandhi in the lead, and Yogi Babu in a pivotal role. Music is composed by Santhosh Narayanan.
Talking about the film, the director told Silverscreen, “The story is mine, but the platform on which it is mounted is new. I’m asked for the genre of the film. I don’t immediately have an answer to these questions. My movie has elements of the mainstream. But it will never ever espouse any thoughts and ideals that would clash with Ranjith anna or director (Ram) sir. So, I can only call Pariyerum Perumal a biography. I agree it is my story. But the landscape it unfolds in is new.”
Read: Mari Selvaraj, Director Of ‘Pariyerum Perumal’: A Profile
Lily
It’s a revenge thriller directed by debutant Prasobh Vijayan and has Samyuktha Menon in the lead. Produced by E4 Experiments, the film also stars Kannan Nayar, Dhanesh Anand, Sajin Cherukayil, Kevin Jose and Aaryan Menon in pivotal roles.
The film revolves around an abducted pregnant woman seeking ways to escape. The music for the film is composed by Sushin Shyam.
Devadas
Directed by Sriram Adittya, the film is a comedy gangster drama featuring Nagarjuna Akkineni, Nani, Rashmika Mandanna and Aakanksha Singh in the lead roles. Vennela Kishore, Rao Ramesh, V.K. Naresh, Srinivas Avasarala are in supporting roles. Produced by Vyjayanthi Movies, the film revolves around Nagarjuna who plays a don and Nani who plays the role of a doctor.
Devadas’ promotional material suggests that it will explore the very unlikely relationship that blossoms between a rough and ready gangster and a somewhat passive doctor. It’s a casting coup to have secured two successful actors like Nagarjuna and Nani for a movie.
Talking about the film, Nagarjuna had said that the film can be categorised under the Rajkumar Hirani brand of films which means that the film will be a comedy entertainer with a dash of social commentary.
Sui Dhaaga
Sui Dhaga, a film by Sharat Kataria of Dum Laga Ke Haisha fame, has Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma playing a married couple setting out to establish a business venture of their own. The film has been produced by Maneesh Sharma under the banner of Yash Raj Films. Dhawan plays ‘Mauiji’, an earnest guy sincere in his actions, but doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. Anushka Sharma’s Mamta is the responsible wife who is also a support system for her husband. Together they set out to establish their own ‘Made in India’ venture.
The film is about finding love and respect through self-reliance. Its plot is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and takes a leaf out of the central government’s Make In India campaign.
Pataakha
Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is an adaptation of Charan Singh Pathik’s short story, Do Behnein, which revolves around two sisters from a small village in Rajasthan who are constantly at war with each other. Radhika Madan and Sanya Malhotra plays the feuding, eccentric sisters.
The film also stars Sunil Grover, Saanand Verma and Vijay Raaz in pivotal roles. Jointly produced by KYTA Productions and Vishal Bhardwaj Films, the music for the film is composed by the director himself.
