Post the Tamil Nadu government announcement that cinema halls in the state could function with 50% capacity from August 23, theatre owners reopened their premises and started screening primarily non-Tamil films, such as Bell Bottom, Sridevi Soda Center, and Conjuring 3. They only got a lukewarm response to begin with and theatre owners are now awaiting new Tamil releases, which they hope will revive the big screens.
With big films such as Thalaivii and Laabam heading for theatrical release this Vinayaka Chaturthi weekend, Silverscreen India brings you a list of Tamil films that are lined up for big-screen openings this year.
Laabam – September 9
Vijay Sethupathi-starrer Laabam will be released on Thursday. The film revolves around farmers who suffer at the hands of big corporate companies. It is the last film by director SP Jananathan, who died in March. The film was previously set for an early 2021 release, but got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While Sethupathi plays an activist in the film, Laabam also features Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, Sai Dhanshika, and Kalaiyarasan in prominent roles.
Thalaivii – September 10
Starring Kangana Ranaut as former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Thalaivii is a biopic based on the life of the late actor and politician. The film is set to release in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi on Friday. It is directed by filmmaker Vijay and produced by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Shailesh R Singh. The film ran into some trouble recently due to the fact that the Hindi version is scheduled to hit Netflix within two weeks of its release. The Tamil and Telugu versions, on the other hand, have been acquired by Amazon Prime Video, and will release on the OTT platform after a four-week run in theatres. Multiplex chains PVR and INOX had earlier refused to screen the film citing the short exclusive run.
Kodiyil Oruvan – September 17
Featuring music composer-actor Vijay Antony as an IAS aspirant, Kodiyil Oruvan is scheduled to hit the big screen on September 17. The U/A certified film is directed by Ananda Krishnan, who had previously told us that it is a society-oriented action thriller which speaks about a certain problem faced by the people. Co-starring Aathmika as the female lead, the film will also be released in Telugu as Vijaya Raghavan.
Idiot – September release
Written and directed by Rambhala, Idiot is a horror-comedy produced by Screen Scene Media Entertainment. It stars Mirchi Shiva and Nikki Galrani in the lead. Although the exact release date has not yet been locked, the makers have announced that the film will be a September release. In an earlier conversation with us, Rambhala said that Idiot is about what happens when a mentally-unstable person goes to a haunted bungalow. “We see the interactions between the ghost and the patient. In every instance, some idiotic thing will keep happening and hence the title. There is no logic in the film; it is pure entertainment,” he added.
Friendship – September 17
Starring Bigg Boss fame Losliya in her acting debut, alongside cricketer-turned-actor Harbhajan Singh, Friendship is set for release on September 17. The film’s trailer was released on Monday. Directed by John Paul Raj and Sham Surya, the film is set against a college backdrop and also features actors Arjun and Sathish in pivotal roles.
Enemy – October (Ayudha Pooja release)
Actors Vishal and Arya’s second collaboration after Avan Ivan, Enemy will be an Ayudha Pooja release this year, although the exact date has not yet been announced. Written and directed by Anand Shankar, Enemy has music composed by S Thaman. Vishal had recently revealed that the action drama’s dubbing was in progress. He had added that the film, produced by Mini Studios, was in the final stages of post-production.
Annaatthe – November 4
Recommended
Rajinikanth, who was last seen in Darbar (2020), will next be seen in director Siva’s Annaatthe alongside Nayanthara, Keerthy Suresh, Prakash Raj, Soori, Meena, and Kushboo. The Sun Pictures production will release in theatres on November 4, on the occasion of Diwali. The action-drama has music by D Imman, who won a National Award for his previous collaboration with Siva, the Ajith-starrer Viswasam.