All posts tagged: Mani Ratnam

Rejected by college theatre group, Arvind Swamy quit stardom to set up Rs 3300 cr empire

Rejected by college theatre group, Arvind Swamy quit stardom to set up Rs 3300 cr empire

Published by Parlour News

4 min readHyderabadUpdated: Jun 18, 2026 06:25 PM IST Before Roja, before Bombay, before he became one of the most recognisable faces in Tamil cinema, Arvind Swamy was a student who couldn’t get a college theatre group to take him seriously, and modelled on the side just to make some extra money. The actor, who turned 56 on Thursday, suffered a setback early in his career. As a student at Loyola College in Chennai, Arvind Swamy joined the college’s theatre society, only to be turned away from the stage by the group. To earn some pocket money, he took up modelling at that time, a casual pursuit that would end up changing the course of his life. It was one of those modelling advertisements that caught the eye of director Mani Ratnam, who called Arvind Swamy in for a meeting. That meeting led to his film debut in Thalapathi (1991), where he played Arjun, a principled young district collector, opposite Rajinikanth and Mammootty. Mani Ratnam then cast him in the lead role of his 1992 …

Kamal Haasan’s 15-year dream turned into a Rs 300 cr disaster despite a GOAT at the helm | Tamil News

Kamal Haasan’s 15-year dream turned into a Rs 300 cr disaster despite a GOAT at the helm | Tamil News

Published by Parlour News

Just as much as the movies he created and gifted Indian cinema, Kamal Haasan’s unrealised projects are also quite famous, if not more so. Besides being regarded as one of the finest actors of all time in the country, Kamal is often hailed as a visionary filmmaker, renowned for his inventiveness and innovation. Hence, whenever he announces a new project, the hype is understandably high. However, his artistic biography lists several projects he mulled over or even announced but couldn’t complete or set in motion, shelving them forever despite lofty ambitions. Among Kamal Haasan’s many unrealised movies was one whose core idea he kept in his mind for a long time. Although he tried to launch the project several times over the years, all his efforts went in vain, and he eventually handed over the core idea behind the story to a dear filmmaker friend, who ultimately brought it to life. However, its fate was disastrous. Don’t Miss | How Rajinikanth turned Kamal Haasan’s rejection into a Rs 982 cr franchise The evolution of Thalaivan …

From Rs 5000 salary to Rs 100 cr films: How engineer Karthi accidentally found stardom | Tamil News

From Rs 5000 salary to Rs 100 cr films: How engineer Karthi accidentally found stardom | Tamil News

Published by Parlour News

5 min readHyderabadMay 25, 2026 07:36 PM IST Not many actors can say they once stayed at their office desk until four in the morning, not to rehearse lines, but to finish a design brief for a firm in New York. Karthi can. The man Tamil audiences know from Kaithi and Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru took a road to cinema that went via an engineering college in Chennai, a graduate school in New York, and a Mani Ratnam film set, before it ever led to a camera pointed at his face. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Crescent Engineering College in Chennai, Karthi took up a job as an engineering consultant in the city. The pay was around Rs 5,000 a month and the work felt repetitive. That combination was enough to make him look elsewhere. The money was modest, the routine was dull, and somewhere in that feeling was the push he needed to want something more. What followed was a decision that changed everything, though it did not look like a …

Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi to begin shooting for Mani Ratnam film in 2026? Find out

Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi to begin shooting for Mani Ratnam film in 2026? Find out

Published by Parlour News

Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi are set to headline a project directed by Mani Ratnam. Although the film was announced earlier online, it appears that the project may go on floors in June 2026. Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi’s movie with Mani Ratnam to shoot from June 2026? According to an online report, Mani Ratnam is expected to begin shooting in June 2026. The Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi starrer is also expected to have a promo shoot in April. While more details about the film have not been revealed, it is expected to be a quick project and may be wrapped up within 40 days. However, this is based on reports, and no official confirmation has been made by the makers. Earlier, the project was announced by Madras Talkies under the tentative title Production No. 23. The film will once again have AR Rahman handling the music and background score, dismissing initial rumors that the filmmaker might collaborate with Sai Abhyankkar for the project. Reportedly, the composition work is currently underway, with the composer …

Javed Akhtar had to step in to explain Gulzar’s lyrics so Farah Khan could choreograph Dil Se song: ‘Yeh kya likha hai?’ | Bollywood News

Javed Akhtar had to step in to explain Gulzar’s lyrics so Farah Khan could choreograph Dil Se song: ‘Yeh kya likha hai?’ | Bollywood News

Published by Webster

3 min readChennaiMar 21, 2026 10:40 AM IST Mani Ratnam’s film Dil Se was iconic in every way. Apart from its hard-hitting story, the film’s songs were also legendary, with fans still swooning to those tunes composed by AR Rahman. Amid all this, it was Farah Khan who choreographed some of the film’s most iconic tracks, including “Satrangi Re”, which was picturised on Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. Farah had the task of taking Mani Ratnam’s vision forward in the choreography of the song, but she faced a challenge – understanding the lyrics penned by Gulzar. In a recent interaction with Ranveer Allahbadia, Farah recalled that they were shooting for the song in Ladakh, but to conceptualise it, she had to understand the song’s lyrics. For this, she reached out to her uncle and Hindi cinema’s legendary writer Javed Akhtar. She said, “I did not understand the meaning of this song because Gulzar sahab had written some difficult words in it. You will not believe that I had to call Javed Akhtar to ask …

Mani Ratnam reunites with Vijay Sethupathi and AR Rahman, brings Sai Pallavi into the fold for next film | Tamil News

Mani Ratnam reunites with Vijay Sethupathi and AR Rahman, brings Sai Pallavi into the fold for next film | Tamil News

Published by Parlour News

3 min readHyderabadMar 20, 2026 09:02 PM IST Three of Tamil cinema’s most celebrated names are coming together for what is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated projects of the year. Filmmaker Mani Ratnam is set to direct a new romantic film starring Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi as the lead pair, a combination that has sent ripples of excitement across the industry and among fans of all three artistes. While Sethupathi and Ratnam share a history, having collaborated on the 2018 action-crime thriller Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Sethupathi’s pairing with Pallavi is expected to bring a fresh dynamic. Both actors are widely regarded as powerhouse performers, raising expectations for this collaboration. Earlier reports suggested that Dhruv Vikram and Rukmini Vasanth were considered for the lead roles, while Silambarasan was also one of the choices. However, Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi have been finalised for the film tentatively titled Madras Talkies Production 23. Adding another layer of anticipation to the project is the return of AR Rahman to the Mani Ratnam fold. The …

Mani Ratnam Locks AR Rahman for Next With Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi

Mani Ratnam Locks AR Rahman for Next With Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi

Published by Parlour News

Putting an end to ongoing speculation, the makers of Mani Ratnam’s upcoming film have officially confirmed that AR Rahman will compose the music for the project. The announcement was made on Friday by Madras Talkies, which is producing the film in association with Lyca Productions and India Talkies. Rahman returns to Mani Ratnam’s world The update comes amid recent buzz that young composer Sai Abhyankkar had been roped in for the film. However, the latest confirmation reinstates Rahman as Mani Ratnam’s long-time collaborator, continuing one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated director-composer partnerships. Tentatively titled Production No. 23, the film features Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi in the lead. While the announcement has sparked considerable excitement, key details including the film’s genre, storyline, and supporting cast are still under wraps. Rahman’s association with Mani Ratnam has consistently produced memorable soundtracks, and this reunion is expected to carry forward that legacy. Given their track record, the music is already shaping up to be one of the film’s biggest highlights. Busy slates for Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi …

Mani Ratnam announces new film with Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi; AR Rahman composing, not Sai Abhyankkar

Mani Ratnam announces new film with Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi; AR Rahman composing, not Sai Abhyankkar

Published by Parlour News

Filmmaker Mani Ratnam has announced his next project after the disappointment of his Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life last year. On Thursday, his production house, Madras Talkies, announced that his next film will be headlined by Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi. AR Rahman will compose the music for it amid rumours that Sai Abhyankkar is on board. Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi will headline Mani Ratnam’s next. Mani Ratnam’s next film announced On Thursday, Madras Talkies made a joint Instagram post with Lyca Productions, Sethupathi, and Pallavi. They wrote, “Delighted to welcome @sonymusic_south as the Audio Partner for #MadrasTalkiesProduction23. #Subaskaran presents. A #ManiRatnam Film. An @arrahman Musical. Produced by @lycaproductions @madrastalkies #IndiaTalkies. Starring @actorvijaysethupathi @saipallavi.senthamarai.” Rahman is confirmed to be joining hands with Mani, despite this week’s rumours that Abhyankkar is on board. Reacting to the news, one fan commented, “Happppaaaaa ARR musical.” Another commented, “We believe we’re gonna get something really beautiful really peaceful really soothing.” One Instagram user even wrote, “Finally… Full stop to all the rumors!!” while another commented, “Another soulful album loading.” …

Mani Ratnam to continue collaboration with AR Rahman? Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi starrer to lock Rs 15 crore deal; Report

Mani Ratnam to continue collaboration with AR Rahman? Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi starrer to lock Rs 15 crore deal; Report

Published by Parlour News

Director Mani Ratnam is gearing up to helm his next project, with Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi as the co-leads. It now appears that the makers have finalized the music rights deal with AR Rahman, marking yet another collaboration with the filmmaker. Did Mani Ratnam’s next film lock a musical rights deal worth Rs 15 crore? According to online reports, Mani Ratnam is set to direct a film starring Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi in the lead roles. The film will once again feature AR Rahman as the music director, with the makers reportedly locking a deal for the music rights worth Rs 15 crore. Reports suggest that the composition work is currently underway, with the musician having already completed two songs. Earlier, there were speculations that Mani Ratnam might replace AR Rahman with Sai Abhyankkar as the composer. However, no official update regarding the film has been made so far. Previously, Vijay Sethupathi confirmed that he would be collaborating with Mani Ratnam and that the film would feature Sai Pallavi as the co-lead, marking …

Will Vijay Sethupathi star in Maharaja 2? Actor confirms director Nithilan Saminathan has finished script

Will Vijay Sethupathi star in Maharaja 2? Actor confirms director Nithilan Saminathan has finished script

Published by Parlour News

Vijay Sethupathi starrer Maharaja was released in theaters in 2024 and became a massive success at the box office. Now, it appears that the film may have a sequel, with Vijay Sethupathi once again headlining the project. Vijay Sethupathi to star in Maharaja sequel? Speaking with Galatta Plus, Vijay Sethupathi said, “Director Nithilan Saminathan has completed the script for Maharaja 2. I’m excited to hear it soon.” For those unaware, Maharaja follows the story of a Chennai barber who reports the theft of his steel dustbin, “Lakshmi,” to the police. The bizarre complaint initially leads the police to dismiss him. However, they later realize that the complaint is a ploy to hunt down three criminals who broke into his home and brutally attacked his daughter while he was away. How the father takes revenge on his daughter’s attackers, and whether justice is ultimately delivered, forms the crux of the story. Vijay Sethupathi headlined the project, which featured an ensemble cast including Anurag Kashyap, Mamta Mohandas, Natty Subramaniam, Abhirami, Divyabharathi, Singampuli, Aruldoss, Munishkanth, and others in …