All posts tagged: Vignesh

K Bhagyaraj death: Dhanush breaks down; Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan and Sivakarthikeyan pay emotional last respects

K Bhagyaraj death: Dhanush breaks down; Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan and Sivakarthikeyan pay emotional last respects

The Tamil film industry came together in grief as family, friends, colleagues, and thousands of fans gathered in Chennai to pay their final respects to veteran filmmaker, actor, and writer K Bhagyaraj. His mortal remains were kept at his residence near Valluvar Kottam for public homage, where an emotional atmosphere unfolded through the day. Some of South cinema’s biggest stars arrived to honour the man whose storytelling left an unforgettable mark on generations of movie lovers. K Bhagyaraj death: Dhanush, Nayanthara bid emotional farewell. (X/Twitter) Dhanush breaks down Among the first to arrive was Dhanush, who appeared deeply shaken by the loss. The actor stood quietly beside K Bhagyaraj’s mortal remains for several moments, visibly emotional. He later embraced Shanthanu Bhagyaraj, the late filmmaker’s son and a close friend, offering words of comfort during the difficult moment. In a video shared on X by Taki.com, Dhanush was visibly in tears as he left the residence of the late Tamil filmmaker. Not long after, Sivakarthikeyan reached the residence to pay his respects. The actor placed a …

Vignesh Shivan addresses LIK breaking Pradeep Ranganathan’s ₹100 crore streak; admits being sad with box office result

Vignesh Shivan addresses LIK breaking Pradeep Ranganathan’s ₹100 crore streak; admits being sad with box office result

Filmmaker Vignesh Shivan’s Love Insurance Kompany was released in theatres on April 10 to mixed reviews. The film’s box office performance broke lead actor Pradeep Ranganathan’s ₹100 crore streak with Love Today (2022), Dragon (2025) and Dude (2025), collecting less than ₹70 crore. As the film was released on Prime Video on May 6, Vignesh admitted that LIK’s box-office performance made him sad. Pradeep Ranganathan and Krithi Shetty in a still from Vignesh Shivan’s Love Insurance Kompany. Vignesh Shivan addresses LIK’s box office performance Vignesh wrote on a long note on Instagram that he had a dream with LIK that was not small nor safe. He believed the story would ‘echo in crores’ and ‘shake the walls of cinema’. “I imagined applause… I saw it in the theatres, I manifested laughter – I heard it in the theatres, But still the benchmark of 100 crores wasn’t touched! I was imagining double of that to be honest,” he wrote. The filmmaker admits that somehow the film didn’t land as intended, adding, “Even though am a little …

Dhanush, Vignesh Raja thriller Starter kara Tamil Movie 2026 Review, Rating, Reactions Check Here

Dhanush, Vignesh Raja thriller Starter kara Tamil Movie 2026 Review, Rating, Reactions Check Here

Kara Twitter Review: Actor Dhanush’s highly-anticipated film Karasaami (Kara) finally hit the theatres today, on April 30. The Tamil thriller, directed by Vignesh Raja, has been receiving mixed reviews from the critics. While some are praising the actor’s performance, others are terming the first half of Kara as its ‘strongest part’. Having said that, Dhanush’s performance and the film itself have received a thumbs up from fans. Right after the first few morning shows at the theatres, X (formerly Twitter) was flooded with praises. Going by social media posts, Kara has managed to impress the audience with its BGM and solid performances. The movie had faced controversy over the casting of non-Tamil actress Mamitha Baiju in a native character, causing discussions around regional representation and alleged brownfacing. The makers of the film also got stuck in a legal title dispute in the Madras High Court right before its theatrical release. ALSO READ | From being ‘laughed at’ to National Awards: Dhanush reveals the Bhagavad Gita secret behind his film journey Check out Kara X review:  …

Kara Twitter review: Best Dhanush film ‘in recent years’ floors viewers, internet hails Vignesh Raja’s gripping thriller

Kara Twitter review: Best Dhanush film ‘in recent years’ floors viewers, internet hails Vignesh Raja’s gripping thriller

Kara Twitter review: Dhanush-starrer Kara has released in theatres today, and viewers who went to catch the Tamil film on the first day in theatres took to social media to share their reactions. The rural crime drama is set in 1991 against the backdrop of the Gulf War and the resulting fuel crisis. Viewers have unanimously praised Dhanush’s lead performance, with particular attention to the gripping bank-robbery sequences and the engaging background score by GV Prakash Kumar. Kara Twitter review: Dhanush in a still from the film. Kara gets a thumbs up from viewers A viewer wrote on their X account after watching Kara, “Among all the heist-related movies I’ve watched, #Kara easily stands out as one of the best. @vigneshraja89 has clearly done his homework, his writing is sharp, well researched, and the execution is top-notch. He has crafted the film with great precision and clarity. As for @dhanushkraja, I honestly don’t even know how to describe him anymore. No matter what kind of role he is given, he completely owns it and elevates …

Not Aadukalam, not Asuran — Dhanush names Maari as his most challenging role, says Vignesh Raja | Tamil News

Not Aadukalam, not Asuran — Dhanush names Maari as his most challenging role, says Vignesh Raja | Tamil News

3 min readHyderabadUpdated: Apr 23, 2026 05:31 PM IST Ahead of the release of Kara, director Vignesh Raja revealed a confession from Dhanush that few would have expected: out of a filmography spanning over two decades and some of Tamil cinema’s most demanding characters, it was the carefree neighbourhood don in Maari (2015) that the actor found the most challenging role of his career. Vignesh Raja, the writer-director who broke through with Por Thozhil (2023), has been in conversation with Dhanush while preparing their forthcoming film Kara, set to release on April 30. The film follows Karasaami, a former bank robber living in the shadow of the 1991 Gulf War, who is pulled back into a life of crime to protect his family. It is, by any measure, a weighty, morally complex role But in those conversations, Raja kept returning to a different question entirely. “I keep asking Dhanush sir like, ‘You’ve done so many roles, what is that one role you found the most challenging?’, Raja revealed in a recent interview. “And surprisingly, Dhanush …

Kara trailer: Dhanush robs a bank in broad daylight in violent survival drama from Vignesh Raja. Watch

Kara trailer: Dhanush robs a bank in broad daylight in violent survival drama from Vignesh Raja. Watch

Kara trailer: The official trailer of Dhanush‘s next film, Kara, is out! Expect a powerful performance from Dhanush if the trailer gives any indication, as he plays Karasamy, a man forced to confront a violent past. He used to rob a bank in the past, but his old habits have not left him even after years, leading to grave consequences. (Also read: Dhanush and Vignesh Raja’s D54 officially titled Kara; ‘dangerous’ first look poster unveiled on Pongal) Dhanush in a still from Kara, where he plays a bank robber. Kara trailer The trailer begins in the midst of a tense state of affairs, as the Gulf War has reached its sixth month of escalation. Prices have seen a hike and there is no oil, and amid this, there is rampant corruption and crime. Dhanush is the one who takes charge, as he robs banks in quick succession- as if he fears no one. Even in broad daylight, there seems no one who can stop him. Here, it is Suraj Venjaramoodu who stars as the ruthless …

Was Dhanush’s Kara initially planned with Prithviraj Sukumaran? Director Vignesh Raja reveals

Was Dhanush’s Kara initially planned with Prithviraj Sukumaran? Director Vignesh Raja reveals

Dhanush is all set to appear in a lead role in the film Kara. Directed by Vignesh Raja, the action thriller is slated for release on April 30, 2026. It now appears that Prithviraj Sukumaran was initially in talks to star in the film alongside the Raayan actor. Did Dhanush’s Kara initially have talks with Prithviraj Sukumaran for the movie? Speaking to Cinema Vikatan, director Vignesh Raja said, “Prithviraj sir spoke with me after watching Por Thozhil. In fact, he was the initial choice for Suraj Venjaramoodu’s character in Kara.” The filmmaker added, “When I narrated the character to Prithviraj sir, he said it didn’t work for him as it felt two-dimensional, though he believed the film would be a hit. After that, I narrated the role to a few others, and they shared similar feedback. I then reworked the character, and later, Suraj sir came on board.” Kara is an upcoming action thriller set in 1991 in Ramanathapuram. The film follows the story of a man named Karasamy, who is forced to walk away …

Director Vignesh Raja sparks outrage after defending ‘brownfacing’ of Mamitha Baiju in Dhanush-starrer Kara

Director Vignesh Raja sparks outrage after defending ‘brownfacing’ of Mamitha Baiju in Dhanush-starrer Kara

Ahead of its worldwide release later this month, the action drama Kara has found itself embroiled in controversy over certain remarks its director, Vignesh Raja, made during a recent interview, with some even dubbing them “racist.” Headlined by Dhanush, Kara features Malayalam actor Mamitha Baiju as the female lead. Ever since the movie’s promotional materials were unveiled, many have been deriding the casting of a non-Tamil actor in an evidently Tamil role, claiming it was a blatant oversight of regional talent. Several netizens also wondered why there was a need to cast Mamitha and brownface her, while Tamil Nadu has enough talented actors whose skin tones would have easily matched the female lead character. During a conversation with Galatta Plus, Vignesh was asked why it was hard to find a Tamil girl to play the lead role. In response, he maintained that casting choices depended on performance, and then on marketability. Don’t Miss | Bhooth Bangla movie review: Akshay Kumar’s dated, ungainly film makes you miss Monjulika ‘No one else came close to what Mamitha …

LIK director Vignesh Shivan on why his KGF-like film with Ajith Kumar got shelved: ‘Had worked 3-4 years…’

LIK director Vignesh Shivan on why his KGF-like film with Ajith Kumar got shelved: ‘Had worked 3-4 years…’

Ajith Kumar and director Vignesh Shivan were initially set to collaborate on a project tentatively titled AK62. However, the film was later shelved, and the filmmaker has now revealed why it did not go into production despite spending 3-4 years on the screenplay. Vignesh Shivan on his shelved film with Ajith Kumar Speaking with Behindwoods, Vignesh Shivan said, “To work with Ajith Kumar sir was my dream. I worked on the film’s screenplay for 3-4 years on my own, but due to budget and production issues, the film was dropped.” The director added, “The production team also suggested altering the second half. For instance, director Prashanth Neel had Hombale Films supporting his vision for KGF. I watched films like KGF, RRR, and others, and wished to direct a film of that scale with Ajith sir, as I am a fan of his. However, the production did not support the budget I had envisioned for the film.” For those unaware, Ajith Kumar’s 62nd film was initially announced with Vignesh Shivan as the director. The project was …

Dhanush’s Kara director Vignesh Raja gets backlash for justifying brownfacing Mamitha Baiju: ‘Racism in name of merit’

Dhanush’s Kara director Vignesh Raja gets backlash for justifying brownfacing Mamitha Baiju: ‘Racism in name of merit’

If there is an issue that keeps coming to the forefront whenever a new movie is announced, it’s usually representation. For years now, Tamilians have asked filmmakers to cast regional actors in leading roles, only for the criteria to be met by actors, not actresses. Vignesh Raja is the latest filmmaker to receive flak for not just casting Malayalam actor Mamitha Baiju in Dhanush’s upcoming film Kara, but also justifying it after brownfacing her for the role. Mamitha Baiju and Dhanush play the leads in Vignesh Raja’s Kara. Vignesh Raja justifies casting Mamitha Baiju in Kara In an interview with Galatta Plus, Vignesh was asked why it’s so hard to find a Tamil girl to play the lead role. Especially when a Malayali has to be tanned to play a Tamilian. He replied that casting an actor depends on their performance and marketability. “Personally, honest-to-God, I am not focused on that thing (marketability) because for me, content is important. When it comes to performance, I am absolutely certain that I will only hire an actor …