The year has just begun and it already seems promising for South Indian cinema! With Pongal/Sankranti around the corner, here's a curated list of films for cinephiles to look out for. From Katrina Kaif's Merry Christmas filmed in Tamil and Hindi to Mahesh Babu's Guntur Kaaram, this festive week is nothing short of a visual treat for you movie enthusiasts.
1. Merry Christmas: Filmmaker Sriram Raghavan (Andhadhun, Badlapur, Agent Vinod) is back with his new work being headlined by Katrina Kaif who was last seen in Tiger 3 opposite Salman Khan. And to top it off, we have Makkal Selvan Vijay Sethupathi starring opposite to her. The pair is caught in a maze of death and secrets with a sprinkling of romance on Christmas Day in this neo-noir mystery thriller. The movie also features Sanjay Kapoor, Radhika Apte, Vinay Pathak and Pratima Kannan in prominent roles. Merry Christmas has been shot in Tamil and Hindi simultaneously. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 12
2. Captain Miller: This period action film set in the 1930s directed by Rocky fame Arun Matheswaran and starring Dhanush in the lead is probably one of the most anticipated Pongal releases. The film features an ensemble cast including Shiva Rajkumar, Priyanka Mohan, Sundeep Kishan, Vinoth Kishan, Nassar and many more in crucial roles. The story revolves around a rebel leader who is forced to take a stance when things go against him. The director had mentioned in an earlier interview that the film is the first of three parts. Additionally, the trailer has fans hooked! PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 12
3. Ayalaan: R Ravikumar’s second directorial, which is set to be a science fiction action entertainer, features Sivakarthikeyan in the lead. The film also stars Rakul Preet Singh as the female lead, along with Yogi Babu and Karunakaran who is tasked with providing side-splitting comic relief to the audience. The story revolves around a lost alien (voiced by Siddharth) making human friends after landing on Earth. Ayalaan boasts over 4500 VFX shots, making it a visual spectacle unlike any other in Tamil cinema. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 12
4. Mission: Chapter 1: Arun Vijay returns with Amy Jackson opposite to him in this action thriller directed by AL Vijay. The film features an ensemble cast including Nimisha Sajayan, Nick Khan, Tygorah Smith and many more in key roles. From the trailer, we understand that the story revolves around a prisoner trapped in a high-security jail, who tries to escape against all odds, in order to meet his ailing daughter. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 12
5. Guntur Kaaram: Superstar Mahesh Babu’s upcoming action drama flick helmed by Trivikram Srinivas has been the talk of the town for quite some time now. The film features an ensemble cast with Sreeleela as the female lead, along with Meenakshi Chaudhary, Jagapathi Babu, Jayaram and Ramya Krishnan in significant roles. From the trailer, we see Mahesh Babu not holding back on the action or his legendary charm. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 12
6. Hanu Man: Directed by Prasanth Varma and starring Teja Sajja, Hanu Man is a superhero film and the first installment of the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe. From the trailer, it is understood that the film is set to take place in the fictional village of Anjanadri focusing on a boy bestowed with incredible powers by Anjaneya (the divine monkey god Hanuman). The plot revolves around good and evil and also promises a lot of twists and fun. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 12
7. Naa Saami Ranga: A remake of the 2018 Malayalam film Porinju Mariam Jose, Naa Saami Ranga is helmed by Vijay Binni and stars Nagarjuna in the lead role. It is loosely based on real-life events in Thrissur, Kerala, during the 1980s. The film also features Ashika Ranganath, Allari Naresh, Mirnaa Menon and Raj Tarun among many others in prominent roles. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 14
8. Saindhav: Directed by Sailesh Kolanu, Saindhav marks Venkatesh Daggubati's 75th venture in the film industry. The trailer hints at a drug cartel and a hero racing against time to stop them. Saindhav will feature Nawazuddin Siddiqui [in his Telugu debut], along with an ensemble cast including Andrea Jeremiah, Jisshu Sengupta, Shraddha Srinath, Arya and many more in key roles. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Theatres/Jan 13
9. Leo: Although this has released on Netflix, it will be premiering on Sun TV on the occasion of Pongal. Don't miss Lokesh Kanagaraj's directorial starring Thalapathy Vijay and Trisha in the lead. The film marks the second collaboration between the actor-filmmaker duo after their 2021 action thriller Master. Leo is the third installment in the Lokesh Cinematic Universe, which already features the Karthi starrer Kaithi, as well as the Kamal Haasan starrer Vikram. The film made over Rs 600 crore worldwide despite drawing flak for glorifying violence. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Sun TV channel, Netflix/Jan 15
10. Jigarthanda DoubleX: This spiritual successor and prequel to Jigarthanda (2014) written and directed by Karthik Subbaraj, stars Raghava Lawrence, S. J. Suryah and Nimisha Sajayan in lead roles. Set in the 1970s, the plot revolves around an upcoming policeman trying to kill a gangster by going undercover as a filmmaker. The film followed a slew of appreciations by a handful of film personalities after its release. Many critics even called it a 'political film' which uses cinema as a power tool. PLATFORM/RELEASE DATE: Sun TV channel, Netflix/Jan 16