In the world of 2025 Indian cinema, which is kaleidoscopic as period drama competes with elements of thriller narratives to redefine history storytelling, Kaantha shines through bright and clear. Directed by Selvamani Selvaraj, this Tamil-language bilingual (with Telugu) period drama whisks audiences off to the world of 1950s Madras filmmaking – a time of black-and-white dreams and off-screen shadows.
Starring Dulquer Salmaan as a rising superstar, Samuthirakani as his mentor-director, and Bhagyashri Borse in her Tamil debut, Kaantha weaves a tale of ambition, betrayal, and the haunting cost of stardom. Set to be simultaneously released worldwide on November 14 during Tamil Nadu’s Children’s Day celebration, the film is expected to have a multi-language release in Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi and Kannada languages with producers being Rana Daggubati and Dulquer Salmaan. The buzz for Kaantha arrives with explosive style as the Diwali fireworks fade, mixing biography-inspired grit with horror-tinged thriller vibes. This article looks at its incredible story, star-studded cast and why it’s set to carve a new chapter in the history of Kollywood.
Echoes of the Past: A Plot Rooted in Tamil Cinema’s Turbulent Dawn
Set against the backdrop of post-independence Madras, Kaantha chronicles the fraught bond between Ayya (Samuthirakani), a visionary director at Modern Studios, and Chandran (Dulquer Salmaan), the protégé actor he molds into a silver-screen icon. Based on the life of iconic Tamil actor M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar – India’s first movie star whose career was decomposed by controversy – the tale sparks with the making of Saantha, billed as Tamil cinema’s first horror-yarn. While Ayya presents a women-driven tale, Chandran exercises his clout by renaming it Kaantha and infusing elements from his personal life which makes reel collide with real.
In this gripping dramatic thriller, director Selvamani Selvaraj turns on-set chaos, egomaniacal clashes, rumored hauntings and industry rivalries into a narrative of psychological horror. The story delves into mentorship made toxic, fame commodified and the ghosts of colonial-era cinema and also celebrates the golden age’s technical triumphs — hand-cranked cameras, live orchestras.
“It is a love letter to Tamil cinema’s early years, and it is written carefully with the affection of truthful scares,” teases the official logline. And with its non-linear flashbacks and symbolic motifs — of flickering reels reflecting fractured psyches — Kaantha may well echo Mani Ratnam’s Nayakan in scale but estimably brings some contemporary thriller-pacing akin to Vikram Vedha. In a sequel-dominated year, this original saga has the refreshingly archival quality — and, paradoxically, the urgency of today.
| Key Plot Elements | Description |
| Setting | 1950s Madras film studios, blending archival authenticity with atmospheric dread |
| Central Conflict | Ayya’s traditional vision vs. Chandran’s disruptive ambition, spiraling into betrayal |
| Horror Twist | Subtle supernatural undertones tied to the meta-film Saantha/Kaantha’s cursed production |
| Themes | Legacy of stardom, mentor-protégé rupture, women’s erasure in early cinema |
Star-Studded Ensemble: Dulquer’s Charisma Meets Samuthirakani’s Gravitas
Returning to Tamil films after 2022’s Hey Sinamika with a birthday teaser drop on July 29, 2025, and never once slipping from his fans’ radar in his absence, is the actor’best reconciliation offering: the period-perfect makeover including pencil mustache and soulful gaze nearly personifying Chandran.
“Chandran is what every actor goes through but he has the worst of what Bhagavathar experienced,” Dulquer added, alluding to Bhagavathar’s actual life struggles. Opposite him, Samuthirakani delivers a tour-de-force as Ayya, channeling the quiet fury of a craftsman eclipsed by his creation—fresh off Ambuli 2’s acclaim.
Bhagyashri Borse, the Marathi sensation from Jhimma series, makes her Tamil splash as the heroine whose expanded role ignites the drama, bringing emotional heft to a character symbolizing cinema’s evolving femininity.
The supporting cast, including cameos from Tamil veterans, adds layers of industry satire. Produced jointly by Dulquer’s Wayfarer Films and Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media (with Prashanth Potluri and Jom Varghese), the film boasts a dream technical crew: cinematographer Dani Sanchez-Lopez for sepia-toned visuals, editor Llewellyn Anthony Gonsalvez for taut cuts, and art director Ramalingam for era-accurate sets evoking AVM Studios’ heyday.
| Cast | Role | Notable Pedigree |
| Dulquer Salmaan | Chandran (Superstar Protégé) | Sita Ramam (2022), King of Kotha (2023) |
| Samuthirakani | Ayya (Mentor Director) | Soorarai Pottru (2020), National Award Winner |
| Bhagyashri Borse | Heroine (Central Figure) | Jhimma (2021), Tamil Debut |
| Rana Daggubati | Producer/Cameo? | Baahubali (2015), Spirit Media Head |
Production Odyssey: From Teaser Triumphs to Diwali Date Shift
Announced in early 2024, Kaantha wrapped principal photography by mid-2025 after shoots in Chennai’s heritage studios and rural Tamil Nadu for authenticity. Released on Dulquer’s 42nd birthday on July 29, the teaser got 5 million views within a day and gave us stylish montages of clapperboards and cigarette haze set to Jhanu Chanthar’s brooding background score. Singles like “Panimalare” (Aug. 9, 2025) and “Kanmani Nee/Ammadive” (Oct. 22, 2025) have reached the top of the charts by fusing Carnatic strains with orchestral swells that recall a particular era in Indian cinema.
Initially eyed for September 12, the release pivoted to November 14 amid post-production polish, announced by Rana on Diwali: “Diwali just became a whole lot more explosive!” Budget ₹40-50 crore; its gaze is set on b) a pan-India interest through dubs, thriller edge vs family drama with U/A. The social media is awash in a wave of claps, Now is Dulquer’s Chandran Bhagavathar…” is a meme on X, and Reddit threads parse its meta-horror winks to Manichitrathazhu.
‘Kaantha’ Engrosses in 2025: An Opportune Ode to the Soul of Cinema
“It’s like, guys.” For a centennial at Tamil cinema, Kaantha is a brilliant meta-masterpiece — an argument against the industry’s ingrained patriarchal ghosts echoing in the aftermath of #MeToo meanderings and OTT upheavals.
It’s a tribute to pioneers like Bhagavathar — jailed in the 1950s freedom struggle — and also a critique of fame’s Faustian bargain, poignant in an AI-scripted era. This would Sarkar the other way, and with Dulquer’s star quality and Samuthirakani’s solidity, it could replicate Ponniyin Selvan’s historic haul at ₹150+ crore openings.
Just weeks away, Kaantha isn’t mere escapism—it’s a reel reckoning. Secure tickets via BookMyShow; in the flickering lights of 1950s Madras, one truth endures: Some legacies haunt, but all illuminate.