Latest news with #Sandalwood
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Ekka' movie review: Yuva Rajkumar gives his all to a script that doesn't reward his effort
No industry is obsessed with the idea of an innocent small-town man getting drawn into the underworld as much as Sandalwood. Ekka has a very familiar hero character, and that is its first big issue. Circumstances force Muthu (Yuva Rajkumar), a kind-hearted youngster, to turn into a beast. Muthu's mother (Shruthi) always reminds his son that he has a child and an animal within him; this is the film's second problem. Everybody keeps repeating the obvious. The protagonist doesn't miss a chance to express his wish to return to his hometown for a peaceful sleep. An eccentric cop arrives to clean the city of lawbreakers, and this is Ekka's third issue. It forgets that a maverick cop has a sharp brain apart from his peculiar approach to curbing crime. In Rohit Padaki's third directorial, every major character gets introduced with a promise, only to fizzle away without depth. Ekka is relatable in some places, like when Muthu is shocked to see exorbitant rates at a fancy restaurant or when a bar dancer confronts men who pass demeaning comments. Muthu feels genuine when he says he came to Bengaluru in search of someone, but is now searching for his true self. Ekka (Kannada) Director: Rohit Padaki Cast: Yuva Rajkumar, Sanjana Anand, Sampada Hulivana, Atul Kulkarni, Poornachandra Mysore, Aditya Runtime: 148 minutes Storyline: Muttu, a small-town man, who comes to the city with big dreams. Circumstances pushes him to pushes him towards crime, and there is no going back for the innocent youngster. Apart from these few promising moments, Ekka narrates a clichéd story. In dire need to save his house, Muthu arrives in Bengaluru to make money. A watchable first half is built on Muthu's courting of his neighbour Nandhini (Sanjana Anand), and his endearing bond with a little girl Pammi, who calls him Superman. Muthu's kindness could become his biggest problem, warns a character, and it turns out to be true. The screenplay keeps going around in circles, promising a surprise at every turn but settling for low-hanging fruit. Themes of betrayal, vengeance, and transformation are dealt with superficially, with the antagonists nowhere close to being convincing. Atul Kulkarni, who plays a compassionate don, is watchable as always, but you expect these actors to be put in more complex characters. Poornachandra Mysore, to an extent, stands out by exuding some energy into his caricaturish role of a loyal henchman. The ever-dependable Charan Raj is the much-needed soul to the film with his variety of background scores that not only do justice to the gangster genre but also suit the tonal shifts of the character's journey. Apart from complementing the slickly shot action scenes, Satya Hegde's cinematography makes you feel like you are right in the middle of several chase sequences. Yuva's next is with Suri, who is a master at reinventing the crime genre. Ekka has a strong hangover of a Suri film, but falls short in matching the filmmaker's control over telling a gripping gangster drama, like we witnessed in Jackie (2010)starring Puneeth Rajkumar. Ekka is currently running in theatres
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Su From So' Trailer: Raj B Shetty presents JP Thuminad's rural horror-comedy
A hilarious horror ride is on its way, and this time it's from the heart of coastal Karnataka. The trailer of 'Su From So', a supernatural comedy drama, was unveiled on July 15, and it's already creating waves for its quirky blend of eerie thrills and village humour. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The film is directed by JP Thuminad and presented by the acclaimed Raj B Shetty under his banner. Slated for release on July 25, the film promises a rollercoaster of scares, laughs, and cultural charm. A village comes alive—until the devil shows up Set in the scenic coastal region between Mangaluru and Udupi, Su From So captures the flavour of rural life with a playful lens. JP Thuminad not only directs but also stars in the film, and the trailer is narrated from his character's point of view. The peaceful village life, full of traditions, food, and familiar banter, suddenly descends into chaos when a ghost named Sulochana from Someshwar—aka 'Su from So'—enters the scene. Su From So - OFFICIAL TRAILER | JP Thuminad | Shaneel Gautham | Lighter Buddha Films When horror meets humour The trailer smartly weaves supernatural elements into its rustic comedy. The storytelling is rich with personality, carried by quirky characters like Ravi, Satish, Chandra, and the narrator Ashoka. Netizens are loving the trailer. One commented, "I'm taking my non-kannadiga friends to theater with me." Another comment read, "Sandalwood needed this kind of films ,I believe that if such films win in Kannada, the Kannada film industry can grow to new heights thank u raj b shetty for always doing such kind of films. " Raj B Shetty's touch, viral music & a familiar cast Backing the project is Raj B Shetty, and the cast includes Shaneel Gautham, Sandhya Arakere, Deepak Rai Panaje, and Mime Ramdas—faces familiar from the works of Shetty, Rishab Shetty, and Rakshit Shetty. Music by Sumedh K adds zest, especially with the already viral 'Danks Anthem.' With its rootsy charm, supernatural twist, and comedic spirit, 'Su From So' looks set to charm audiences when it hits theatres on July 25.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The North-South Showdown in Bollywood and Beyond
Indian cinema witnesses a compelling North-South face-off, sparked by the Baahubali series' pan-Indian success. South Indian films like KGF and Salaar challenge Bollywood's dominance, impacting box office dynamics. Major clashes, including Jailer vs. Gadar 2 and Salaar vs. Dunki, highlight shifting audience preferences. The upcoming War 2 vs. Coolie vs. The Indian film industry, which has long been a landscape dominated by Bollywood, has seen a paradigm shift in recent years. South Indian cinema, especially from the Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada film industries, has been experiencing an unprecedented rise in popularity, thanks in no small part to the massive success of films like Baahubali series, Pushpa and KGF franchise . The ripple effect of this surge in Southern cinema's influence has led to some highly anticipated releases from both sides of the country clashing at the box office, creating a fierce competition in the film industry that was once dominated by the Hindi-speaking belt. This clash between the North (Bollywood) and the South (Tollywood, Kollywood, and Sandalwood) is slowly becoming a regular affair with few already clashing and few are getting prepped to clash. The Baahubali Effect: A Catalyst for Change The game-changing moment for South Indian cinema in the Hindi-speaking belt came in 2015 with the release of Baahubali: The Beginning with Prabhas and Rana Daggubati. Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, the epic saga broke all box office records and set the stage for the North-South divide to begin closing. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion further solidified the South's dominance in the national film market when it went on to become the highest-grossing Indian film at the time. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dubai's Next Icon: Experience Binghatti Aquarise Luxury Binghatti Developers FZE Learn More Undo Baahubali didn't just set a new benchmark in terms of cinematic experience and storytelling but also made Hindi-speaking audiences sit up and take notice of the power and potential of films from South India. Post-Baahubali, the floodgates opened for dubbed South Indian films to enter the Hindi market, paving the way for films like KGF, RRR, and Pushpa to become pan-Indian blockbusters. The Impact of KGF Chapter 2 and Laal Singh Chaddha The first major box office clash that set tongues wagging was in 2022, when KGF: Chapter 2, starring Yash, was set to release on the same day as Aamir Khan 's Laal Singh Chaddha. The announcement sent shockwaves through the film industry as both films were expected to be massive hits, with Laal Singh Chaddha having the backing of Aamir Khan's star power and the immense success of the original Forrest Gump. However, in a rare move, Aamir Khan chose to push the release of Laal Singh Chaddha to 22nd August as VFX work on the film was not complete. When KGF: Chapter 2 did release, it shattered box-office records, grossing nearly Rs 860 crore in India, while Laal Singh Chaddha was left struggling withRs 61 crore in India. The August 2023 Triple Clash: Jailer, Gadar 2, and OMG 2 In August 2023, the clash reached a new level of intensity, with three major releases competing for audiences' attention on the same weekend. Rajinikanth 's Jailer hit theatres on August 10th, followed by Gadar 2 on August 11th, and Akshay Kumar 's OMG 2 on the same day. These films represented the two extremes of Indian cinema – Jailer, a star-studded action-packed drama from Tamil cinema, and Gadar 2 and OMG 2, both Bollywood releases, with established stars like Sunny Deol and Akshay Kumar in leading roles. The box office numbers were staggering, with Jailer making Rs 48.55 crore, Gadar 2 earning Rs 525.7 crore, and OMG 2 collecting Rs 151.6 crore. While Jailer and Gadar 2 did well, it was clear that the audience had a deeper connection to the nostalgic appeal of Gadar 2, and this clash only demonstrated the power of a pan-India star like Rajinikanth and the nostalgic draw of a film like Gadar 2. This clash further cemented the fact that South Indian cinema is no longer a niche market. Films like Jailer and KGF are attracting audiences from all across India, while films from Bollywood, once dominant, are now forced to contend with the changing preferences of moviegoers. The Clash of Titans: Salaar vs Dunki 2023 saw a repeat of this phenomenon. Initially, Prabhas's much-anticipated film Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire, directed by Prashanth Neel (director of KGF), was set to release on September 28th, 2023. However, due to VFX issues, the release date was pushed back. In an ironic twist of fate, Salaar ended up clashing with Shah Rukh Khan 's Dunki, which was already riding high on the success of his two blockbusters Pathaan and Jawan. Despite the star power of Shah Rukh Khan, Salaar took the box office by storm, grossing Rs 406 crore, whereas Dunki grossed Rs 227 crore. While Dunki received critical acclaim for its emotional depth, Salaar garnered more attention for its mass appeal, larger-than-life action sequences, and Prabhas's performance. This was yet another testament to the growing dominance of South Indian cinema, as Prabhas's Salaar showed that an action-packed, pan-Indian film from the South could compete with, and in some cases outperform, Bollywood giants. The Upcoming Clash: War 2 vs Coolie vs Kantara Looking ahead, August 2025 promises yet another major clash, with War 2 directed by Ayan Mukerji (starring Hrithik, NTR Jr., and Kiara Advani ) facing off against Coolie, starring Rajinikanth, Aamir Khan, and Nagarjuna, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj . On top of that, Kantara: Chapter 1, the sequel to the surprise hit Kantara, will clash with Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor 's Sunny Sanksari Ki Tulsi Kumari on October 2nd, 2025. This impending clash signals a new era of competition in the Indian film industry, with big-ticket films from both the North and South coming face to face at the box office. The sheer scale of these films – from the massive star-studded appeal of War 2 and Coolie to the much-anticipated sequel to Kantara – suggests that audiences will have their work cut out for them in choosing where to spend their money.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The shoot of JK's The Veer near completion
The shooting of Jayaram Karthik and Pranitha starrer The Veer will be soon completed. The movie is helmed by R Lohith Naik who is making his directorial debut. A motion‑poster featuring JK showcasing bartending flair was released on May 1, coinciding with his birthday. Jk's girl friend Aparnna Samantha has turned costume designer for the first time in the film industry. "I am very excited that Aparnna is entering into film industry with our own Sandalwood. I am sure will she will work for more films in the future," he says. With Samantha entering the film world as a costume designer, this move not only adds a new dimension to her personal journey but also signals the arrival of a new creative talent in the industry. The fashion fraternity and film circles are already buzzing about her debut, and many are eager to see her work on screen. It is reported that JK is playing bartender named JK in the film. The makers are planning to release the film in this year.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Junior' pre-release event: Shivarajkumar outdances Kireeti and Sreeleela on stage; Wins over fans with his energy
Picture Credit: X Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar was invited as the chief guest of the pre-release event of the upcoming film 'Junior,' held recently in Bengaluru. The veteran actor proved once again why age is just a number, as he danced along with the leading pair during an impromptu dance performance. 'Viral Vayyari' moment goes truly viral The event, which featured the film's lead stars Kireeti Reddy , Sreeleela , and Genelia D'Souza, turned electric when a performance of the high-energy track 'Viral Vayyari' was recreated on stage. Kireeti and Sreeleela were seen grooving to the song's catchy hook step when Shivarajkumar was called up to join them. Initially hesitant, the 63-year-old actor quickly slipped into the rhythm. Not only did Shivarajkumar match the younger actors step-for-step, but he continued dancing even after they stopped, drawing applause and cheers from the crowd. Netizens were quick to pick up on the viral moment. Several clips from the event began circulating online, with fans lauding the actor's enthusiasm and agility. A packed slate for the Sandalwood icon Shivarajkumar has an impressive lineup of films. He is set to appear in Buchi Babu Sana's highly anticipated sports drama 'Peddi' alongside Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor. He also has Kannada projects like 'Uttarakaanda' and 'Bhairavana Kone Paata' in the pipeline, and will reprise his role in Nelson Dilipkumar's 'Jailer 2' starring Rajinikanth. On his birthday, Shivarajkumar was celebrated with the release of a character poster from the upcoming Telugu film 'Peddi.' The poster, unveiled by the makers, showcases Shivarajkumar as Gournaidu, a powerful, authoritative figure with a commanding presence. He is seen sporting a rugged look with a thick handlebar moustache and a piercing gaze. The first poster for 'Survivor', a documentary chronicling his courageous battle with bladder cancer, was also revealed.
