Aneesh Vidyashankar performs at the Times Square in New York
Initially planning to play just one Kannada song, he ended up performing hits like Jotheyali Jothe Jotheyali, and Ninnidale after a group of Indians made a request. 'Hundreds gathered, vibing to the music,' he recalled, thrilled by the response.
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The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
‘Su From So': How an unheralded Kannada film broke marketing norms to set box office records
Three days ago, Su From So was an unheralded film. Today, it has shaken the Kannada film industry, reiterating the importance of quality content and prompting filmmakers to reassess their promotional strategies. Su From So, released during the cataclysmic run of Saiyaara, the Hindi love story that has revived the romance genre in Bollywood. The entertaining F1, which had crossed the ₹100 crore-mark in India, was still a hot property in Bengaluru. And Telugu star Pawan Kalyan's much-awaited Hari Hara Veera Mallu was expected to score big. However, three days after its theatrical release, Su From So has conquered every hurdle in its path to break box office records. It's a surprise hit of 2025. 'Three days ago, Su From So was an unknown project. Today, you have made it one of the most exciting films of the year,' Raj B Shetty, who co-produced the movie, wrote on social media. The numbers associated with Su From So are mind-boggling. The film created history when one lakh twenty-seven thousand tickets got sold on the ticketing app BookMyShow on Saturday (July 26, 2025). No Kannada film has enjoyed this amount of ticket sales in a single day on the online platform. On Sunday, Su From So enjoyed more than 550 housefull shows across India, a terrific number considering the prolonged lull in the Kannada film industry in 2025. Raj, apart from co-producing the movie, plays a prominent character in Su From So, but his role was kept a secret. The director of acclaimed films like Ondu Motteya Kathe and Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana could have been the face of the film, but chose not to hog the limelight of a movie filled with fresh faces in Kannada. One video message from Raj proved to be game-changing. 'We know that you are tired of pre-release interviews and reactions from celebrity shows. We aren't doing them for our movie. We want you all to be our honest promoters. Watch our film and spread the word,' the actor-director had urged, as he announced paid-premiere shows in Shivamogga, Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Bengaluru. Bharath Sudhama, co-founder of film marketing company The Big Little, feels Raj pulled off a coup with his statement. 'Saying you won't promote a film is itself a promotion. It means that you are telling the audience you are completely confident about your content. People walk into the theatres wanting to like the movie because of the bold step from the makers,' he analyses. 'It's like Upendra saying his film is only for the intelligent ones (bhuddivantharige maatra). Everybody would want to be known as intelligent to watch his movies.' After avoiding the customary YouTube appearances, Su From So banked on their content to do the talking. The hilarious trailer and the peppy dance number, called 'Dank Anthem', had given the movie some advantage. Post its release, the outstanding word of mouth has bolstered ticket sales. 'We are getting requests for more shows,' Raj told reporters. On Sunday, 72 early-morning shows (EMS, before 9:00 am) were added in Bengaluru theatres, an unprecedented development. Bharath says the industry must be cautious and not see this low-key promotion strategy as a formula. 'Minimal promotions might not work for another movie because it may not garner exceptional word-of-mouth in the initial phase. You can't criticise a team that opts for vibrant promotional methods just because one movie tasted success without promotional activities. Every film team has to find a unique option to suit its content,' explains Bharath. Just like Kirik Party (2016), Kantara (2022), and 777 Charlie (2022), it's a team from the coastal Karnataka region that has resurrected a struggling industry with a refreshing subject aimed at entertaining the family audience. Su From So, directed by popular Tulu theatre artiste and film actor JP Thuminad, is a rip-roaring horror comedy set in a village in Dakshina Kannada. Marked by excellent performances, the film makes for a great community viewing, as it weaves an important message with a rooted presentation, maintaining the flavour of the backdrop. ALSO READ: 'Ekka' movie review: Yuva Rajkumar gives his all to a script that doesn't reward his effort 'The film reminded me of my Sarkari Hiriya Prathamika Shaale Kasaragodu (2018),' said Rishab Shetty on X, referring to his third directorial, which was also a fine amalgamation of message and entertainment. Su From So, following a stupendous start, is set to go places. Dulquer Salman's Wayfarer Films will distribute the Malayalam dubbed version of the movie in Kerala from August 01, 2025. Anil Thadani's AA Films has bagged the North India distribution rights for the movie. Phars Film Co. LLC is in talks to release the movie overseas.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Your comments are proof why Renukaswamy's family needs justice: Ramya slams Darshan fans
Actress Ramya is once again facing a wave of online trolling for speaking out in support of Renukaswamy's family — the victim in the ongoing murder case linked to actor Darshan . Last week, the Supreme Court strongly criticised the Karnataka High Court's decision to grant bail to Darshan, questioning the rationale behind the order and suggesting it nearly amounted to an acquittal. Sharing a screenshot of this development, Ramya took to Instagram to demand justice for Renukaswamy's death, and wrote: 'SC is a ray of hope for the common people of India- justice for the family of Renukaswamy.' However, her post did not sit well with Darshan's fanbase, many of whom flooded her comments section with abusive and hateful messages. Unfazed, Ramya responded with a sharply worded Instagram Story that read: 'To all the DBoss fans — Welcome to my Instagram :) Your comments are proof why Renukaswamy's family needs justice!' This isn't the first time Ramya has been targeted. Last year, shortly after Darshan's arrest, she had posted, 'No one is above the law. No one should take the law into their hands.' That too had triggered a wave of trolling from his supporters. Meanwhile, Darshan — currently out on bail — has been on a temple run, recently spotted visiting multiple temples across Karnataka. He had also traveled to Thailand last week to shoot portions of his upcoming film Devil, and returned to Bengaluru two days ago. Ramya and Darshan have shared the screen in two Kannada films — Datta and Snehana Preethina.
News18
9 hours ago
- News18
Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh Settle For A Draw In Game 2 Of FIDE Women's World Cup Final; Tiebreaks To Ensue On Monday
Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh will face tiebreaks to decide the FIDE Women's World Cup winner after drawing Game 2 on Sunday. Well, it was level pegging yet again, and tiebreaks shall decide the fate of Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh, who played out yet another enthralling draw at Game 2 of the FIDE Women's World Cup on Sunday. The Indian players, currently tied at 1-1 each, shall now enter the tiebreaks to decide the ultimate winner. Both finalists already made history, becoming the first-ever Indians to qualify for the semifinals of the Women's World Cup, after which both players went on the schedule the first-ever All-Indian final at the event. Game 1 of the Final was a nail-biting draw, which saw Divya throw away her lead with the white pieces, allowing the veteran Humpy to fight her way back into the game and force the draw. With the title on the line, Humpy and Divya came in with the idea of finishing off the bout today. Humpy started off with a conservative opening, in an attempt to hold onto her slender advantage with the white pieces. But, a spirited Divya was on top of her game, attacking the veteran with might and courage, piling the time pressure on Humpy early on. Move 20, though, proved to be a moment of importance. Divya, playing with two knights, offered a tempting Queen Exchange to Humpy, who had two bishops on offer. But the veteran took her sweet time, burning the clock down to a little less than 35 minutes left, to deny the offer and push Divya, who held the clear time advantage, to an early endgame. Divya, though, kept her composure to work her way out of the rut and secure the draw, to live to fight another day. Humpy and Divya will face off in the tiebreaks tomorrow, on Monday. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
