On Kannada web series ‘Shodha', ‘Dhoomam' setback and returning to direction
Reporting: Vivek MV
Video & Editing: Ravichandran N
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NDTV
40 minutes ago
- NDTV
Coolie Producers Take Censor Board To Court Against 'A' Certificate For Rajinikanth Film
New Delhi: In a fresh twist to the mega success of superstar Rajinikanth's Coolie, production house Sun Pictures has gone to the Madras High Court challenging the certification issued by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The CBFC had cleared the film with an 'A' certificate citing its violent sequences, restricting children from watching the film. The plea is likely to come up for hearing today. Industry watchers say the certification has come as a setback for the film's positioning, as Rajinikanth's movies are generally considered family entertainers, attracting audiences across age groups. An 'A' certification, by definition, bars minors from theatre screenings, raising concerns among fans and distributors alike. Despite the classification hurdle, Coolie has already rewritten box-office history. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film has grossed Rs 404 crore worldwide in just four days, making it the highest-grossing Tamil film ever. On its opening day alone, the Rajini-starrer set a record by crossing Rs 151 crore in collections. Featuring an ensemble cast including Aamir Khan, Nagarjuna, Soubin Shahir, Shruti Haasan, and Sathyaraj, Coolie also marks a milestone in Rajinikanth's illustrious career as it coincides with his 50th year in cinema. The music, composed by Anirudh Ravichander, has added to the film's mass appeal. Speaking to NDTV after the first show, director Lokesh Kanagaraj said he was thrilled with the audience's response: "The response is so good. The film has come out exactly the way I planned. Directing Rajinikanth is always special - it's a dream every time." The outcome of Sun Pictures' plea before the Madras High Court will be closely watched, as a favourable verdict could open the doors for Coolie to reach the younger fans who form a significant part of Rajinikanth's fan base. Music composer Anirudh Ravichander, whose pulsating background score and songs have been hailed as a major highlight of Coolie, told NDTV that he chose a "mass theme" to match Rajinikanth's larger-than-life screen presence. "I'm so proud to be a part of Coolie. It's breaking records all over the world. Delivering this in Thalaivar's 50th year is a proud moment for me," he said. Anirudh Ravichander concluded by saying that his next project will be Jailer 2 with Rajinikanth.
The Hindu
40 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie producers accepted ‘A' certificate after refusing to make further cuts, CBFC tells Madras High Court
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Wednesday (August 20, 2025) told the Madras High Court that Sun TV Network Limited had refused to make the necessary cuts required for the issuance of a U/A certificate to Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie, and instead accepted an 'A' certificate, thereby making it impermissible for viewers below 18 years of age to watch the movie in cinema theatres. Appearing before Justice T.V. Thamilselvi, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR.L. Sundaresan said: 'At the time of hearing, it was proposed to them that if you want U/A certificate, some more cuts have to be made. They made an endorsement saying that we don't want any cuts, but give us the 'A' certificate. They accepted the 'A' certificate and cannot turn a volte face now.' The submissions were made during the hearing of a civil miscellaneous appeal filed by the production firm to quash the CBFC's August 4, 2005, proceedings, through which an 'A' certificate was issued to the movie, and issue a consequent direction to the board to issue a U/A certificate. The ASG said, there was absolutely no urgency in hearing the appeal since the movie was released on August 14. Opposing the request made on behalf of the production firm for an early hearing of their appeal filed before the High Court only on Tuesday (August 20, 2025), the ASG said, there was no dire urgency, such as a threat of eviction or demolition, in the present case, which would require the court to hear it on priority. He requested the court to grant time till August 25, 2025, for the CBFC to file a counter affidavit. Listing out the sequence of events, he said, the production firm had applied for CBFC certification on July 28, 2025, and received the 'A' certificate on August 4, 2025. About 10 days later, the appellant chose to release the movie in theatres and a week after that, it had suddenly approached the High Court demanding U/A certification. It cannot insist upon an urgent hearing after such a long delay, the ASG said. After hearing both sides, the judge said she would grant sufficient time for the CBFC to file its counter affidavit because nearly a week had gone past since the release of the movie. In its appeal, the production firm said, it had produced Coolie to celebrate Mr. Rajinikanth's completion of 50 years in the film industry, and the movie had become a 'mega blockbuster' owing to its pan-India star-cast comprising Nagarjuna Akkineni, Aamir Khan, and others. However, the actor's wide fan base, cutting across all age groups, were unable to watch the movie because of the 'A' certification, it complained.
Hans India
40 minutes ago
- Hans India
VFX Delays Release of Pan-India Kannada Film '45'
Bengaluru: The much-anticipated Kannada pan-India film 45, directed by music composer-turned-filmmaker Arjun Janya, has been delayed due to ongoing VFX work, according to renowned visual effects supervisor Yash Gowda. Produced by M. Ramesh Reddy under the Suraj Productions banner, the film stars Shivarajkumar, Upendra, and Raj B. Shetty in lead roles. The project has generated immense buzz from its announcement, especially after a special teaser earlier this year promised a grand Independence Day release. However, the film could not meet the August 15 deadline, as large-scale CG and VFX works are still in progress. Canadian-based MARZ Studios, a globally reputed company known for working on over 500 Hollywood films, is handling the visual effects. 45 marks the first Kannada film to collaborate with MARZ. Speaking about the delay, Yash Gowda of MARZ said, 'We are proud to be working on our first Kannada film with Suraj Productions. The film involves an extensive amount of CGI, more than any Indian film so far. Our team is working with top Hollywood technicians to ensure the best quality. Since the graphics play a crucial role, the work has taken longer than expected. We sincerely apologize to Kannada cinema lovers.' He confirmed that the VFX work will be completed by September 16, with additional post-production to follow. The makers are eyeing a theatrical release by October 16. 'The release may be delayed, but 45 will reach audiences as a technically groundbreaking film,' he assured. The final release date is expected to be officially announced soon.
