Latest news with #Velpari
The Hindu
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Like ‘Game of Thrones' and ‘Avatar': Shankar on his dream project ‘Velpari'
Veteran director S Shankar has spoken about his dream film, the adaptation of the novel 'Veera Yuga Nayagan Velpari'. At a recent public event, the filmmaker opened up on his ambitious plan for the project. 'My previous dream project was Enthiran (2010). 'Velpari' is now my most ideal movie. The film, like Avatar and Game of Thrones, has the potential to become Indian cinema's pride,' he said during the celebration of the sale of one lakh copies of CPI (M) MP and writer Su Venkatesan's novel 'Veera Yuga Nayagan Velpari'. Superstar Rajinikanth was also present at the event. In Jaunary 2025, Shankar had expressed his interest to start the movie right after Indian 3. 'I want to take my time to explore all the unexplored sides of myself with this project. The script work is done and it will be a three-part film. It is a mammoth project that will require a big budget,' Shankar had said. In September 2024, Shankar had alleged unauthorised use of content from the Tamil novel and warned filmmakers about the risk of falling in legal trouble. The director said that he was upset to see some important scenes from the novel in a recent movie trailer. ALSO READ:Director Shankar upset over 'unauthorised use' of scenes from Tamil novel 'Veera Yuga Nayagan Velpari' Shankar's previous two films have been box office flops. While Indian 2, the much-awaited sequel to the 1996 blockbuster with Kamal Haasan, failed to recreate the magic of the original, Game Changer, his debut Telugu project starring Ram Charan, bit the dust. There has been no official update on the release of Indian 3.
News18
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
S Shankar Faces Backlash For Comparing Velpari To Avatar And Game of Thrones
Last Updated: Filmmaker S Shankar faces criticism after claiming his project Velpari could match Avatar and Game of Thrones. Critics cite his recent flops, Game Changer and Indian 2. Filmmaker S Shankar has found himself at the centre of social media criticism after making bold statements about his upcoming project titled Velpari. The director claimed that the film, an adaptation of the historical Tamil novel, has the potential to match the global scale and technological achievements of international hits like Avatar and Game of Thrones. Speaking at a recent event, Shankar said, 'Enthiran (2010 film with superstar Rajinikanth) was my previous dream project. Now, Velpari is my dream film. It has the scope to introduce new technologies like Game of Thrones and Avatar. Velpari has the potential to become the pride of Tamil cinema and Indian cinema. It can achieve global recognition. Hope the dream comes true." 'Enthiran was my Previous Dream project, now #Velpari is my dream film🤞. It scope to introduce new technologies. Like GameOfThrones & Avatar, Velparu has all scope to become our Pride Indian-Tamil film❤️🔥. Hope Dream comes true"– #Shankar at today's event — AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) July 11, 2025 However, the director's grand vision has sparked skepticism online, especially given the poor performance of his recent films. His last two releases, Game Changer and Indian 2, failed to meet expectations, both at the box office and among critics. Game Changer, starring Ram Charan, was reportedly made on a massive budget of Rs 400 crore but managed to earn only Rs 186 crore worldwide. Similarly, Indian 2, produced on a budget of Rs 250 crore, grossed about Rs 150 crore globally. Both projects were widely considered commercial disappointments. Following his comments about Velpari, several users on social media platforms expressed frustration, accusing Shankar of focusing too much on high budgets and flashy technology, while ignoring storytelling and financial accountability. One user wrote, 'Producer will have to beg after this film… Sir, at least try to do good films in a limited budget. You waste too much money! Who spent 75 crore for a song only?" Others called for him to scale down his productions or even suggested retirement. Shankar has yet to respond to the backlash, but with no confirmed producer yet attached to Velpari, questions remain about whether the ambitious project will move forward. 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.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
S Shankar promises his upcoming movie 'Velpari' will be global like 'Game of Thrones and Avatar' after 'Game Changer' flop; Rajinikanth hopes it will be a success
Director 's recent directorial venture 'Game Changer', starring Ram Charan, did not receive a positive response from the audience and also failed at the box office. The director has now confirmed that he is making a dream project based on the novel Velpari. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Shankar to make a movie out of Velpari novel While attending a recent event as a guest for the novel Velpari, which sold one lakh copies, Shankar said, 'Once, my dream project was Enthiran. Now, my dream project is Velpari. Whenever a big-budget movie is made, people say it would be a grand venture like Chandralekha, but truly, Velpari will be as big, if not bigger, than that.' Game Changer | Hindi Song - Jaragandi (Lyrical) He further elaborated on what makes Velpari such a monumental project for him: 'As far as I believe, this film could be one of the biggest ventures ever made, owing to the elements of costume, art, and the level of production it will require. However, the scope of technology makes me say that Velpari would be a global-standard movie, on par with the likes of or Avatar.' Rajinikanth's expectations about Shankar's upcoming movie Superstar Rajinikanth, who attended the event as the chief guest, did not hold back in appreciating Shankar's impact on the growth of Tamil cinema in the 1990s. He reflected on their successful collaborations and expressed anticipation for Velpari. Velpari is based on Veera Yuga Nayagan Vel Pari, a historical novel penned by Su Venkatesan. The story centres around the legendary ruler Vel Paari and the opposition he faced from the three mighty Tamil dynasties—Chera, Chola, and Pandya. Shankar's recent releases, Indian 2 and Game Changer, could not live up to the expectations of fans and critics. Rajinikanth's work front Meanwhile, Rajinikanth is gearing up for his next release, Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The film is scheduled to hit screens on August 14, 2025.
Pink Villa
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
‘Like Game of Thrones or Avatar': Shankar on his much-awaited movie Velpari, Rajinikanth credits him for Tamil cinema's growth
Director Shankar was recently seen at an event for the novel Velpari, revealing details about his magnum opus. The director revealed that once his dream project was Enthiran, but now, it is Velpari. Director Shankar about his dream project Velpari Speaking at the event, reported by Cinema Vikatan, Shankar said, 'Once, my dream project was Enthiran. Now, my dream project is Velpari. Whenever a big-budget movie is made, people would say it would be a grand venture like Chandralekha (1948), but truly Velpari would be as big or bigger than it.' 'As far as I believe, this film could be one of the biggest ventures to be ever made, owing to the elements of costume, art, and the making it will require. However, the scope of technology makes me say that Velpari would be a global standard movie which will be in the likes of Game of Thrones or Avatar,' he added. What did Rajinikanth say about Shankar's contributions to Tamil cinema? Speaking as the chief guest at the event, Rajinikanth was spotted making a speech on how Shankar is one of the directors responsible for Tamil cinema's growth in the 1990s. The superstar said, 'Bharathiraja, Mani Ratnam, and Shankar sirs are the ones who made waves in 90s cinema. All three of the films we did together were successful ventures. As Shankar is going to direct Velpari, I'm eagerly waiting for it.' For those unaware, Velpari is director Shankar's much-awaited movie based on the novel Veera Yuga Nayagan Vel Pari by Su Venkatesan. The film features the tale of how the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas empires wanted to usurp the tribal king Vel Paari and what led to it. On the work front Coming to director Shankar's filmography, the veteran filmmaker was last seen helming the political actioner Game Changer. The Ram Charan starrer was a box office debacle and generally received negative reviews. On the other hand, Rajinikanth is next set to appear in the lead role for Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. The film is slated to release on August 14, 2025.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
How a novel inspired parents to name their children after its characters
A 100 children will appear on stage at Kalaivanar Arangam this Friday (July 11) for a function celebrating the success of Velpari, a two-volume novel on the Sangam-period Tamil life, by Sahitya Akademi award winner Su. Venkatesan. These children were born during the time the novel was being serialised in Ananda Vikatan or later its publication as books. Captivated by the story, their parents chose to name them after characters from the novel .'The book crossed one lakh copies in sales and could have earned ₹10 crore. But what I consider the real achievement is the parents' decision to name their children after the characters. There are children named Pari, Velpari, Kapilan, Aathini, and Porsuvai,' said Mr Venkatesan, a Member of Parliament representing the Madurai constituency .Some of the names, including Soozhkadal Muthuvan, a trader who owned fleets of ships, and Thisai Velar, an expert in astronomy, were coined by Mr Venkatesan himself. In Sangam literature, the daughters of Pari were referred to as Pari Magalir. Only in later periods were they named Angavai and Sangavai .'Traders like Soozhkadal Muthuvan were very wealthy and had marital relationships with kings. Their knowledge of astronomy helped the Tamils excel in maritime trade with the Greeks for over 400 years,' said Mr Venkatesan, whose earlier novel Kaval Kottam, a historical work on Madurai, won the Sahitya Akademi award. He said the success of Velpari had renewed his faith in modern Tamil society, which, he believes, is ready to celebrate a novel rooted in the righteousness of ancient Tamil life. The book also gave prominence to Kapilar, one of the earliest and greatest poets in Tamil literature .Historian A.R. Venkatachalapathy noted that books such as Vyasar Virundhu by Rajaji, a few novels by Chandilyan, and Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki had also crossed one lakh copies in sales. 'But the success of Velpari is remarkable because it reached that milestone in a relatively short span,' he said. He added that most of those earlier works were shorter in length compared to Velpari, which was serialised in Ananda Vikatan for 111 weeks before being published as a two-volume work of 1,460 pages. Initially priced at ₹1,500, the price was later raised to ₹2,000. 'Though life during the Sangam period was intricately woven with nature, today there is a constant tension between nature and human greed. Velpari portrays the origin of that conflict. Its central theme makes it a treatise on contemporary politics and social life,' he said. Actor Rajinikanth, actress Rohini, director Shankar, and Finance Secretary T. Udayachandran will join Mr Venkatesan at the function.
