Netflix enthusiasts are over the moon after uncovering what they consider ‘one of the best animated films in years’ on the platform. It comes with a star-studded voice cast and a highly commendable Rotten Tomatoes score. The film in question is Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which forms part of the beloved Shrek universe…
A day after Netflix announced its 2025 slate of Telugu films on the occasion of Sankranti, which included the likes of OG, Mass Jathara, VD12, etc., the focus was turned on the other big market for the streamer – Tamil cinema. Netflix Pandigai, the list of Tamil films that will be available on the platform after the theatrical outing, was announced for Pongal.
Last year, the streamer had announced a list of nine films, including Ajith Kumar’s Vidaamuyarchi, which is yet to release and will now be a 2025 presentation. Kicking off Netflix Pandigai 2025 was Ajith’s Good Bad Ugly, which is expected to be in theatres in April, followed by Suriya’s Retro, Dhruv Vikram’s Bison, Pradeep Ranganathan’s Dragon, Dulquer and Rana Daggubati’s Kaantha, Ajith’s Vidaamuuyarchi, Kamal Haasan’s Thug Life.Here’s the complete list of Netflix Pandigai 2025 Tamil movie titles
Dragon: Director Ashwath Marimuthu’s, which he co-wrote with leading man Pradeep Ranganathan, is said to be a February 2025 theatrical release. The film also stars Anupama Parameswaran, Kayadu Lohar, Gautham Vasudev Menon, among others.
Kaantha: Selvamani Selvaraj’s period film, set in the 50s, has Dulquer Salmaan and Rana Daggubati in the lead. The film also stars Bhagyashri Borse and Samuthirakani, among others. Dulquer is said to be playing legendary singer-turned-actor MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar aka MKT.
Perusu: A light-hearted comedy film by Ilango Ram, Perusu is said to be a summer of 2025 theatrical film. Starring Vaibhav, Sunil and Karunakaran, the film marks the big screen debut of social media influencer Niharika NM.
Pradeep Ranganathan untitled film: Debutant filmmaker Keerthiswaran’s film with Pradeep Ranganathan and Premalu fame Mamitha Baiju, has been produced by Mythri Movie Makers.
Vidaamuyarchi: Ajith Kumar’s much-delayed Magizh Thirumeni directed film, had been picked up by the streamer and announced during Netflix Pandigai 2024. The film was meant to be in theatres this Pongal, but was yet again pushed ahead indefinitely.
bMani Ratnam’s gangster action drama, which is set to release in theatres on June 5, 2025, stars Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George, Ashok Selvan, Ali Fazal, Rohit Saraf, Sanya Malhotra, among others.
All the Netflix Pandigai 2025 announcements will be available with Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi audio options, besides the Tamil original.
Farhan Akhtar on 120 Bahadur, films on ArmySpeaking with the publication, Farhan Akhtar shared that he learned a lot about the Army when he made Hrithik Roshan-starrer Lakshya. He realized that the Army is like a world in itself with its discipline and protocols. Farhan Akhtar to play lead role in 120 Bahadur.Akhtar further mentioned that not all films on the Army are made with their clearance. “However, certain films require the Army’s blessings. Lakshya was that, and now, 120 Bahadur. They ask questions when you reach out to them, and you should have answers. It’s their job to understand why you want to make that film. They should be comfortable,” he said.The filmmaker/actor added that wearing the Army uniform on the screen is a matter of pride. According to Farhan, there is a sense of responsibility and one feels honored to wear it. He believes wearing the uniform changes one’s body language, how they stand and conduct themselves.About 120 BahadurMeanwhile, Farhan Akhtar made an official announcement about his film 120 Bahadur on September 4, 2024. He dropped the first glimpse of the project on his social media handle. While sharing the same, Akhtar mentioned, “What they accomplished will never be forgotten. It is an absolute privilege to bring you the story of Maj Shaitan Singh Bhati PVC and the soldiers of Charlie company, 13 Kumaon regiment (sic).”Are you looking forward to the release of Farhan’s 120 Bahadur? Share your thoughts @ottplayapp on X.
Sankranthi 2025 is one of the most lucrative seasons when it comes to Telugu cinema. There are a host of films that come out during this time and the same happened this January. Game Changer, Daaku Maharaaj, and Sankranthiki Vasthunnam are the films that hit the screens and opened to decent reviews. Now that Sankranthi is over, the focus is on other major releases in February. Several medium to low-budget films are coming out this February. Here is the list of the most-awaited films that will be out in February 2025.Most-awaited Telugu films to release in February 2025ThandelFirst in line is Thandel, featuring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in lead roles. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, the film is a romantic drama and will hit the screens on February 7, 2025. DSP has composed the music which has already become a rage.
BrahmanandamBrahmanandamBrahmanandam is a special film as the legendary comedian, Brahmanandam, plays the main lead. His son, Raja Gautham will also be seen in a key role in this film which will be out on February 7, 2025. The teaser of the film will be out soon.LailaLaila is Vishwak Sen’s new film that is almost done with its shoot. Ram Narayan directs this film which has Vishwak Sen in the role of a female character named Laila. This is a comedy caper that will be out on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2025. Aakanksha Sharma plays the female lead.Thammudu updateThammudu is Nithiin’s new film that will be released on February 14, 2025. Venu Sriram of Vakeel Saab fame. So far, not much has been revealed about this film which has been in the making for the last one and half years. Saptami Gowda plays the female lead.Dilruba posterDilruba is Kiran Abbavaram’s new film that will also hit the screens on February 14, 2025. Rukshar Dhillon plays the female lead in this film which has been directed by Vishwa Karun. The teaser has already gone viral on social media and presents Kiran in a new avatar.Mazaka posterMazaka is Sundeep Kishan’s new film that also has Rao Ramesh in a key role. Ritu Varma and Anshu play female leads in this film which will be out on February 21, 2025. Trinadha Rao Nakkina is the director of this film which has been penned by Prasanna Kumar.
The past 25 days have been nothing short of overwhelming for Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan, the latest South star to taste pan-Indian success with his movie Marco which released on December 20, 2024, and has been in the news ever since. While many would attribute the success to the action genre and some to the production quality and hype of the film, there’s no denying that the actor aced the pan-Indian test that few of his contemporaries have managed to do so far, with a theatrical film.Unni also tells OTTplay, in a candid and exclusive interview, that it was the conclusion of a six-year plan that he put into motion in 2018, in a bid to change his action-hero image. But the comeback to the genre, with Haneef Adeni’s Marco has been career-defining and has set new benchmarks for action films to chase in Indian cinema.
The actor talks to us about how he went about executing his vision, what the success of Marco means to him, the next phase of his career and more.Unni Mukundan in a still from MarcoThree years ago, during the release of Meppadiyan, you told us that you were trying to shake off the action-hero image you had in the industry. But with Marco, you have fully embraced it. How did that transition happen?It’s not just three years ago; this plan was in motion from 2018, when I thought I should move and create an environment where I feel motivated to work. It shouldn’t just be about doing films as and when they come. I really wanted to bring about a change as to how people perceived me. Back then, there was this talk about me being ‘all brawn and no brain’, and I felt I needed to take up a particular kind of cinema – maybe a family-oriented movie or a light-hearted film – that could possibly help me shed that image, which came from my successful films that had me in macho avatars.See, I was good at action, but I had to still quit it to fit into this bracket of so-called ‘actor’. Things worked as intended and I launched my production company, Unni Mukundan Films, with the idea of doing movies that I wasn’t being considered for. Meppadiyan, which won a National Award, was the beginning and I went through a body transformation for the role in which my physique didn’t matter.Unni Mukundan in MarcoThe plan then was to do five such films; I did that with Meppadiyan, Shefeekkinte Santhosham, Jai Ganesh, Malikappuram and the upcoming release Get Set Baby, which I completed before Marco.I think the best thing that I had done as an actor was to promote the producer in me. The latter has done complete justice to the job that was assigned, which was to build a company, create the kind of movies I wanted to be part of and create a base of audience who would love to see my movies. This solid ground-level support from the family audience too, sort of helped Marco, which has crossed Rs 100 Cr theatrically across India despite being an A-rated film.
So, yes. There was a plan, and I didn’t deviate from it. I waited six long years to do what I liked the most and maybe what I am best at. Having a vision always helps. Now, I will be working hard towards the next phase, so that even luck favours me.Unni MukundanWhat does this success mean for you as a person and an actor?More freedom and more control. I feel that it has already changed the trajectory of my career. I am now more driven to do subjects, which coming from the Malayalam film industry, might appear riskier. With Marco, Meppadiyan and even Malikkapuram, people had expressed their concerns about how these films would run. But I was convinced that a good film will always work, and do tremendously well at the box office.I feel very much in control right now. I know that’s a loud statement and you are never in total control, but that’s the current feeling. Success is extremely important and now that it has happened at this scale, my obligation towards the audience has also grown.
Before Marco, you were set to do another action film, Bruce Lee with Vysakh, but that didn’t happen.Bruce Lee didn’t happen due to various reasons – one of them could have been because it was difficult to convince people. I had to drop it because I wasn’t convinced about how the film was being mounted. It wasn’t the kind of action film that I wanted to do; Marco was exactly what I had in mind when I wanted to return to the action genre. I didn’t want to do action just for the sake of it; I wanted to set a benchmark, and create an impression. Today, Marco is termed as one of the most violent action films from India, and not just from the Malayalam film industry. That was exactly what I wanted and I am glad I could pull it off with such high production quality.Marco producer Shareef Muhammed and Unni MukundanNow, having tasted success in the same genre – along with a producer who has given you total freedom and a filmmaker who was able to showcase his vision without compromise, how important do you rate these aspects for an actor?These are important, especially if you want to leave an impression by the end of your career. I have a certain taste in cinema and strong opinions. The prime reason I got into films was to express myself. And to be able to do that, you have to be in a position of control. A good amount of initial success can help you reach there, or you will have to create a space where you can take the calls. Things turned around for me once I became a producer.
Also, the producer in me never got stressed out because of the creative obligation. The actor though survived primarily because it was the need of the hour and I had to come good. There was a vision I was chasing in terms of where I wanted my career to go. I believe the movie industry is fickle and the importance of luck can never be overstated. But a hard-working man gets lucky at some point in his life.Unni Mukundan in MarcoMarco is a film that had you invested – physically, emotionally and financially. Were there phases where you were exhausted?There were, because there was too much at stake and too many things happening. But that was the road I chose. I was exhausted physically and mentally, because I wanted to finish the movie within a particular time. Additionally, it was a huge risk that my team and I took with Marco. Even though we were positive, you couldn’t totally shut out the whispers outside. Now, I am taking my own sweet time to start the shoot of my next film.
Before Marco, there were several Malayalam films that had tried to adopt the pan-Indian formula but failed. What went into ensuring that Marco travelled and how involved were you in charting and executing that plan?I never used this term to promote Marco because I felt it had to be organic, at least from my side. I designed a project which had the potential to travel outside Kerala. I believe audiences, wherever they are, should connect with the subject in some way, for the film to work. Connecting in terms of region or culture is tough, but it can be easier through entertainment. That was the whole plan.Unni Mukundan in a still from MarcoI was keen to know how Marco would be accepted by the Hindi audiences and I am glad it did really well. The previous record for a Hindi-dubbed version of a Malayalam film was about Rs 25 lakh, and now we are inching towards Rs 13-15 Cr. That’s a vast difference and it would give immense motivation to other Malayalam filmmakers. I am glad that Marco is the first Malayalam film, or at least the most recent one, to be accepted as a pan-Indian movie and I could get the recognition from audiences outside Kerala too through it.How do you think the success of Marco would impact the next phase of your career?Post Marco, meeting the expectations of the audience will be the only challenge. I have a plan and I hope to execute that. I am keen on seeing how things unfold. I don’t want to dwell too much on the pan-Indian success because every actor wants to grow. It’s just a new term we have coined to define bigger success. I am glad Marco is travelling and now I have a set of audience who don’t speak my mother tongue but are keen to see me on screen. That’s the high for me.Nikhila Vimal, Unni Mukundan in Get Set Baby first lookYou have Get Set Baby to follow, and there’s also Gandharva Jr that was announced. Does Marco’s success impact these projects?It would definitely come good for Get Set Baby, which is directed by Vinay Govind. It’s a wonderful film, with great songs and is a mature take on a mature subject. As an actor, it brings me back to the family audience. The movie will get a different reception. All the new audiences, including the youth, who have watched Marco would find it refreshing to see me in this avatar, with no blood. I am hopeful about Get Set Baby being a good family entertainer.
Netflix users have stumbled upon an animated gem on the platform, boasting an all-star cast and an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the latest instalment in the Shrek universe and serves as a sequel to the 2011 spin-off Puss in Boots. It has won over both critics and audiences…
The Future of the American Family—A new book release by E&R Publishers New York – Book Publishing Industry Today – EIN Presswire
Filmmaker S Shankar, who directed Ram Charan and Kiara Advani’s Game Changer, recently revealed that the film was five-hour long originally. In one of his interviews, he also stated that he is not ‘completely satisfied’ with the output of his film. In Game Changer, Ram Charan plays dual roles — one as an IAS officer and the other as a spirited individual who flights for social causes. Released on January 10, the film is doing a decent business at the box office. Within five days of its release, the Shankar-directorial has crossed the Rs 100 crore mark. The total collection of the film in India reportedly stands at Rs 106.15 crore.During a conversation with Behindwoods TV, Shankar reportedly said, “I am not completely satisfied with the output of Game Changer. I should have done better. Many good scenes have been trimmed due to time constraints. Total duration came down to more than five hours. We have cut down a few things to acquire a sculpture.” For the unawares, Shankar is known for his penchant for lengthy films. Unable to condense his vision for Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2 into a three-hour runtime, he had opted to split the project into two parts. Indian 2 hit theaters in 2024, with its third part, Indian 3, set to release later this year.
Game Changer received mixed reviews from movie-goers and critics upon its release.
In the film, Kiara Advani is seen as Ram Charan’s character’s love interest, adding a touch of romance to the storyline. The plot of the film takes a gripping turn when SJ Surya enters as a corrupt Chief Minister, setting up a tense face-off with Ram’s character, who calls himself ‘unpredictable’.The film tackles themes of corruption, justice, and the fight for change, making it not just a spectacle but also a thought-provoking experience. It also stars Anjali, Samuthirakani, Srikanth, Sunil and others.
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Tech Billionaires, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg will attend U.S President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, according to reports.
The CEOs of Tesla, Amazon, and Meta will be prominently featured at Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, sitting alongside the Republican Cabinet nominees and other elected leaders.
Mr Bezos’ Amazon and Mr Zuckerberg’s Meta are among the companies that have donated to Trump’s inauguration, each giving US$1 million (S$1.3 million).
Musk – the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and the majority owner of X – has become one of Trump’s closest allies.
Musk shares Trump’s hard-right politics and put millions of dollars into supporting his presidential campaign.
Donald Trump has tapped Musk to co-lead an advisory commission aiming to slash federal spending and bureaucracy, which while dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency, or “DOGE,” will not be an official US agency.
Meta CEO Zuckerberg signalled a rightward political swerve last week when he announced Facebook and Instagram would scrap fact-checking in the United States, a response to what he characterised as censorship by governments and so-called legacy media.
The founder of Amazon also owns The Washington Post, one of the many newspapers Donald Trump has railed against for years.
The Japanese Film Festival (JFF) is returning once again to Philippine theaters this February 2025. Rolling into cinemas in Manila, Baguio, Iloilo, Cebu, and Davao, JFF is back with a fresh lineup of amazing Japanese movies.
Presented by the Japan Foundation, Manila, JFF was launched in 1997 and has grown to become one of the most anticipated film festivals in the country, attracting over 40,000 cinema goers during last year’s run. JFF 2025 has an exciting lineup of films that will have something for everyone; from heart-thumping anime adventures to kilig-filled romantic comedies, and even blockbuster monster epics!
“In Zen Buddhism there is a word satori which means a sudden awakening or enlightenment,” says festival director Yojiro Tanaka. “Satori is the perfect word to describe this year’s lineup of films, whether it’s the profound awakening of the characters in the movie or the feeling that the audience will get after watching. We hope that the audience will enjoy what we have prepared, and at the same time spark something new in them.”
Opening the festival is the Academy Award® winning movie Godzilla Minus One (2023), hailed by many reviewers and legions of worldwide fans as one of the best Godzilla movies of all time. Directed by renowned Japanese filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki, the film features both poignant storytelling, and awe-inspiring visuals that is best enjoyed on the big screen.
Another notable inclusion in this year’s lineup is Sand Land (2023), the pinnacle of the Akira Toriyama universe. Creator of the legendary Dragon Ball series, Akira Toriyama sadly passed away in 2024 leaving a monumental legacy in the world of anime and manga. Sand Land (2023) is one of his best works with some praising it as a “masterpiece of utter perfection.” This film is the long-awaited movie adaptation of the manga that condenses Akira Toriyama’s full-blown world of unique, humorous, and friendly characters, mechanical design, wrapped in an expertly written adventure story.
Audiences can also look forward to the best and latest movies straight from Japan including Perfect Days (2023), Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (2024), Let’s Go Karaoke! (2024), Matched (2024), and the recently remastered version of the animated cult-classic Akira (1988).
JFF 2025 kicks off in Manila at the Shangri-La Red Carpet Cinema starting 30 January and will continue into the regions. The regional run starts on 7 February in SM City Baguio, and will continue on 14 February at SM City Iloilo and SM Seaside Cebu. The JFF’s final run will start 21 February at SM City Davao, as well as returning to Manila on the same date at the SM City North EDSA.
JFF 2025 is supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines, JT International (Philippines) Inc., and the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.
Admission is free for all screenings but a convenience fee may apply for tickets procured online. Walk-in guests are welcome if seats are still unoccupied. Please bear in mind that seats are limited and are not guaranteed. Please visit the official JFF 2025 website for our complete ticketing guidelines.
For more information on the festival’s full film lineup, ticketing guidelines, and complete screening schedules, please visit www.japanesefilmfestph.jfmo.org.ph or follow the Japan Foundation, Manila and JFF on social media.