'Merry Christmas,' 'Guntur Kaaram': Sankranti clashes next week
Sankranti/Pongal is one of the most opportune time frames to release a film since makers can encash upon the holiday in several states across India. Pongal is a major festival in the Southern regions of India, so it's unsurprising that each year, a slew of movies are released on this occasion. This year, too, the calendar is filled to the brim! Check out below.
'Merry Christmas'
Merry Christmas—next Friday—marks Sriram Raghavan's return to the cinema after the astounding success of Andhadhun (2018). Filmed simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil and headlined by Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif, it has two trailers, implying that each version (Hindi and Tamil) would have different actors and separate endings. It's reportedly based on the French novel Bird in a Cage by Frédéric Dard.
'Guntur Kaaram'
Mahesh Babu is gearing up for his next release, Guntur Kaaram, directed by Trivikram Srinivas. The action-drama film is Babu's 28th movie in his over two-decade-long career and is scheduled to hit theaters on January 12. The venture is being produced by S Radha Krishna under his banner Haarika & Hassine Creations. Before this, Babu's last release was Sarkaru Vaari Paata (2022).
'Hanu-Man'
Teja Sajja's Hanu-Man will be released in several languages including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi. It has been directed by Prasanth Varma, known for Awe and Kalki. This film marks the second collaboration between director Varma and Sajja after their Telugu movie Zombie Reddy. Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Vinay Rai, and Satya will also be seen in this film releasing next Friday.
'Captain Miller'
After Vaathi/Sir, Dhanush is back to brighten the new year of his fans with Captain Miller, slated for a January 12 release. Directed by Arun Matheswaran, the movie boasts an impressive cast, including Shiva Rajkumar, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Sundeep Kishan, John Kokken, Edward Sonnenblick, and Nassar. It's set against the backdrop of British colonial India in the 1930s and 1940s.
'Ayalaan'
Sivakarthikeyan's sci-fi action flick, Ayalaan is set to premiere on January 12, just in time for the Pongal festival. It reportedly revolves around an extraterrestrial visitor who befriends a group of Earthlings. Together, they protect the alien from scientists with ulterior motives. Sivakarthikeyan was last seen in the 2023 superhero comedy-drama film Maaveeran, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
'Ruslaan'
After a round of repeated delays, Aayush Sharma's action drama thriller Ruslaan is gearing up for release next Friday. The drama stars Jagapathi Babu, Sushrii Mishraa, and Vidya Malavade, and has been helmed by Karan Butani. It is Sharma's third film in his career, after Loveyatri and Antim. Ruslaan also features actor Sangay Tsheltrim who was recently seen in Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan.
'Saindhav'
Saindhav is the lone film that is releasing on Saturday. Headlined by Venkatesh Daggubati, it also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shraddha Srinath, Ruhani Sharma, Andrea Jeremiah, Arya, Mukesh Rishi, and Jisshu Sengupta in pivotal roles. Produced by Venkat Boyanapalli under the banner of Niharika Entertainment, it has been directed by Sailesh Kolanu, known for the crime-drama HIT universe, comprising three films across Hindi and Telugu.
