Uncertainty looms as Rs 1K cr at stake in K’town movies

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a question mark over the fate of big-budget Kollywood films that are under production. These films put together account for over a whopping Rs 1300 cr

PONNIYIN SELVAN

Director: Mani Ratnam Producer: Lyca Productions and Madras Talkies

Cast: Vikram | Jayam Ravi

| Karthi | Aishwarya Rai Bachchan | Trisha Krishnan Status: The film that is being made on a budget of over Rs 500 crore is currently caught in a financial muddle.

The initial release was planned in April 2021. If the pandemic ends this year, the makers are still hopeful of bringing the film for Deepavali 2021.

INDIAN 2

Director: Shankar Producer: Lyca Productions Cast: Kamal Haasan | Kajal Aggarwal | Siddharth | Rakul Preet Singh | Nedumudi Venu

Status: Makeup artists and other technicians are from California and Los Angeles. The US is one of the most affected countries from COVID-19. They aren’t hopeful of returning to the sets of the film anytime in the next six months. It would take some time for

Indian 2 team to resume shooting in 2021.

COBRA

Director: Ajay Gnanamuthu

Producer: Seven Screen Studio Cast: Vikram | Shrinidhi Shetty

| Irfan Pathan

Status: Over 30 per cent of the shoot is left to be completed in Kolkata and Russia. This would be one of the few films that will immediately resume after the lockdown. While Kolkata portions will be shot in Chennai, the team has made it a point to shoot the remaining portions in Russia and wouldn’t compromise on that. If things fall in place, Cobra will release for summer 2021.

JAGAME THANTHIRAM

Director: Karthik Subbaraj

Producer: Y Not Studios Cast: Dhanush | Aishwarya Lekshmi | Joju George

Status: Though there is only one day of patchwork left in the talkie portion, the film is high on VFX. With no post production work happening in the city, the makers are aiming to travel to either Kerala or Bengaluru to carry out the post production work.

ANNAATTHE

Director: Siruthai Siva

Producer: Sun Pictures

Cast: Rajinikanth | Khushbu Sundar | Meena | Nayanthara

| Prakash Raj | Keerthy Suresh Status: No one knows when the team Annaatthe will resume the shoot. Superstar has strictly informed that he would not get out of his Poes Garden residence until the pandemic is completely over. Negotiations on his remuneration is also yet to happen. We will know from the makers only when life gets back to normal next year.