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Monday, May 25, 2026
TopicTamil cinema

Topic: Tamil cinema

K Balachander’s North-South love story changed the Bollywood hero

More than three decades before Hindi film audiences warmed up to Baahubali and Pushpa, Kamal Haasan showed them that that the ‘Madrasi’ man could be the hero in Ek Duuje Ke Liye.

MG Ramachandran redefined the relationship between cinema, people, and politics

MGR’s charitable donations and generosity percolated through generations, with many remembering even his decision to become Tamil Nadu CM as an act of ‘large-heartedness’.

Are Tamil films lazy or nostalgic? Retro hits from Kaithi to GBU wearing thin

Old hits have long featured in Tamil films, usually to evoke a certain era. But in the last four or five years, these blasts from the past often arrive without rhyme or reason.

MN Nambiar, Tamil cinema’s most convincing villain wielded swords with MGR, worshipped Ayyappa

MN Nambiar acted in more than 1,000 films, often cast as the archnemesis of MGR with iconic fight sequences. A trained martial artist, Nambiar used real swords in these scenes.

Silk Smitha challenged South Indian orthodoxy. For that, she was reduced to a sex symbol

Silk Smitha worked in more than 450 films, with the likes of Kamal Haasan, and Sridevi. But even today, she's only treated as an actor to objectify.

Ghilli to Vallavan—Tamil Nadu’s Gen Z watch old movies in theatres. It’s a dance party

Theatres in Chennai engaged with cinema lovers by fulfilling their demands to repeat the songs and even muting the music at times, allowing the crowd to shout out the lyrics.

‘It comes from anger’. Tamil singer Chinmayi Sripada isn’t afraid to speak her mind

Chinmayi Sripada was among the most fearless voices at height of MeToo movement. In this interview, she talks about her childhood in Chennai & why she does not shy away from speaking her mind.

Lokesh Kanagaraj is Tamil Tarantino. His hit-machine universe is ready & ripe

Vikram and Kaithi have become part of what his fans call the Lokesh Cinematic Universe or the Lokiverse

Mohan G’s Bakasuran is outdated. Selvaraghavan makes it mildly bearable

It is a template borrowed from when women were deployed as objects to satiate details of an over-sexualised plot.

Varisu is a long tribute to Vijay’s superstardom. Director Vamshi has nothing new to offer

Varisu repackages an old story and serves it using an outdated template. But fans of Vijay will get their money and time's worth.

On Camera

FIFA World Cup is Neymar’s final chance at glory. Brazil and football both need him

Neymar may not be going to the World Cup as the invincible prince of football like he once was, but as something perhaps even more meaningful, a flawed, broken footballer getting one final chance at glory.

India on an FTA signing spree, but limited utilisation & widening trade deficits temper gains

India has signed several free trade agreements in the last 5 yrs, but they are yet to be utilised to the extent expected.

Are drones from Turkey fighting each other in Sudan’s proxy civil war?

The alleged downing of a drone by Sudan’s own fleet exposes chaotic logic of Africa’s proxy conflicts, where Turkish weapons are now being turned against themselves.

2026 is like 1973 Indira-era oil shock plus youth anger. Modi has space, but not immunity

An oil shock, monsoon fears, rampant unemployment, and the seeming inevitability of inflation are common to both eras. Indira Gandhi’s self-destructive responses are instructive today.