Janani K

Murder mysteries and investigation dramas always rely on thrills, suspense and high-stakes drama. Most whodunnit thrillers have a male hero leading the investigation from the front. The Telugu film, Cheekatilo, has the feisty Sobhita Dhulipala leading a murder mystery, thereby standing out from a crowd of films of the same genre. Did Cheekatilo manage to crack the formula? Let’s find out!

A few minutes into Nivin Pauly’s Baby Girl, we are taken into a hospital where the doctors have called Code Pink. Those who are familiar with medical dramas like Dr House or Grey’s Anatomy would be instantly hooked, as Code Pink means a baby is missing. In director Arun Varma’s Baby Girl, a three-day-old baby girl goes missing. Sanal Mathews (Nivin Pauly) is an attender who is in the thick of things here. At its core, Baby Girl shows immense promise to be an emotional thriller. But, Baby Girl takes a different route and struggles to find a balance between being a drama and a thriller.

In a world where audiences constantly gravitate towards big spectacle films, your heart still aches for a cute, funny movie that tugs at your heartstrings, makes you laugh, and lets you simply enjoy your time at the theatre. While these films don’t get the same attention as big-budget entertainers, they hold a special place in your heart. That’s exactly what Jiiva’s Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimayil offers.

Parasakthi – the 1952 film title holds significance for multiple reasons in Tamil cinema. The original was crucial for catapulting Sivaji Ganesan’s stardom and popularising DMK’s (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) ideology in Tamil Nadu, championing Dravidian politics. Decades later, Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi, which tackles Hindi imposition, hits theatres ahead of Pongal. Does it ignite fire among viewers? Let us find out!

Prabhas’s much-anticipated film, The Raja Saab is about a search for a missing grandfather. Over its three-hour runtime, viewers also end up searching for more than a grandfather. They seek plot cohesion, character depth, genuine scares, or consistent entertainment value - must-haves for every film. Like the film’s protagonist wandering through a haunted palace, you may feel a lack of clear direction or a fully satisfying destination. The Raja Saab begins with Raja (Prabhas) living with his grandmother Gangamma, played by Zarina Wahab. Gangamma suffers from Alzheimer’s and remembers only her missing husband Kanakaraju (Sanjay Dutt) and her grandson. She tells Raja to keep looking for his missing grandfather, who often appears in her dreams.

Actor Vikram Prabhu’s choice of scripts has been impressive in the recent past. His upcoming venture, Sirai, marks his second collaboration with writer Tamizh (also an actor) after their critically acclaimed Taanakkaran. Sirai, like Taanakkaran, casts Vikram Prabhu’s protagonist as a police officer, but from the district armed reserve wing.

Mohanlal has had a phenomenal 2025 with three consecutive hits. He started the year strong with L2: Empuraan, followed it up with a delicious crime thriller, Thudarum and struck a hat-trick with the heartwarming Hridayapoorvam. Vrusshabha is his fourth film as a hero (barring cameos in Kannappa and Bha Bha Ba). Did the film succeed in impressing the audience? Let’s find out!

Sarvam Maya translates to “everything is an illusion,” and it is perhaps the perfect title for this Nivin Pauly-starrer that blends horror, comedy and fantasy. Releasing on Christmas, the film is an antidote to all the extra-violent, hyper-masculine films that rely on over-the-top theatrics. But, Sarvam Maya leaves you laughing out loud despite tackling sensitive topics like faith, belief and grief.