Janani K

A few minutes into director Sreejith Babu’s ‘Painkili’, you see a petite Sheeba Baby (Anaswara Rajan) jumping off the terrace and eloping from home after being pressured into marriage. But, she is unsuccessful. She gets caught by her father and casually walks into her home as if nothing happened. This opening scene is just enough to tell you that you are in for a quirky ride with Painkili. Painkili is the story of two different individuals. On one hand, we have Suku Sujith Kumar (Sajin Gopu), who posts ‘cringe’ poetry on Facebook. His trip to Coimbatore changes his life, where he had to obtain a fake mental health certificate to prove his innocence. Meanwhile, Sheeba is a happy girl who wants to study. But, her parents insist on getting her married and pressure her to do so at every opportunity.

Indian films about same-sex love are far and few. The ones with the right portrayal of homosexuals are even fewer. Director Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan’s recent release, Kadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai, is the latest entrant to the list of films on queer love. Starring Lijomol, Anusha Prabhu, Vineeth and Rohini, the film is a deeply moving and heartwarming film about love that goes beyond boundaries, societal acceptance, prejudice and personal traumas. Kadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai begins with Sam (Lijomol Jose) having a heartfelt chat with her mother Lakshmi (Rohini Molleti). She confesses that she is in love and Lakshmi suggests she take the ‘man’ home for lunch on a Sunday. Lakshmi conveys the news to her estranged husband Devararaj (Vineeth) and asks him to join them.

Ajith Kumar, the man of many talents, made the country proud with his Dubai racing win. But on the film front, his fans have been patiently waiting for over two years, asking for update after update. Finally, February 6 is the day when Vidaamuyarchi hits theatres across the globe. As Magizh Thirumeni promised, Vidaamuyarchi is not the usual run-of-the-mill commercial action entertainer but a full-blown thriller that does justice to the genre. As the title card rolls with Vidaamuyarchi - Perseverance Triumphs on the big screen, you can’t help but ask if perseverance has truly triumphed this time.

Actor and director Basil Joseph has been on a winning streak. He opened his account in 2025 with a crime thriller, Pravinkoodu Shappu, and followed it with Ponman, which is a family drama with a tinge of suspense. Ponman is adapted from GR Indugopan’s novel titled Nalanchu Cheruppakar. And, it brilliantly captures the struggles of underdogs and how their lives are beyond materialistic things. Gold dealer PP Ajesh (Basil Joseph) lends 25 sovereigns of gold to Bruno’s family for his sister Setti Graf’s (Lijomole Jose) wedding. He signs an agreement with Steffi’s family that he will take the money that is gifted to the bride. If the money didn’t add up to the gold he lent, he would recover the jewellery to compensate. Bruno’s impulsive behaviour leads to fewer people coming to Steffi’s wedding and, eventually, they fall short of money.

Actor Manikandan is steadily becoming a bankable actor in Tamil cinema. His last two films, Good Night and Lover, turned out to be crowd favourites. In both films, he played a relatable ‘guy next door’ dealing with financial and emotional problems. Director Rajeshwar Kalisamy’s Kudmbasthan is yet another film that features Manikandan in the role of a breadwinner in a lower-middle-class family man. Naveen (Manikandan) and Vennila (Saanve Megghana) get married at a registrar’s office, with their families cursing them for not getting their permission. After a brief hiatus, Naveen and Vennila live with his parents. Vennila, an IAS aspirant, is a cool-headed, understanding and pregnant wife, who supports Naveen and turns a blind eye to the insults of her mother-in-law.

Malayalam superstar Mammootty and his film choices in the last couple of years have been incredible and eye-opening. From doing a Kaathal to Bramayugam, the actor is all in for experimental films and giving his all to every choice he makes. And when he chooses to join hands with Tamil filmmaker Gautham Menon, it certainly excites every film buff who has followed their career paths. Has Dominic and The Ladies’ Purse lived up to expectations? Let’s find out! Dominic (Mammootty) is a former police officer who now runs a detective agency. He is a laid-back guy with a quirky sense of humour. As he undergoes some financial issues, his landlady gives him a task to find the owner of a purse she found. In return, she will waive the rent. Dominic and his aide (Gokul Suresh) go on a mission to find the owner of the purse.

Director Vishnuvardhan returns to Tamil cinema after a decade. Known for his unique style of storytelling, the Shershaah director picked a suspense drama with Nesippaya and introduces legendary actor Murali (late) and actor Atharvaa’s younger brother, Akash Murali, to Tamil cinema. Alongside Akash Murali is director Shankar’s daughter Aditi, who is regarded as one of the most promising talents in recent times. Diya Ramalingam (Aditi Shankar) is accused of murder and is lodged in a prison in Portugal. Indrani (Kalki Koechlin) is representing her and is trying to secure a re-investigation despite pressure from influential people. Meanwhile, Diya’s ex-boyfriend Arjun (Akash Murali) gets to know of her arrest from the news and heads to Portugal.

Indian cinema in recent years has seen violent, high-octane action films attracting a larger audience. However, for those who grew up in the ’90s, rom-coms hold a special place in their hearts. Director Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi’s Kadhalikka Neramillai, starring Nithya Menen and Ravi Mohan, offers a respite from the flood of violent films released every week. But does Kadhalikka Neramillai have all the elements of a perfect rom-com? Let’s find out! Siddharth aka Sid (Ravi Mohan), a structural engineer, is a man against having kids. At his engagement, Nirupama (TJ Bhanu) fails to show up due to their differing ideologies. Shreya (Nithya Menen), an architect, is in love with Karan. After their marriage registry, he cheats on her. However, Shreya asks Karan for one last favor, and it’s not divorce. This leads to Shreya’s fun-filled meeting with now-single Sid.