The past year delivered many pan-Indian blockbusters in regional languages and the glorious list included hits like ‘RRR’, ‘KGF 2’, ‘Vikram’, ‘Ponniyin Selvan: I’ and ‘Kantara’. These films made waves across the country and beyond and dominated both the theatrical and OTT space. This year, fans and industry observers are waiting restlessly to see what kind of surprises India’s regional hitmakers will spring upon the audience. Here are some of the most eagerly awaited South-Indian films of 2023: Kabzaa, Kaathal: The Core, Ponniyin Selvan: 11, Dasara
Kabzaa– After wowing audiences in India and abroad with roaring hits like ‘KGF- 2’ and ‘Kantara’, the Kannada industry is once again expected to smash box-office records with well known producer Anand Pandit’s first South-Indian film, ‘Kabzaa’. Pandit has already tasted success in Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati cinema and is now backing this Kannada action thriller which stars Upendra, Kichcha Sudeep, and Shriya Saran in lead roles. With its dazzling production values, period setting and sensational action, this could be the first pan-Indian Kannada hit of the year. The big-budget movie, directed by R Chandru is set in a period between the 1960s and 1980s, and depicts how the son of a Gandhian gets embroiled with the mafia world. The teaser of the movie has already created a buzz in the Kollywood industry and is expected to hit the big screen on 17th March.
Kaathal: The Core– Jyothika returns to the big screen with none other than Mammootty in this Malayalam family drama helmed by Jeo Baby who made a much acclaimed directorial debut with ‘The Great Indian Kitchen.’ ‘Kaathal: The Core’ is expected to reinvent the genre of domestic realism and has been written by Adarsh Sukumaran and Paulson Skaria. At a time when big budget blockbusters are ruling the box-office, this film hopefully will make space for an intimate, well-told story. The release date has however not yet been announced.
Ponniyin Selvan: 11– Mani-Ratnam’s magnum opus, ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’ (PS-1), released last September was very was well-received by the audience for its flamboyant recreation of the eponymous book, its stellar star cast and stunning scale and grandeur. It went on to become the fifth highest-grossing film of Tamil cinema. Now, the makers have announced the release date and fans are eagerly waiting to watch the sequel on April 28 this year. The star-studded movie is set in the 10th century and once again will be led by Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthik Sivakumar, and Trisha in lead roles. The plot will once again revolve around the Chola dynasty and protagonists Aditha Karikalan and Arulmozhi Varman/ Ponniyin Selvan. The sequel, produced by Ratnam and Subaskaran Allirajah is expected to unravel the mystery, especially around Mandakini , a character played by Aishwarya Rai.
Dasara– The Telugu film industry has been setting the cinematic bar high in the country, especially after the sweeping success of the ‘Baahubali’ franchise, ‘RRR’, and ‘Pushpa – 1’. This year, the film expected to follow the example of these bumper hits is ‘Dasara’. Headlined by Nani, who already has delivered hits like, ‘Shyam Singha Roy’, and ‘Ante Sundaraniki’ previously, ‘Dasara’ is an action drama set against the backdrop of the coal mines of Telangana. This is Srikanth Odela’s directorial debut and the teaser of the film has already garnered more than 8.3 million views. The movie also stars Keerthy Suresh, Samuthirakani, and Zarina Wahab and will arrive in theatres on March 30.
