CHANGE OF GUARD

TAMIL cinema in 2025 was, in retrospect, a watershed year.

- AVINASH RAMACHANDRAN

It had been years since there was a vacuum in the hierarchy of stardom, and 2025 saw new players raising their hands to be taken seriously, the slightly older players getting nearer to the top echelons, and the old guard finally letting go of their grip over the throne. All the pieces of a puzzle were strewn around.

Of course, the ascension isn't going to be easy, and neither is the descent, but it is going to be an interesting 2026, simply because the claws are out, and it is going to be a bloodbath to the top, with some pieces making peace with their positions, some pieces trying to fit themselves in wrong places, and some others, after the dust settles, organically finding themselves to be the all-important missing pieces of the ornate puzzle, i.e. Tamil cinema, 2026.

Start to the Finish line

This time, the Pongal releases carry a weight like no other. It is a political Pongal with Vijay’s swansong, Jana Nayagan, hitting theatres on January 9. Even as the entire focus was on bidding adieu to one of the greatest entertainers of Tamil cinema, Sivakarthikeyan, the man who got the proverbial torch from Vijay in this cinematic relay, is set to share the limelight with his own Parasakthi, directed by Sudha Kongara, set to be released on January 10. Purely on content, both films are highly political, and even if that wasn’t enough, there is enough politics surrounding the release plans, theatre bookings, fan wars, and social media campaigns. One thing is certain: it is not going to be a healthy competition at the box office, and things will turn ugly before a semblance of normalcy can be expected to return. So, what else can be said, except... “We are waiting!”

Sequels, franchises, and everything in between... Again