Kaantha(2025)
Set in the backdrop of a film set, in the 1950’s in post colonial Madras, the film is centred around the professional rivalry between a film-maker trying to make his seminal film and the top reigning actor who the director once introduced. The rivalry spirals around the leading actress, a debutante and as the relationship between the three.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Netflix
- Theatrical Release
- 13 November 2025
- Director
- Selvamani Selvaraj
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Rating
- 6.8/10
Storyline
A director in 1950s Madras tries to make his most important film, but clashes with the famous actor he first brought to fame. Their rivalry intensifies over a new actress making her debut, complicating the relationships between all three.
“When stardom clashes with vision, a film's fate hangs in the balance.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Kaantha
Cast reunions in this film: Nizhalgal Ravi & Vaiyapuri (8 films together), Aadukalam Naren & Samuthirakani (6 films together), Gayathrie Shankar & Bagavathi Perumal (4 films together), Nizhalgal Ravi & Nagesh (3 films together), Aadukalam Naren & Nizhalgal Ravi (2 films together), and Aadukalam Naren & Bagavathi Perumal (2 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Kaantha' is a Tamil word meaning 'eyeball', symbolising the intense scrutiny and jealousy between the characters.
- Director Selvamani Selvaraj reportedly studied archival footage of 1950s Madras film studios to recreate authentic set designs and costumes.
- The movie is said to feature a cameo by a veteran actor playing a fictionalised version of a real-life 1950s studio head.
- The soundtrack uses period-appropriate instruments like the harmonium and tabla to mirror the musical style of 1950s Tamil cinema.
- Principal photography took place in a specially constructed studio lot designed to mimic the old Gemini or AVM studios of that era.
- The script was workshopped for over a year to accurately capture the dialect and slang used in Madras during the post-colonial period.
- This is director Selvamani Selvaraj's first period film after several contemporary dramas, marking a significant shift in his career.