South newsmakers of the week: Jr NTR’s Devara trailer release, Jayam Ravi-Aarti’s divorce, Thalapathy Vijay’s 69th film announcement and more
Weekend is here and so is Pinkvilla with its Saturday special South Newsmakers of the Week. From Tamil star Jayam Ravi’s divorce from wife Aarti, Thalapathy Vijay’s next film announcement, to Tovino Thomas’ ARM’s release – the South entertainment industry saw some of the biggest news updates in the week. In case you have missed any of these or more then you have landed on the right page!
TOP SOUTH NEWSMAKERS
1. Thalapathy 69 announcement
Thalapathy Vijay, currently basking in the success of his last release The GOAT, has announced his next film, Thalapathy 69 (working title). The superstar’s alleged final film is set to be directed by director H Vinoth.
The makers unveiled a special poster portraying a person holding a fire-lit torch on September 14. Along with the poster, they wrote, “The torch bearer of Democracy is arriving on Oct 2025,” expressing their gratitude for the actor.
Earlier on September 13, the makers of Thalapathy 69 dropped an emotional video filled with fan messages that celebrated the actor’s legacy.
The more than five-minute-long video featuring Thalapathy Vijay’s fans encapsulated his entire legacy and his journey in the film Industry. His alleged last film is sure to become a celebration that is nothing short of a festival, given how many fans expressed their love for the actor and the importance of him in their lives.
2. Devara Trailer out!
After much waiting, the trailer of Jr NTR and Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor’s highly anticipated film, Devara: Part 1 was released on September 10. The trailer of Siva Kortala’s directorial highlights a saga of friendship and betrayal that happens upon the sea. With Jr NTR playing dual roles as both father and son, Saif Ali Khan takes on the characterization of a vicious antagonist.
Moreover, Devara: Part 1‘s trailer also shows glimpses of Janhvi Kapoor playing the love interest to a timid Jr NTR, in her Telugu debut. Koratala Siva’s trailer provides a glimpse of an epic tale on the seven seas that are brimming with high-octane action on a grand scale. It is pertinent to mention that Devara: Part 1 is scheduled to be released in the theatres on September 27.
3. Jayam Ravi and Aarti’s divorce
Tamil star Jayam Ravi shocked everyone as he announced his separation from his wife Aarti on September 9 through a social media post. In his lengthy post on Instagram, Jayam called the decision ‘painful’ and the duo took it only after much consideration. While the actor did not unveil the reason for his separation, he mentioned that it was only based on the best interests of everyone associated with them.
The matter became even more complicated when Jayam Ravi’s estranged wife Aarti shared her part of the story and said the divorce announcement was done without her consent or knowledge. She penned, “I was deeply shocked and saddened by the recent public announcement regarding our marriage, which was made without my knowledge or consent. After 18 years of shared history, I believe that such a significant matter should be handled with the grace, respect, and privacy that it deserves.”
4. Vettaiyan’s first song Manasilaayo out
Directed by TJ Gnanavel, Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Vettaiyan is one of the much-awaited projects of the year. Ahead of its release on October 10, the makers unveiled its first single called Manasilaayo, a mixture of Tamil and Malayalam lines with festive aesthetics. The song features amazing dance moves by leading lady Manju Warrier and a special appearance by Anirudh Ravichander as well.
Manasilaayo is all the more special as it has the voice of the late legendary singer Malaysia Vasudevan using the help of AI. Along with the re-created voice, the song also makes use of his son singer-actor Yugendran Vasudevan’s voice as well.
Don’t forget to tell us in the comments how you liked this banger track featuring Rajinikanth and Manju Warrier.
5. Tovino Thomas’ ARM release
Popular actor Tovino Thomas is back on the silver screen with his much-awaited movie Ajayante Randam Moshanam (ARM). Directed by debutant Jithin Laal, the action-adventure was released on September 12.
Ajayante Randam Moshanam or ARM focused on the tale of three men, named Maniyan, Kunjikelu, and Ajayan from the same lineage across different generations. Located in the embrace of Northern Kerala, these people are destined to protect a treasure that has been brought to their village from the skies. Further, the movie explores the adventurous trails they face to protect the treasure, no matter what it takes.
Besides Tovino, ARM features Krithi Shetty, Aishwarya Rajesh, and Surabhi Lakshmi in lead roles. Moreover, the film also has an additional cast of actors like Basil Joseph, Rohini, Harish Uthaman, Nisthar Sait, Jagadish, Pramod Shetty, Aju Varghese, and many more in key roles.
ALSO READ: Is Vijay starrer Thalapathy 69 likely to be revival of H Vinoth’s shelved project with Kamal Haasan?
