A 15-year-old Gorakhpur girl, fleeing abuse, was raped in Jaipur, police said.

Sai Abhyankkar is only 20, but the buzz around him would make you think he’s a seasoned chart-topper. The Chennai-based musician first captured attention with independent tracks like Katchi Sera, which exploded across social platforms and catapulted him into the spotlight. Since then, his music has become a fixture on reels and playlists, and his journey has been a textbook case of how digital virality can fast-track a career.

Now, Sai is making his entry into Malayalam cinema with Balti, a bilingual sports action drama from director Unni Sivalingam, fronted by Shane Nigam. The film marks a daring bet on the young composer — one that has already set a record in Mollywood.

Producer Santhosh T. Kuruvilla recently revealed that Sai was paid more than ₹2 crore for Balti, making him the highest-remunerated music director in the industry’s history. What’s more striking is that this staggering sum went to a debutant in Malayalam.

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Betting Big on Balti

Asked why he was willing to take such a leap, Santhosh pointed to instinct and numbers. “When you see someone’s songs drawing two to three crore views online, you know there is something special,” he explained in an interview. His gamble has already shown early signs of paying off: Jaalakaari, the film’s first single, has gone viral in Tamil Nadu, especially on Instagram reels, amplifying the pre-release buzz.

Since signing on for Balti, Sai has reportedly been flooded with offers, landing 11 Tamil films and two Telugu projects. His rapid ascent is not just hype but a reflection of his growing footprint across South Indian cinema.

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A Project of Scale

Balti itself is a project of scale. It is Shane Nigam’s 25th film, shot extensively across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In its Kerala release, the film will be presented in a 60–40 mix of Malayalam and Tamil, while the Tamil Nadu release will be fully in Tamil. Dubbed versions in Telugu and Kannada are set to hit screens on October 9, with a Hindi release also being planned.

Backing the film are producers Santhosh T. Kuruvilla and Binu George Alexander, whose confidence in both the story and its young composer suggests they are positioning Balti as a cross-over entertainer.

For Sai, this debut is more than just a soundtrack. It is a test of whether his digital success can translate into a cinematic legacy. If the response to the singles is anything to go by, Balti’s music could well become one of the film’s biggest talking points.

Also Read: Mohanlal’s Vrusshabha Teaser Unveiled, Diwali Release Locked

When director Puri Jagannadh announced his next film with Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi, it surprised the trade and fans. Moreso because many looked at their collaboration as ‘unusual’ given their respective styles of work. Also, since Vijay hasn’t had a straight Telugu film hitherto, the project quickly garnered a lot of attention. And with names like Tabu, Samyuktha and Duniya Vijay joining the cast, the project had slowly turned out to be all the more exciting.

Also Read: Vijay Sethupathi Talks About Puri Jagannadh’s Film

Let’s celebrate Boss Puri Jagannadh’s birthday with a much-anticipated announcement â�¤ï¸�‍🔥#PuriSethupathi Title & Teaser on 28th September 💥💥💥

A #PuriJagannadh film 🎬@Charmmeofficial Presents 🎥

Releases in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam.#HBDPuriJagannadh… pic.twitter.com/yVhp2ebc66

— Puri Connects (@PuriConnects) September 26, 2025

The title and teaser of Vijay Sethupathi’s film to be released on September 28, to coincide with Puri Jagannadh’s birthday

Teaser on Puri Jagannadh’s birthday

The film has commenced shooting a couple of months in Hyderabad and is presently progressing briskly. To keep the buzz alive, the makers announced that the film’s title and teaser will be released on September 28, to coincide with Puri Jagannadh’s birthday. The makers confirmed the development on the official social media handle. The news has certainly excited the fans as they are curious to see how the director showcased Vijay Sethupathi. Tipped as a new-age social drama, Rumours are rife that Vijay will be seen in a surprising role filled with grey shades. Speaking about Puri Jagannadh, Vijay earlier stated that the filmmaker is a legend. “Working with him is a great experience and I enjoyed being with him on the film sets every day. I am fascinated by how he writes the dialogues and executes them.”

Vijay Sethupathi, in one of his earlier interviews stated that the film is shaping up to be a gritty and an emotionally charged ride

Emotionally charged ride

The filmmakers captioned, ‘Raw and real journey begins,’ to describe the cinematic experience when the shooting began in June. Vijay Sethupathi, in one of his earlier interviews stated that the film is shaping up to be a gritty, emotionally charged ride. Known for his intense screenwriting, fans expect Puri to weave his magic once again. Buzz is that the scenes between Vijay, Samyuktha and Tabu would be a highlight. The film will have a massive release in five languages Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam.