Like Kantara, Thangalaan will captivate audiences: Producer KE Gnanavel Raja

Producer KE Gnanavel Raja is quite upbeat about his upcoming movie, Thangalaan, which stars Chiyaan Vikram in the lead role. He revealed he believes Thangalaan has the potential to connect with audiences across the country, just like the Kannada hit, Kantara.

Drawing parallels, the producer claimed that Thangalaan is as rooted as Kantara, which he believes will appeal to audiences, cutting across barriers of language and culture.

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"If you see why Kantara succeeded, the practice of praying to ancestral deities is universal. You can find it in Assam, Orissa, Kashmir, or Madhya Pradesh. That's the reason everybody was able to connect with that film. That factor is also there in Thangalaan. I watch the film as an audience, not as a producer. I enjoyed (Thangalaan) and felt the excitement," Gnanavel told Galatta Media.

Kantara was released in cinemas in 2022 and soon took over theaters across the country, thanks to glowing reviews and terrific word of mouth. The film also helped actor-filmmaker Rishab Shetty become a national sensation from regional obscurity.

Kantara revolved around local folklore and delved into themes of caste inequality, belief vs non-belief, and nature vs human. Made on a budget of less than Rs 20 crore, Kantara went on to earn more than Rs 400 crore globally.

Thangalaan is touted to be the most expensive movie in Vikram's career. Written and directed by Pa Ranjith, the story is set against the backdrop of British India and revolves around the tribal communities that lived in the country more than 150 years ago.

Based on the trailer, Thangalaan seems to tell the story of the discovery of the Kolar gold mines. Vikram plays the titular role of a tribal chief who joins forces with the British to mine gold. However, his actions invoke some mysterious forces, leading to chaos of epic proportions.

Thangalaan also stars Malavika Mohanan, Parvathy Thiruvothu, and Daniel Caltagirone, among others. The film is due in cinemas on August 15.

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