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Around Tinsel Town
Year-end specials
The Hindu Cinema team brings together a list of stories that captures the highs and lows of different film industries in 2025
> Rewind 2025: Ten Hindi gems that shone bright on the marquee
> The best K-Dramas of 2025: ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’, ‘Typhoon Family’, ‘Love Scout’ and more
> The best Malayalam films of 2025: ‘Lokah’, ‘Eko’, ‘Ronth’, ‘Ponman’ and more
> Rewind 2025 : Playback singers of Malayalam industry who made it to the music charts
> Kannada cinema in 2025: Star films a let-down in a mixed-bag year
> Top 10 underrated Tamil films of 2025: The little gems that you might have missed
> Rewind 2025: Tamil cinema took comfort in middle-class melodies, social dramas and village tales
> From Aditya Rikhari’s ‘Sahiba’ to Sai Abhyankkar’s ‘Vizhi Veekura’: How I-pop music thrived in 2025
Bollywood
Jaideep Ahlawat replaces Akshaye Khanna in ‘Drishyam 3’; legal notice sent to ‘Dhurandhar’ star
Regional
‘Spirit’ first look: Prabhas and Triptii Dimri exude intensity in Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial
Vijay at ‘Jana Nayagan’ audio launch: I gave up cinema to stand up for fans
‘Toxic’: First look of Huma Qureshi from Yash’s film out
‘Toxic’: First look of Nayanthara from Yash’s magnum opus unveiled
Malayalam actor Jayasurya appears before ED in FEMA case probe
‘666 Operation Dream Theatre’: Priyanka Mohan’s first look from the retro thriller unveiled
Actor Mohanlal’s mother Santhakumari passes away
World cinema
French film legend Brigitte Bardot dead at 91: foundation
Veteran South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki hospitalised after cardiac arrest
Isiah Whitlock Jr., actor from ’The Wire,’ ’Veep’ and Spike Lee films, dies at 71
Trailers
In Apoorva Lakhia’s ‘Battle of Galwan’ teaser, Salman Khan is ready to strike
Essential reading
1) After 35 years, I claimed my surname: Neeraj Ghaywan on ‘Homebound’ and why empathy is the need of the hour
>> The filmmaker distinguishes himself through his commitment to authentic, intersectional storytelling that centres around marginalised experiences
2) A shot at glory: Sriram Raghavan on ‘Ikkis’ and his love for Dharmendra
>> As ‘Ikkis’ hits theatres this week, filmmaker Sriram Raghavan talks about the boy who dismantled Pakistan’s pride in the Battle of Basantar
3) Shree Nandu: ‘Psych Siddhartha’ will usher in a new voice in Telugu cinema
>> Actor Shree Nandu talks about reinventing himself with his new Telugu film, ‘Psych Siddhartha’
4) S. Krishnaswamy, master chronicler of subcontinental history
>> His magnum opus, the four-hour-long film traversing 5,000 years of subcontinental history, ‘Indus Valley to Indira Gandhi’, was released in December 1976
5) Most anticipated Hindi films of 2026: Alia Bhatt’s ‘Alpha’, Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Ramayana’, and more
>> As Shah Rukh Khan makes a return after two years with the bloody actioner ‘King’, and Salman Khan wears the army uniform in ‘Battle of Galwan’, the year is set for a star-studded run at the box office
6) 2026 looking glass: Here are some of Telugu cinema’s most-anticipated films
>> From ‘The Raja Saab’ to ‘Dacoit’, ‘Peddi’ to ‘The Paradise’, Telugu cinema will look to regain some of its lost ground with stories that spark interest among the audiences
7) Kannada cinema in 2026: All eyes on Yash’s ‘Toxic’ even as young filmmakers look to shine
>> From ‘Toxic’ starring Yash to ‘Mango Pachcha’ featuring debutant Sanchith Sanjeev, the Kannada film industry is gearing up for an interesting 2026
8) Interview: Actor Gibin Gopinath: I crave for good roles
>> Gibin Gopinath is pleased how 2025 gave him meaty roles in ‘Diés Iraé’ and ‘Kalamkaval’
9) Hemant Dhome interview: On ‘Krantijyoti Vidyalay’ and reinvigorating Marathi cinema
>> The writer-director reflects on the genesis of his upcoming Marathi film, why he emphasises on viewing filmmaking as a business and more
10) ‘Mindiyum Paranjum’ is a relatable deep dive into relationships says co-writer Mridul George
>> The Malayalam film ‘Mindiyum Paranjum’, by Arun Bose, delves into the nuances of a relationship
11) Malayalam short film ‘Bhoothayanam’ explores horror without gimmickery
>> The supernatural horror short by Pratheek and Tina Thomas of Studio Kokaachi and filmmaker Tony Davis is a fresh take without the typical jumpscares and background noises
12) Inspired by deeply personal memories, says maker of Telugu short selected for Sundance
>> Nimmala Raman’s Telugu short film ‘O’sey Balamma’ has been selected for Sundance Film Festival 2026.
What to watch
1) In ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 3, Hawkins rolls a Nat 1 in egregious final campaign
2) In ‘Ikkis’, Sriram Raghavan makes an evocative plea for peace in polarised times
3) Shree Nandu and Yamini Bhaskar impress in ‘Psych Siddhartha’, an edgy relationship drama
4) ‘The Copenhagen Test’ series is a clever hack for a slow burn techno thriller
5) Soak up the fun in ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’
6) ‘Krantijyoti Vidyalay’ is an uneven clarion call that ultimately packs a punch
7) ‘Theertharoopa Thandeyavarige’ is a relatable slice-of-life drama
8) ‘Goodbye June’, Kate Winslet’s directorial debut, is a charming weepie
9) In ‘Pharma’, despite strong performances and solid premise, the narrative misses the mark
Published – January 02, 2026 06:34 pm IST
