CinemaSnippets: MS Dhoni debuts as film producer with ‘Let’s Get Married’

Superstar Rajinikanth sounded the clapboard for a film that will be based on an adaptation of YG Mahendran’s play Charukesi.

ByAyyappa Prasad

Published Jan 27, 2023 | 8:40 PMUpdatedJan 27, 2023 | 8:42 PM

The launch of LGM. (Supplied)

After a successful cricketing career, former Indian wicketkeeper-captain MS Dhoni is starting a new journey as a film producer.

He is opening this new inning under the banner Dhoni Entertainment with a Tamil film titled LGM, which stands for Let’s Get Married.

Directed by Rajesh Thamilmani, the cast of LGM will be led by Harish Kalyan along with Ivana of Love Today fame, and Yogi Babu.

Rajesh previously worked with Dhoni on the graphic novel Atharva: The Origin as the author, and it featured the cricketer in a superhero avatar.

The poster described the protagonist as India’s first mythological superhero with a contemporary twist.

Rajesh revealed that he narrated the story of the feature film to Dhoni’s wife Sakshi, who immediately okayed the subject.

Before venturing into feature films, the Dhoni Entertainment banner has been producing content in all mainstream languages since 2019.

The company has acquired the rights to the sci-fi book The Hidden Hindu, and also produced a documentary titled Roar of the Lion, which is based on the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings that returned to the 2018 edition of the league after serving a two-year ban.

YGM’s play Charukesi gets movie treatment

Superstar Rajinikanth sounded the clapboard for a film that will be based on an adaptation of YG Mahendran’s play Charukesi.

Produced by Sri Agraharam Rajalakshmi Picture (SARP) Production, it sees Vasanth as a creative director and screenplay writer for the project.

YGM, who is Rajinikanth’s brother-in-law, will play the lead in the film.

“Like Nadigar Thilkam is Sivaji, Makkal Thilakam is MGR, Mellisai Mannar is MSV, and Kavignar is Kannadasan, there is only one Superstar and that is Rajinikanth,” said YGM at the muharat of the film.

Rajinikanth recollected his early days when he went to see the YGM theatre play Ragasiyam Parama Ragasiyam, but was stopped at the gates as the theatre group was very disciplined.

“If Sivaji Ganesan acted in Charukesi, it would have been another Vietnam Veedu,” he said.

Going down memory lane, Rajinikanth said that there were days when he ridiculed vegetarians and lost count of the drinks he had or the cigarettes he smoked.

It was his wife Latha who changed his ways through her love, the Superstar revealed, adding that it was YGM who was responsible for him and Latha getting married.

Rajinikanth further said that YGM’s potential as an actor was not fully utilised by the film industry, and exhorted the audience, who were mostly fans and media, to quit smoking and drinking.

Earlier, Rajinikanth paid respects to Judo Rathinam at the union office. He said that the action choreographer was the man responsible for many of the hits in his career.

Reality-show participants join hands for a film

For the first time, participants in a specific season of a reality show have joined hands to make a feature film.

The debut venture of all the participants of Season 6 of the reality show Naalaya Iyakkanur, titled KudiMahaan, is being directed by Prakash N, who came second for his commendable short film Kutti Dhadha.

So far, the participants of the short-film contest-based reality show Naalaya Iyakunar, had embarked on their journeys in the movie industry individually.

VijaySivan plays the lead character, and Chandini Tamizharasan plays the female lead in KudiMahaan.