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Mani Ratnam announces new film with Vijay Sethupathi, Sai Pallavi; AR Rahman composing, not Sai Abhyankkar
Amid rumours of Sai Abhyankkar composing Mani Ratnam's next, filmmaker announces new project with AR Rahman, Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi.
Filmmaker Mani Ratnam has announced his next project after the disappointment of his Kamal Haasan-starrer Thug Life last year. On Thursday, his production house, Madras Talkies, announced that his next film will be headlined by Vijay Sethupathi and Sai Pallavi. AR Rahman will compose the music for it amid rumours that Sai Abhyankkar is on board.
Mani Ratnam’s next film announced
On Thursday, Madras Talkies made a joint Instagram post with Lyca Productions, Sethupathi, and Pallavi. They wrote, “Delighted to welcome @sonymusic_south as the Audio Partner for #MadrasTalkiesProduction23. #Subaskaran presents. A #ManiRatnam Film. An @arrahman Musical. Produced by @lycaproductions @madrastalkies #IndiaTalkies. Starring @actorvijaysethupathi @saipallavi.senthamarai.”
Rahman is confirmed to be joining hands with Mani, despite this week's rumours that Abhyankkar is on board. Reacting to the news, one fan commented, “Happppaaaaa ARR musical.” Another commented, “We believe we’re gonna get something really beautiful really peaceful really soothing.” One Instagram user even wrote, “Finally... Full stop to all the rumors!!” while another commented, “Another soulful album loading.”
Some were disappointed it was not Abhyankkar composing the music, with a fan commenting, “Appada ARR, nan kooda sai nu nenachu bayanthuten (Oh ARR, I also thought Sai would be composing.” Another thought that the music composer was “robbed”. Most, however, seemed happy about the lineup.
About Thug Life
Thug Life was a highly anticipated film starring Kamal Haasan, Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, and Abhirami in the lead roles. However, many who expected the film to recreate the magic of Nayakan (1987) were sorely disappointed. It tells the story of Rangaraaya Sakthivel, a feared mafia kingpin from Delhi, who seeks redemption after being betrayed by his brother, Rangaraaya Manickam, and his adopted son, Amaran. Made on a ₹200-300 crore budget, it collected less than ₹100 crore worldwide.
Recent work
In 2025, Sethupathi starred in Ace and Thalaivan Thalaivii. He kicked off this year with the silent film Gandhi Talks. Apart from the Mani Ratnam film, the actor has Jailer 2, Train, Slum Dog: 33 Temple Road, and Arasan lined up. This is his second film with the director after Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018).
Sai last starred in the 2025 film Thandel and has numerous projects lined up. She has Ek Din, Ramayana: Part 1 and 2 in Hindi, which will mark her Bollywood debut. She also has a film with Dhanush in Tamil apart from the Mani Ratnam film, which will mark her first with the filmmaker.
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