The much-anticipated Telugu-Tamil bilingual period drama Kaantha, starring Dulquer Salmaan and Rana Daggubati, is set to hit theatres tomorrow, and advance screenings in Chennai have already ignited excitement among Tamil film critics. With the premiere delivering a unanimously positive response, media voices in the Kollywood industry are hailing the film as a standout cinematic event of 2025.
Renowned critic Ramesh Bala awarded the film a 4.5 out of 5 rating, describing the first half as “excellent drama” and the second half as a “brilliant investigative thriller and drama.” He commended Dulquer Salmaan’s portrayal of TK Mahadevan, suggesting the actor could be in contention for a National Award. Bala also praised Bhagyashri Borse and Thondan Kani for their contributions, while lauding director Selvaraj Selvamani as a “master storyteller”. According to him, the recreation of the 1950s Madras film industry is authentic and technically impressive.
In another high-profile review, VJ Santhosh similarly rated the film 4.5 stars and described it as a “genre-bending classic of the year.” Santhosh highlighted the film’s combination of ego clashes, romance and dramatic tension, noting that it “leaves a lump in your throat.” He echoed the sentiment that Dulquer’s performance is phenomenal and “National Award-worthy,” while crediting Thondan Kani, Bhagyashri Borse and Rana Daggubati for delivering pitch-perfect performances. Santhosh positioned the film as a dark-horse commercial blockbuster, underscoring its potential to become one of the finest cinematic experiences in recent memory.
With such glowing early feedback and a unified critical tone, Kaantha is arriving with more than just expectation— it is arriving with the momentum of anticipation turned into affirmation. The film’s setting in the 1950s Madras film industry lends it a rich historical texture and the early reports suggest a technically superior production and tightly woven narrative. The Telugu premiere is scheduled for today in Hyderabad, generating buzz across both language markets ahead of tomorrow’s theatrical release.
As audiences prepare to experience the film, the early word of mouth indicates that Kaantha may well set a new benchmark in bilingual filmmaking, both in terms of storytelling and production quality. The pre-release reviews suggest this is more than just a major release – it could be a significant cultural moment for Tamil and Telugu cinema alike.
