Chennai, Oct 20: The makers of director Selvamani Selvaraj’s much-anticipated period drama, ‘Kaantha’, featuring actor Dulquer Salmaan in the lead, on Monday announced that the film will now hit screens worldwide on November 14.

Actor Dulquer Salmaan, who plays the lead in the film, took to his social media timelines to make the announcement. He wrote, “Diwali just got a whole lot more explosive!#Kaantha will be lighting up theatres worldwide from NOVEMBER 14th!Wishing you all a happy Diwali and we’ll see you in the theatres very soon. A @thespiritmedia and @dqswayfarerfilms production.”

For the unaware, the film was originally scheduled to hit screens on September 12. However, the team then chose to postpone the film’s release. It is now scheduled to release on November 14.

A teaser that the makers of Kaantha had released some time ago has triggered huge excitement among fans and film buffs. The teaser has only increased expectations from the film.

The teaser begins with an announcer stating that ‘Saantha’, the film being made by Modern Studios, will be Tamil cinema’s first horror film. The teaser then shows the film getting made. Ayya (Samuthirakani) is the writer and director of the film and Dulquer Salmaan is the hero of the film. It is evident that both the director and the hero of the film are now at loggerheads with one another and are no longer on talking terms. While Ayya wants a scene in which a character called Chandran gets scared after seeing a spirit called Neeli to be shot first, Dulquer wants some other pleasant scene to be shot first.

The hero and the director are bitter enemies only now but there was a time when both of them loved and respected each other before turning foes. The teaser shows that Ayya is the one who trained and made Dulquer the hero he is today. However, all that is a thing of the past. While Ayya seeks to make the heroine the central character of the film, Dulquer continues to make changes. In the end, the teaser shows Dulquer changing the title of the film from ‘Saantha’ to ‘Kaantha’.

A gripping period dramatic thriller set in 1950s Madras, ‘Kaantha’ will look to transport the viewers to the soul of that era. It captures a moment in time when tradition and modernity collided, giving rise to stories both personal and profound.

Sources close to the unit say that the film, which has been anchored by powerful performances, is a richly textured story and has stunning visuals.

The much-anticipated period film stars Dulquer Salmaan and Bhagyashri Borse in the lead.

The film, which is being jointly produced by Spirit Media and Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films, has cinematography by ace cameraman Dani Sanchez Lopaz and music by Jhanu Chanthar. Art direction for the film is by Tha. Ramalingam and editing is by Llewellyn Anthony Gonsalves.

Before a ball was bowled in the first ODI match at Perth on Sunday, Virat Kohli made a meaningful gesture by asking captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer to lead the team and stand first in the line. Kohli, who was returning to ODIs for the first time since lifting the Champions Trophy on March 9 in Dubai, appeared in high spirits throughout the pre-match build-up. He was seen chatting animatedly with teammates, sharing laughs, and setting a lighthearted tone in the dressing room.

The series opener had been highly anticipated, with fans eager to see India’s two stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both having retired from T20Is and Tests, reunite in blue after months on the sidelines. Though the return did not yield the results many hoped for. Kohli was dismissed for a duck, caught brilliantly at point by Australia’s spin-bowling all-rounder Cooper Connolly off Mitchell Starc’s bowling. Starc thus became only the second bowler, after James Anderson, to dismiss Kohli for a duck twice across all formats.

Earlier in the innings, Rohit Sharma’s comeback was also brief. Playing his 500th international match for India, Rohit was sent back for eight runs after edging a Josh Hazlewood delivery to second slip, where debutant Matthew Renshaw held on to a sharp catch. The match which was marred by rain interruptions, saw over being reduced. In 26 overs, India managed 136/9.

Australia’s target was reduced to 131 runs which they chased down with 7 wickets to spare. Skipper Mitchell Marsh top scored with unbeaten 46 runs. India will now shift focus to the second ODI at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, aiming to bounce back and level the series after a tough start in Perth.

Onboard INS Vikrant in Goa, Oct 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted the critical role of indigenous missile systems, including BrahMos and Akash, during ‘Operation Sindoor’, saying their performance had made many nervous.

Addressing Navy personnel on board the INS Vikrant on the occasion of Diwali, he said, “Our missiles like BrahMos and Akash have proved their capability in ‘Operation Sindoor’ also. The name BrahMos itself is so renowned that just hearing it makes many people anxious, wondering if BrahMos is coming.”

The Prime Minister added that several countries are now keen to purchase these missiles.

“Whenever I meet experts, they all express the same desire, that they, too, want access to them,” he said.

He further emphasised the country’s growing Defence capabilities, stating, “India is building the capability to export equipment for all three services. We aspire to become a top Defence exporter in the world, which has increased 30 times in the last 11 years.”

PM Modi also noted that, on average, a new indigenous warship or submarine is now being inducted into the Indian Navy every 40 days, reflecting the country’s rapid progress in Defence manufacturing.

In a stirring display of India’s burgeoning maritime dominance, the Prime Minister extolled the Navy’s courage and the strategic might of INS Vikrant.

“This is not merely a warship; it is a testament to 21st-century India’s ingenuity, resolve, and global influence,” he declared.

He underscored the vessel’s pivotal role in recent operations, noting, “INS Vikrant showcased the prowess of the Indian armed forces, compelling Pakistan to yield within days during Operation Sindoor.”

The Prime Minister marked Diwali alongside the valiant personnel of the Indian Navy aboard the indigenously crafted aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, stationed off the coast of Goa.

This visit, steeped in tradition as PM Modi consistently spends the festival with India’s armed forces, carried a potent message to Pakistan amidst simmering regional tensions. The Prime Minister’s words resonated with the crew as he lauded their indomitable spirit.