Darshan shares an emotional message to fans from jail, Mammootty misses voting, Dhanush's temple visit: Top 5 South newsmakers of the day

Today (December 10), the South Indian cinema world was abuzz with various news. Major shoot starts, release date changes, emotional messages from the actors, and fans' favorite temple darshans were all included. The news, which compiles the major events that fans, media, and the film industry have been watching in a single day, has created a huge buzz. Here are the major events that captivated the South Indian film world today.

Silambarasan–Vetri Maaran’s ‘Arasan’ shoot begins

The shooting of ‘Arasan’, directed by Vetri Maran and starring Silambarasan, officially began today in Kovilpatti. In the BTS photo released by the makers, the scene of STR and Vetri Maran engaged in a heated cinematic discussion excited fans. It is reported that important scenes were shot on the first day of shooting, which took place under heavy security. This behind-the-scenes photo, which was released after a long wait, has raised expectations for ‘Arasan’ manifold.

Darshan’s emotional message to fans from jail

Kannada actor Darshan, who is currently in jail in the Renukaswamy murder case, has shared an emotional plea to his fans. In this note released through his wife Vijayalakshmi, he asked fans to be firm and not believe the rumors. “Don’t let any negative news affect your mind… You are my strength,” Darshan wrote. He also made a strong appeal not to worry about him and to channel that energy into making the film 'Devil' a success. He urged the audience to let the film's success outweigh all the criticism.

‘Mowgli’ shifts release in respect to ‘Akhanda 2’

With Nandamuri Balakrishna's 'Akhanda 2' set to release on December 12, 'Mowgli' has shifted its release to avoid direct competition. 'Mowgli', which was scheduled to be released on the same date, will now be released worldwide on December 13. However, the production team has announced that the premiere shows will take place on December 12. “Akhanda 2 has been called off… so 'Mowgli' takes a step back,” they said in a social media post. This decision, made out of respect for Balakrishna's film, has now become a topic of conversation in Tollywood.

Mammootty misses voting

Actor Mammootty was unable to vote in this year's local body elections in Kerala as his name was not on the voter list due to a seat change. He had failed to vote in the 2020 local elections due to the same issue. The reason was that his name was not included in the new list when he moved from Panambilly Nagar to Yelangulam. He voted in the 2021 Assembly and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but missing this election alone has left fans saddened.

Dhanush’s Nellaiappar temple visit delights devotees

Actor Dhanush had darshan at the Nellaiappar temple this morning. After completing his prayers in the temple premises, he took photographs with the temple staff and devotees. Devotees were happy to see Dhanush, who is famous for his faith, in person. Dhanush simply responded with a smile to the fans who welcomed him.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”