By Ayesha Khan 
Chennai, October 1: There’s something about watching Dhanush take complete control of a film, acting, writing, directing, even producing, that feels both exciting and risky. His new drama Idli Kadai released today on Ayudha Puja, a festival slot crowded with new titles, and already the buzz is loud. Advance sales touched nearly ₹3 crore, and the film is tipped to bring in around ₹8 crore on opening day. Not bad for a story-driven drama in a market that usually rewards bigger spectacles.
Still, it’s not just the box office that has people talking. The team has gone after audiences with an unusual playbook. The buy-one-get-one ticket scheme sounded almost like a last-minute marketing gamble, but early signs suggest it worked especially with families looking for a holiday outing. Then came the quirky Zepto delivery bag stunt: thousands of grocery bags across Chennai and Hyderabad suddenly carried Dhanush’s face. It was odd, a little gimmicky, but undeniably effective. You couldn’t miss it even if you wanted to.
The First Reactions
The morning shows brought in warm reactions, particularly for Dhanush’s performance. “Relatable,” “grounded,” “emotional,” the words kept popping up online. Nithya Menen, who has carved her own niche in understated roles, has been singled out for holding her own alongside him.
But not everyone’s sold. A section of the audience called the screenplay flat. “Drags in parts,” one viewer complained on X. Another said, “Beautifully acted, but boring in stretches.” It’s not unusual for Dhanush films to split opinion like this. Pa Paandi did too, only to grow into a cult favourite later. Whether Idli Kadai can repeat that trick remains to be seen.
The Noise Before The Release
In truth, Idli Kadai almost got drowned in noise before release day. Allegations of story theft hung around for weeks, and old arguments about Dhanush’s family background were dredged up again by trolls. He hit back sharply, rejecting both.
Yet, just when fans expected more fire, he broke down at the pre-release event. He spoke of his parents, of Madurai, of the sacrifices that shaped him. It wasn’t polished, it wasn’t rehearsed, he even stumbled on word,s but the crowd lapped it up. The controversies suddenly looked small compared to that raw moment on stage.
The Music And The Unexpected Gift
Music, as always in a Dhanush film, is pulling its own weight. G. V. Prakash Kumar has delivered a soundtrack that’s been buzzing for weeks. The second single, “Enjaami Thandhaane,” with Dhanush’s own voice on it, has already stuck in listeners’ heads.
But the bigger story from the audio launch wasn’t music at all. When producer Ishari Ganesh casually confirmed that “Vada Chennai 2” was finally happening, fans went berserk. In one stroke, Idli Kadai’s stage became a celebration for another film entirely. If that stole some thunder, Dhanush didn’t look unhappy; his name was at the centre of both anyway.
Industry Whispers And Cameos
The film even carries a surprise: Parthiban shows up in a cameo. He’s been vocal about it, praising Dhanush as an “all-rounder.” Coming from a senior actor known for bluntness, it felt less like PR and more like a genuine endorsement. Within the industry, the word is that Dhanush is no longer just a star experimenting with direction’s angling to be seen as a complete filmmaker, someone in the Kamal Haasan mould.
Why It Matters
At a surface level, Idli Kadai is another festival release fighting for audience share. But scratch deeper and it’s testing a few things: new marketing tricks, audience patience with slower storytelling, and Dhanush’s ability to juggle multiple hats without losing the crowd.
If the film clears ₹50 crore in its first week, distributors will call it a clean win. If not, it will still find life on streaming soon an OTT deal is already in the works. Either way, the film has already carved its place in the 2025 festival season narrative.
The coming days will decide whether Idli Kadai is remembered as just another Ayudha Puja release, or the moment Dhanush firmly established himself as a filmmaker who could pull it all off script, screen, song and soul.
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- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
- Ayesha Khanhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/ayesha/
