Dhanush's Enai Noki Paayum Thota to finally release on 29 November; Gautham Menon announces new film Joshua with Varun

Ace director Gautham Menon is back in the news. He was hogging headlines during the controversy around his film, the Dhanush starrer Enai Noki Paayum Thota (ENPT), which was supposed to release on 6 September, but got stalled due to financial issues. (For a detailed report on the controversy, read this report .) The latest update in this matter is that Menon will release his film now on 29 November. The film has been taken over by leading producer and educationist Dr. Ishari K Ganesh of Vels Films International, who has taken over the negative rights of the film and will ensure a smooth release. Besides the Dhanush film, Gautham has another incomplete film Vikram spy thriller Dhruva Natchathiram. Meanwhile, Gautham Menon is now shooting for film titled Joshua: Imaipol Kaaka with Varun of Puppy fame. Varun is the nephew of Ishari K Ganesh and the grapevine has it that this is a part of the deal of taking over Enai Noki Paayum Thota liabilities and getting it released. Menon will launch Varun as an action hero with Joshua. The first look poster of Joshua was released by director AR Murgadoss and also features newcomer Raahei as heroine. The film will be completed by the end of the year and will have a 2020 Valentine’s Day weekend release. 

Presenting the Promising & Dapper First Look of @menongautham's Directorial #Joshua Starring @iamactorvarun & @iamRaahei Produced by @VelsFilmIntl !!!
A Valentines Day 2020 Release 💐

Congrats to the whole team @Ashkum19 🎉#JoshuaFirstLook #VelsFilm pic.twitter.com/KqjqY2Mp0O

— A.R.Murugadoss (@ARMurugadoss) November 2, 2019

 The Kollywood rumour mill has it that Joshua: Imaipol Kaaka is said to be what Menon had planned to do with superstar Vijay, an action thriller titled Yohan : Adhyayam Ondru  in 2012. But sources close to Menon vehemently deny it and said it is a fresh script. So far Gautham Menon has done films mainly with big established stars like Suriya,Kamal Haasan, Ajith, Simbu and two yet to release films with Dhanush (Enai Noki Paayum Thota) and Vikram (Dhruva Natchathiram). The buzz is that Ishari Ganesh decided to bail out Gautham Menon out of his financial mess as they were good friends and was part of the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC). However, the question being asked in Kollywood is why Varun? Varun has made some cameo appearances in Ishari Ganesh produced films before being launched as a romantic hero in last month’s coming-of-age adult comedy Puppy, directed by Nattu Dev. The film, packaged as a romcom, had Varun doing a decent job especially in the climax and it turned out to be an average grosser at the box-office.  Varun in an interview to Firstpost said: “I had done a few small roles mostly cameos in films produced by my uncle Ishari Ganesh. My job at our production house was to whet scripts listen to stories and if I and my brother Ashwin the executive producer green lights the project uncle clears it. The story of Puppy was referred to us by another production house and I liked the youthful subject and decided that I would do it myself in the lead role and to a large extent it worked. Now I have one more film Seeru with Jiiva in a pivotal role coming up for release. And  Gautham Menon sir’s Joshua is an all out action entertainer with a streak of romance. I have worked very hard to get into shape for this action film in which I have done some daring action scenes.” Gautham Menon has tweeted: 

It’s been exciting to film a complete action flick with my hero Varun who’s pulled off some stylish action sequences and is ready to do more. #Joshua Imai pol kaakha..
And this action wouldn’t have been possible without my stunt director Yannick Ben. Thank you team Joshua pic.twitter.com/REa6QjMCcL

— Gauthamvasudevmenon (@menongautham) November 2, 2019

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As per sources Gautham Menon has already completed the first schedule of Joshua in a hush-hush manner. Gautham, who sang a song in Varun’s Puppy, has been closely monitoring the young man. He also did a test shoot on Varun before he agreed to do the film.  The storyline has Varun playing a hitman and a bodyguard who has to look after and protect a high profile woman who comes to Chennai from London. Varun has been undergoing classes in martial arts in Paris from a Hollywood stunt director and his team. A teaser of Joshua has been made, which will be attached to Enai Noki Paayum Thota when it releases on 29 November.