With Suriya 39 and STR 40, Gnanavel Raja’s Studio Green goes back to producing tentpoles with big stars

Gnanavel Raja’s Studio Green has announced back to back biggies in Kollywood. The production house, which was instrumental in shaping the career of both Suriya and Karthi, made a lot of medium budget films last year but now, Gnanavel has decided to come back to his forte —producing biggies featuring leading stars. “Yes, we have two big budget films. The first one is the Tamil remake of Kannada super hit Mufti featuring STR and Gautham Karthik in the lead roles. Narthan, who made the original Kannada version, will be directing the remake and we also got Baahubali Tamil dialogue writer Madhan Karky on board," said Gnanavel. STR will be seen playing Shiva Rajkumar’s role in the Tamil version and Gautham will be seen as an undercover cop. [caption id=“attachment_6499511” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Suriya (L); STR. Image via Twitter[/caption] STR is currently in Bangkok where he is learning martial arts for his character in the political action entertainer Maanaadu with Mankatha director Venkat Prabhu. STR is expected to simultaneously shoot for both Maanaadu and the Tamil remake of Mufti. The actor also announced two films with filmmaker-turned-politician Seeman. Gnanavel says that the Tamil remake of Mufti will begin shooting on 20 May and he is eyeing to release the film by the end of this year. “We will be beginning Suriya sir’s big-budget mass entertainer with director Siva from June of this year. Siva’s regular technical crew members, who had worked in his recent blockbuster Viswasam, are on board for Suriya sir’s film. Vetri will be cranking the camera and Ruben is taking care of the cuts. But unlike Viswasam, this one will be set in the city backdrop," says the producer who is planning to release the film in early 2020. Studio Green also has Sivakarthikeyan-Nayanthara’s  Mr. Local, which will be hitting the screens on 17 May, and their rural entertainer Devarattam with Gautham Karthi, which is scheduled to release on 1 May. Gnanavel had produced many films with Suriya including Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, Singam, Massu Engira Maasilamani, Si3, and Thanaa Serndha Koottam. Sources in the industry say that as his upcoming three films including NGK, Kaappaan, Soorarai Pottrru will only target the elite crowd, the actor was keen on joining hands with a filmmaker who is good in attracting the audiences in smaller towns and villages. Earlier, Suriya used to collaborate with director Hari for such mass entertainers but the director is currently in poor form after the box office debacle of Saamy Square. Recently, Suriya is said to have seen Siva’s Viswasam, starring Thala Ajith, and expressed his interest in teaming up with the director. As Studio Green signed two films with Siva post the success of Siruthai, Suriya eventually asked Gnanavel to produce the film. Suriya is currently busy shooting for Sudha Kongara’s Soorarai Pottrru, the biopic of Air Deccan Founder GR Gopinath. Sudha has just finished the first schedule of the film and Suriya also has one song left in his magnum opus action adventure Kaappaan, directed by KV Anand of Ayan and Ko fame. As of now, Dream Warrior Pictures, the producers of Suriya’s political action entertainer NGK, confirmed that the film will be releasing on 31 May. Suriya plays a rebel politician named Nanda Gopalan Kumaran in NGK, which is being directed by maverick filmmaker Selvaraghavan. In the first look teaser of Kaappaan, the makers have confirmed that they are planning to release their film in August. Suriya plays a high-rank NSG officer safeguarding Mohanlal, who plays the Prime Minister in the film. Sources close to team Soorarai Pottrru says that they are eyeing to release the film by the end of this year or for Republic Day weekend in 2020.