Dhanush to play music maestro Ilaiyaraaja in biopic

Tamil superstar Dhanush is set to portray legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja in an upcoming biographical drama, which will be the first film to come out from a cinematic partnership between Connekkt Media and Mercuri Movies.

The partnership between the two production houses, which was announced on Friday, will span multiple mega-budget films, a release said.

The untitled film will chronicle the life and times of Ilaiyaraaja, who is regarded as one of India's greatest music composers.

In a career spanning more than five decades, Ilaiyaraaja has composed over 7,000 songs for more than 1,000 films and performed in over 20,000 concerts across the globe.

He was honoured with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour, in 2010 and later received the Padma Vibhushan in 2018, the second highest civilian honour.

The yet-untitled movie will start filming in October 2024 with the release slated for mid-2025.

According to the press release, the partnership between Mercuri Movies and Connekkt Media will open a whole new world of content creation in South cinema, besides streaming content, original content IPs, and other formats, and explore opportunities in the wholesome South entertainment business.

"The Indian Media and Entertainment industry is at a very important juncture, with the next two decades poised for amazing growth. As a national studio our partnership with Mercuri places us in a great position to deliver enthralling content to millions of fans in India and globally during this very exciting phase," said Varun Mathur of Connekkt Media.

Sriram Bakthisaran, MD & Group CEO, Mercuri, said the company is confident that its collaboration with Connekkt Media will further elevate the best practices and production standards being used in the business.

"In Connekkt Media, we not only have a trusted partner for this venture but also a clear and strong understanding of the entertainment industry and excellent relationships with various stakeholders in the industry," he added.