Allu Arjun–Lokesh Kanagaraj film announcement, Drishyam 3 release date, Sudha Kongara accusing Vijay fans - Top 5 South newsmakers of the day

January 14 turned out to be a vibrant day for South Indian cinema, packed with major announcements, updates, and developments. From exciting new collaborations to festive screenings and heated social media discussions, it was a busy day for both audiences and the industry. Here’s a roundup of the top happenings from the South film industry today.Allu Arjun officially revealed that Lokesh Kanagaraj will direct his next film, tentatively titled ‘AA 23’ (also referred to as ‘LK7’), on the occasion of Bhogi, ahead of Makar Sankranti. The announcement of this much-anticipated collaboration sent social media into a frenzy. An announcement video also confirmed that Anirudh Ravichander will compose the film’s title track, 23. The shooting is slated to begin towards the end of this year. While the genre and storyline remain under wraps, the secrecy has only added to the excitement, making ‘AA 23’ one of the most anticipated films of the year. The makers of ‘Drishyam 3’ have officially announced the film’s theatrical release date, sparking speculation about its OTT debut. The film is set for a worldwide theatrical release on April 2, while the OTT release date is yet to be revealed. Given the strong digital response to ‘Drishyam 2’, it is expected that the third instalment will premiere on an OTT platform a few weeks after its theatrical run. However, no official announcement has been made regarding the streaming platform or release timeline.Filmmaker Sudha Kongara has alleged that her upcoming film ‘Parasakthi’ is facing a systematic social media backlash from fans of Vijay, following the postponement of updates related to his film ‘Jana Nayagan’. In a recent interview, she stated that the disappointment over the delay has translated into online character assassination and targeted attacks against her project. She criticised faceless smear campaigns and social media mobs, calling them harmful to the film fraternity. Sudha urged for a culture of collaboration and healthy competition, where professional setbacks are not used to undermine others’ work.Ram Charan was spotted at a Hyderabad theatre watching his father Chiranjeevi’s Sankranti release, ‘Mana Shankara Vara Prasad Garu’, along with family members and well-wishers. Fans greeted the actor warmly upon his arrival. Videos from the screening showed Ram Charan interacting with people associated with the film and posing for photographs. His presence at the screening highlighted the strong family support for Chiranjeevi’s film.Actor Devan and his wife Dhanya announced that they are expecting their second child through a New Year post on Instagram. Dhanya is reportedly around six months pregnant, and the couple’s announcement was met with warm wishes from fans and industry colleagues.