South Buzz: Samantha’s ‘Shaakunthalam’ gets a release date; Sonalee Kulkarni signs ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’; Ajith’s ‘Thunivu’ trailer fails to defeat ‘Beast’

The New Year is upon us, and your South bee has some exciting news for our viewers! From Marathi actress Sonalee joining the cast of ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’ to Samantha’s ‘Shaakunthalam’ getting a release date, here are the biggest headlines. Monday is off to a great start in Tollywood as ‘Shaakunthalam’ has locked its release date. The epic love story starring Samantha and Dev Mohan will release on February 17. In M-Town, Mohanlal’s next ‘Malaikottai Vaaliban’ is moving at warp speed. Marathi actress Sonalee is the latest addition to the cast, and the film is expected to start rolling soon. For Kollywood and fans of Ajith, things are pretty glum as the trailer of ‘Thunivu’ didn’t go as expected. The trailer got around 25 million views in a day, however, couldn’t beat the response Vijay’s ‘Beast’ trailer received last year, which is more than 30 million! While buzzing around Sandalwood, your bee received a confirmation that actor Tilak Shekar has signed his next titled 'Dvandva', a political thriller with a sci-fi element. Helmed by debutant Bharath, the film revolves around a girl with hyperthymesia, and the story takes place between sunrise and sunset. Quiet experimental isn’t it? That’s all for today folks! Your bee will be back tomorrow with your daily scoop of South cinema.