Dhanush returns with his fourth directorial, Idly Kadai- an inspiring story of an idli vendor who seizes a life-changing opportunity that gives him a fresh start. Hitting theatres on 1st October, 2025.

About the movie

The story is about a modest idli vendor (Dhanush) who runs a small food joint called Sivanesan Idli Kadai. Coming from a humble background, he stumbles upon an unusual opportunity to train a boxer, which he grabs with both hands, making the most of this chance to get a head start in life. The film showcases his struggles, aspirations, and efforts to overcome challenges, make a name for himself, and earn respect and dignity in an ever-changing society. How he faces these challenges is a whole other story—one that you’ll have to watch unfold on the big screen on 1st October.

With his latest Indian Tamil-language film, Idly Kadai, Dhanush brings his fourth directorial venture to theatres after Pa Paandi, Raayan, and Nilavukku En Mel Ennadi Kobam. He also stars as one of the protagonists in the movie, alongside Nithya Menen. The film is expected to be an emotional story set in rural India, marking Dhanush’s 52nd film in his career. The two actors previously collaborated on Thiruchitrambalam, for which Nithya Menen won a National Award, and this marks their second project together.

Cast and Crew

The cast includes stellar actors such as Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Arun Vijay, Shalini Pandey, Prakash Raj, and Sathyaraj (popularly known as Kattappa from Baahubali), among many others.

A source involved in the project mentioned, “The chemistry between Dhanush and Shalini is going to be one of the highlights of Idli Kadai. Their pairing looks incredibly natural on screen, and the emotions they share, be it warmth, conflict, or quiet intensity, will strike a chord with the audience.” “They truly complement each other.”

Produced by Dawn Pictures, Red Giant Movies, and Wunderbar Films, the movie is written, directed, and co-produced by Dhanush along with Aakash Baskaran. Equally important is the behind-the-scenes crew, which features composer GV Prakash Kumar, cinematographer Kiran Koushik, editor Prasanna GK, and production designer Jacki.

Why Fans Have to Wait Longer For The Movie

Some fans expressed disappointment because the film was originally set for release on April 10th but was later postponed to October 1st. The main reasons were: firstly, to avoid a box-office clash with Ajith Kumar’s star-studded Good Bad Ugly; and secondly, because an important sequence-a musical number (10 per cent of the film) planned to be shot abroad, was yet to be filmed. Production delays and other constraints pushed the schedule, but the producers are determined to deliver the best version of the movie. Moreover, the new release date avoids major clashes, giving Idly Kadai more breathing room at the box office.

Aakash Baskaran of Dawn Pictures, in a conversation with a media channel quoted, “We need to shoot this in foreign. It is a combination scene that will have Nithya Menon, Arun Vijay sir, Rajkiran sir, Parthiban sir, Sathyaraj sir and all the actors. We couldn’t get common dates of all the artistes and that was the reason why we couldn’t shoot this combination sequence. We didn’t want to rush through as the film has come out really well,”