Dhanush's much-awaited 56th film, currently referred to as D56, officially began its journey with a grand pooja ceremony at the Maranadu Karuppanasamy Temple near Tiruppachethi in Sivaganga district on Friday, September 25.
The traditional ceremony marked the start of the film's shooting and brought together Dhanush, director Tamizharasan Pachamuthu, cast and crew, and a large gathering of fans.
The launch became more than a routine film pooja, with hundreds of fans turning up at the temple to catch a glimpse of Dhanush.
The atmosphere around the temple turned festive as the actor arrived for the ceremony, and organisers also arranged a traditional Kida Virunthu for those gathered.
Reports from the venue said Dhanush also offered an 18-foot-long sickle to Karuppanasamy, adding a distinctly local, traditional touch to the film's launch.
Key Details About D56
The movie is written and directed by Tamizharasan Pachamuthu, who is fresh off the monumental success of his debut directorial feature, Lubber Pandhu.
Sithara Entertainments, Srikara Studios, and Primark Productions are producing it jointly.
Moving away from standard commercial cinema, D56 is being designed as a raw, gritty and uncompromised violent action piece specifically targeting an 'A' certificate.
Dhanush steps into the shoes of a ferocious, low-profile gangster navigating a dark underworld.
Star-studded Cast
Dhanush
Vadivelu
S.J. Suryah
Preity Mukhundhan
Vijay Kumar
Breakout music sensation Sai Abhyankkar is composing the soundtrack and background score.
The film is heavily set against the backdrop of Madurai and its surrounding regions.
Dhanush 56 Officially Gets Underway
The D56 development itself had an interesting beginning.
Earlier, Dhanush's 56th film was associated with director Mari Selvaraj, following the success of their collaboration, Karnan.
However, because the project with Mari Selvaraj required considerable pre-production work, Pachamuthu's film moved up in the schedule and became Dhanush's 56th film instead.
Dhanush effectively confirmed the change in March after Pachamuthu posted about beginning the location recce for D56.
The change naturally generated considerable discussion among Dhanush fans because the actor and Mari Selvaraj had already established a strong working relationship.
The Mari Selvaraj project has not disappeared; it is understood to be a separate film that is expected to be made after the necessary preparation.
The Camera Controversy At The Temple
A separate incident involving the use of a cinema camera inside the temple premises attracted attention on social media.
According to reports, a temple staff member objected when someone brought a camera into the premises to record the pooja, reportedly citing restrictions on filming inside the temple.
The exchange was subsequently circulated online and became part of the discussion surrounding the launch.
This should be viewed as a reported dispute surrounding filming at the venue, rather than as a broader controversy involving the film's story or content.
Dhanush subsequently addressed the crowd and kept his remarks focused on the ceremony and the fans, rather than turning the incident into a larger issue.
The Past Misunderstanding Cleared
During the movie's grand launch, comedy legend Vadivelu took the microphone and made a candid statement that quickly became the biggest talking point of the event.
For years, fans wondered why Dhanush and Vadivelu, two Kollywood powerhouses, had never shared the screen.
Addressing the long gap directly, Vadivelu said external third parties kept them apart.
"After a very long gap, I have finally gotten the opportunity to work with Dhanush sir.
You might ask why it took us so long to collaborate. It is because a third person created a misunderstanding between us.
In our field, people love to strike a match and light fires between actors. For us, they practically threw a whole torch of fire to keep us separated.
D56 Now Moves Into Shooting
After months of recce work, casting reports, title speculation and schedule changes, D56 has finally crossed an important milestone.
The pooja at Maranadu Karuppanasamy Temple has served as the film's formal beginning, with Dhanush and the team seeking blessings before moving into production.
The gathering also gave fans their first major chance to see several team members together.
