Dulquer Salmaan and Kaantha director Selvamani Selvaraj grateful as film finds acceptance despite early controversies, ‘I was unsure how audiences would respond’

The bilingual period drama Kaantha, starring Dulquer Salmaan as T.K. Mahadevan, has finally arrived in cinemas. Released in Tamil and Telugu, the film is directed by Selvamani Selvaraj , best known for the documentary The Hunt for Veerappan. Set in 1950s Madras, the film has drawn significant attention due to speculation that it is inspired by the life of Tamil cinema legend Mayavaram Krishnasamy Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT)—a claim the makers have consistently denied. Before the film’s release, Bhagavathar’s family moved court, alleging that Kaantha portrayed the late superstar in a defamatory light without permission. They argued that though character names had been altered, audiences would still recognise real-life counterparts and that certain events had been inaccurately depicte