Yash's ‘Toxic’ teaser lands in trouble, Mohanlal reclaims iconic ‘2255’ number, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan heap praise on Sivakarthikeyan’s ‘Parasakthi’: Top 5 South newsmakers of the day

January 13 turned out to be a busy day for South Indian cinema, with multiple announcements, controversies and star-driven developments unfolding one after the other. From a teaser landing in trouble and nostalgia-driven moments making headlines, to buzz around a big-ticket collaboration, a major release date announcement and industry legends praising a new film, the South film industry witnessed sharp developments across the spectrum.

Here’s a round-up of the stories that made headlines and kept audiences talking today.

‘Toxic’ teaser lands in trouble

The teaser of Yash’s upcoming Kannada film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups has sparked controversy, with a political party’s Women’s Wing filing a complaint with the Karnataka State Women’s Commission. As reported by NDTV, the complaint alleges that the teaser features “obscene visuals” unsuitable for public viewing and potentially harmful to women, children and minors.

The objection reportedly centres around a scene showing the accused entering a car with a woman, which the complainants claim outrages decency and cultural ethos.

Following the complaint, the issue has snowballed into a political row on social media, putting the teaser under intense scrutiny.

Mohanlal reclaims iconic ‘2255’ number

Actor Mohanlal recently revisited nostalgia by purchasing the iconic ‘2255’ number, which he famously popularised in the film Rajavinte Makan.

Reports suggest that the registration number KL-07 DJ 2255 was auctioned at the Ernakulam RTO and was acquired by Mohanlal for his new Innova Hycross. The actor reportedly bought the number for Rs 1.80 lakh, considering it lucky. The online auction saw three bidders, with the base price starting at Rs 10,000 before Mohanlal’s representative placed the winning bid.

The number holds sentimental value, having been one of his most memorable on-screen references and previously used on his vehicles as well.

Allu Arjun–Lokesh Kanagaraj film buzz grows

Buzz is growing around a reported collaboration between Allu Arjun and director Lokesh Kanagaraj for an upcoming film tentatively titled AA23, though an official announcement is still awaited. Industry tracker reports suggest that the film could go on floors by June or July 2026. There is also speculation that Lokesh Kanagaraj has been offered a massive Rs 75 crore pay cheque, signalling a significant jump in remuneration.

If the project materialises, it is expected to be among the costliest actor-director collaborations in recent Indian cinema history.

Vismaya Mohanlal’s ‘Thudakkam’ locked for Onam 2026 release

Vismaya Mohanlal is set to make her acting debut with Thudakkam, which has been locked for an Onam 2026 theatrical release. Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Jude Anthony Joseph, the film has already generated considerable excitement among cinephiles. Vismaya announced the release date and unveiled the film’s poster on her social media handle, Vismaya Thudakkam, creating a buzz online.

Thudakkam will clash with Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Khalifa during the festive season, setting up an interesting box-office battle.

Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan heap praise on Sivakarthikeyan’s ‘Parasakthi’

Sivakarthikeyan recently revealed that Rajinikanth watched Parasakthi and described it as a “fearless film”, adding that the second half was “super, super.” The actor also shared that Kamal Haasan viewed the film before its release and spent nearly five minutes praising it. According to Sivakarthikeyan, Kamal spoke more about Parasakthi than Amaran, a moment that reportedly left him emotional. Receiving appreciation from two of Tamil cinema’s biggest legends left the actor overwhelmed, and he admitted that the film had truly achieved its purpose.