“Aranmanai 4” (transl. Palace 4) is a 2024 Indian Tamil-language comedy horror film directed by Sundar C, who co-wrote the screenplay with Venkatt Ragavan and S. B. Ramadass. The film is produced by Khushbu Sundar’s Avni Cinemax and A. C. S. Arun Kumar’s Benzz Media (P) Ltd. Sundar C stars in the lead role, supported by an ensemble cast including Tamannaah Bhatia, Raashii Khanna, Ramachandra Raju, Santhosh Prathap, Kovai Sarala, Yogi Babu, VTV Ganesh, and Delhi Ganesh. As the fourth installment in the Aranmanai film series, it features music by Hiphop Tamizha, with cinematography by E. Krishnasamy and editing by Fenny Oliver.
“Aranmanai 4” was released theatrically on 3 May 2024, receiving mixed to positive reviews from critics. The film grossed over ₹100 crore, becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise and one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2024.
| Directed by | Sundar C |
|---|---|
| Written by | Sundar C, Venkatt Ragavan, S. B. Ramadass |
| Screenplay by | Sundar C, Venkatt Ragavan (additional) |
| Story by | Sundar C |
| Produced by | Khushbu Sundar, A. C. S. Arun Kumar |
| Starring | Sundar C, Tamannaah Bhatia, Raashii Khanna |
| Cinematography | E. Krishnasamy |
| Edited by | Fenny Oliver |
| Music by | Hiphop Tamizha |
| Production companies | Avni Cinemax, Benzz Media (P) Ltd. |
| Distributed by | Asian Suresh Entertainment LLP (Telugu), Baweja Studios, Kaarmic Films (Hindi) |
| Release date | 3 May 2024 |
| Running time | 147 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
| Budget | ₹35 crore |
| Box office | est. ₹100 crore |
Cast:
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Sundar C | Adv. Saravanan |
| Tamannaah Bhatia | Selvi, Saravanan’s younger sister |
| Raashii Khanna | Dr. Maya |
| Ramachandra Raju | The samiyar (sage) |
| Santhosh Prathap | Santhosh, Selvi’s husband |
| Kovai Sarala | Saravanan’s aunt |
| Yogi Babu | A mestiri (mason) |
| VTV Ganesh | The carpenter |
| Delhi Ganesh | The zamindar, Maya’s grandfather |
| Jayaprakash | Varatha Rajan SV, village president |
| Fredrick Johnson | Ravi, Varatha Rajan’s son |
| Rajendran | Rathnam |
| Singampuli | Constable Shakthivel |
| Deva Nandha | Shakthi, Selvi’s daughter |
| Sanjay | Saravanan Jr |
| Lollu Sabha Seshu | The zamindar’s servant |
| Vichu Vishwanath | The money lender |
| Yatin Karyekar | The priest |
| Namo Narayana | K. Duraipandi |
| Kalyani | Selvi, Duraipandi’s daughter |
| Harsha Harish | The priest’s daughter |
| Cameo Appearance | |
| K. S. Ravikumar | DSP Jagadeesan |
| Khushbu Sundar | In the song “Amman” |
| Simran | In the song “Amman” |
Production:
In mid-January 2023, Vijay Sethupathi was initially chosen for the lead role in the fourth installment of the Aranmanai film series, directed by Sundar C. However, due to scheduling conflicts, Sethupathi had to step down, and Sundar took on the lead role himself. Later, in March 2023, Raashii Khanna and Tamannaah Bhatia were selected as the female leads. Santhosh Prathap secured a pivotal role, joining Kovai Sarala, Yogi Babu, VTV Ganesh, Delhi Ganesh, Rajendran, and Singampuli. In the Telugu dubbed version, Vennela Kishore and Srinivasa Reddy replaced Yogi Babu and VTV Ganesh. Additionally, Sundar reunited with Hiphop Tamizha for the project. Principal photography began in March 2023 and concluded by mid-September.
Release:
Initially planned for a worldwide theatrical release in mid-January 2024, during the Pongal week, “Aranmanai 4” was rescheduled for Republic Day. Subsequently, it was postponed to 11 April, then to 26 April, before finally hitting theaters worldwide on 3 May 2024, along with the Telugu version titled “Baak.” The Hindi release is slated for 31 May 2024.
Originally hitting theaters in May 2024, ‘Aranmanai 4’ reportedly amassed an impressive ₹100 crore within its first week at the domestic box office, surpassing its approximate ₹35 crore budget. The film features music composed by Hiphop Tamizha.
