The recently released crime thriller ‘The Dark Heaven’ stars Bigg Boss-fame actors Sidhu, Darshika and Rithvika, along with Pradeep, Vela Ramamurthy, Nizhalgal Ravi, Jayakumar, Arul D. Shankar, Sathya, Chaplin Balu, Gopal, Aarthi and others. The film is directed by Balaji, who previously directed D3. Cinematography is by Manikandan PK, editing by Raja Arumugam, and music by Sakthi Balaji. The film is produced by Kothai Entertainment and MS Swiss Film Factory.
Praised by the media as a different kind of crime thriller among recent releases, ‘The Dark Heaven’ has received a strong response from audiences and has emerged as a major success. The film’s success has also given renewed confidence to small-budget film producers.
Following the positive response, the number of theatres screening the film has been increased, and the movie continues its successful run. To celebrate this success and thank the media, the film’s team met the press under the banner, “Heartfelt thanks to the journalists who supported us in achieving this great success.”
The media interaction was held at Prasad Lab, Chennai.
Producer G. Dhananjayan
Speaking at the event, producer G. Dhananjayan congratulated the director and producers. He said he had watched the film six months before its release and felt that it had shaped up as a good thriller. He suggested that the film could receive a strong response if released on the right date.
He recalled that when the release date was discussed, he had pointed out that nine films were scheduled to release on the same day and that Mandadi was already performing well. However, director Balaji was confident about the chosen date.
Dhananjayan said that despite the competition, The Dark Heaven was running successfully, crediting the support from both the media and audiences. He described the film’s success as something worth celebrating, particularly at a time when audiences often tend to prefer big-budget films featuring major stars.
He also spoke about the difficulties faced by the production, noting that a substantial portion of the film had already been completed before the team decided not to continue with an actor and instead take the difficult decision to move forward differently. He said such a decision is not easy after considerable time and money have been invested.
He praised Sidhu for coming forward and committing himself to the film, and appreciated his performance.
Dhananjayan also stressed the importance of actors clearly discussing and finalising commitments before accepting films and then extending full cooperation during production. He suggested that the number of films releasing each week should be regulated so that films receive adequate theatrical space.
He also thanked PVR Cinemas for supporting the film and said that such support should continue for small-budget productions.
Director Balaji
Director Balaji described the occasion as an emotional moment. He recalled the difficult decision to set aside the earlier version of the film after 60–70% of the shoot had been completed.
He thanked producers Sharan and Gopal, saying they played an important role in bringing the film to the screen. He also thanked his wife, brother, family members, friends and entire team for standing by him.
Balaji appreciated actors Vela Ramamurthy, Jayakumar, Sidhu, Rithvika and Darshika for their support during the shoot. He said that some members of the team worked for long hours, while Sidhu travelled with him extensively as they worked on the film.
He expressed special thanks to cinematographer Manikandan PK, who had also worked with him on his first film and his upcoming project. He described their relationship as one where they could openly discuss differences and move on quickly.
He also praised editor Raja Arumugam for the challenging editing process involved in restructuring the film and combining newly shot material with the required portions.
Balaji said composer Sakthi Balaji had become like a member of his family. He expressed happiness that people were now discussing Sakthi Balaji’s music and said he believed the composer would achieve greater recognition.
Balaji credited Sharan and Gopal for making the film possible and thanked everyone who continued to work with confidence even when there were doubts about whether the film would be completed.
He added that he did not want to revisit old controversies while the film was successfully running. He clarified that the gathering was primarily organised as a thank-you meeting for the media, rather than a conventional success celebration. He said the team would soon meet the media again with major success and box-office details.
Actress Darshika
Actress Darshika said she strongly believes in the power of word-of-mouth publicity. She explained that positive comments can reach several people, while negative comments can spread even further.
She thanked the media for their initial response to the film, saying that many people had come to watch The Dark Heaven after hearing positive feedback.
Darshika said that when an actor does their first film, they should ideally be able to proudly call it their first film even many years later. She said ‘The Dark Heaven’ had given her that confidence and that she would always be proud to call it her first film.
Actress Rithvika
Actress Rithvika thanked producer G. Dhananjayan for attending and speaking at the event. She said that reviews and coverage from the media had reached audiences and contributed to the film’s theatrical performance.
However, she added that the team wanted the film to reach even more people. She noted that audiences on social media were also promoting the film through reels and other content.
Rithvika urged audiences to watch films in theatres rather than waiting for their OTT release, saying that the theatrical experience is important for the growth of cinema.
Actor Sidhu
Lead actor Sidhu thanked G. Dhananjayan for consistently supporting small films.
He said he had waited 14 years for a moment like this. Recalling his early days, he said he lived in a small room in Saligramam and went from one production company to another carrying photographs while searching for opportunities in cinema.
He spoke about the uncertainty of waiting for calls and watching people who had once approached the industry alongside him go on to become successful actors. He said he never felt jealous of their success, though there were times when he wondered when his own opportunity would arrive.
Sidhu said that seeing audiences fill theatres for The Dark Heaven in different places has been an extremely happy experience for him, as it was something he had dreamed about for many years.
Referring to a dialogue from Jigarthanda, he said cinema should be respected and loved, and that his own journey had shown him that cinema would not abandon someone who genuinely loves it.
He described The Dark Heaven as only the beginning and thanked everyone who had contributed to the celebration, particularly director Balaji, whom he credited as the key person behind the opportunity.
The Team
The event was also attended by cinematographer Manikandan PK, producers Sharan and Gopal, composer Sakthi Balaji, and actors including Vela Ramamurthy, Jayakumar, Aarthi, Sumithra, Pradeep, Vivek, Selva, Manoj, Alex and Danny.
The team expressed their gratitude to the journalists and audiences whose support contributed to the film’s theatrical run.
