The teaser launch event of Dark, starring Ajay Karthi and directed by debutant Kalyan K. Jagan, was held in Chennai.
Produced by A.P.V. Maran, Ganesh K. Babu, and Five Star Creations’ K. Senthil, the film is a horror thriller written by Dada fame director Ganesh K. Babu. The cast includes Ajay Karthi, Anjana Nethran, Natti Nataraj, K. Bhagyaraj, Cibi Chakravarthi, VTV Ganesh, Aravind, Sahul, Naren, and others. Ravi Sakthi has handled cinematography, while Manu Ramesan has composed the music.
The event was attended by directors Pa. Ranjith, Karthik Yogi, Vignesh Karthick, Maran Karthikeyan, and actors Gautham Karthik, Rio, Kalaiyarasan, T. Siva, Five Star Kathiresan, Kamalakannan, and Five Star Kalyanam.
Producer Manimaran described Dark as a psychological horror thriller comparable to the kind of thrillers commonly seen in Malayalam and international cinema. He expressed confidence that Ajay Karthi would emerge as one of Tamil cinema’s important new heroes.
Producer T. Siva praised the trailer for feeling fresh and different, noting that audiences today are looking for originality and new storytelling styles.
Actor Rio said that psychological thrillers appeal not only to thriller fans but also to family audiences who enjoy watching suspenseful films together. He wished the team success and appreciated their effort in bringing such a film to Tamil cinema.
Actor Natti Nataraj revealed that when Ganesh K. Babu narrated the story, he initially expected a family drama but was surprised to hear a thriller script instead. Though he had doubts about newcomer Ajay Karthi handling the role, he was impressed after watching the completed film and praised Ajay’s performance.
Director Pa. Ranjith said that Ajay Karthi’s screen presence looked strong in the trailer and expressed confidence that audiences would enjoy the film. He also praised Ganesh K. Babu for becoming a producer and introducing new directors from among his assistants.
Speaking about the industry, Ranjith said that identifying talent and giving opportunities to newcomers is important but also involves significant risk. He emphasized that producing films is never easy because producers constantly worry about whether their investments will be recovered.
He added that small-budget films are increasingly finding success and attracting audiences to theatres. According to him, just as Tamil Nadu’s political landscape has undergone change, Tamil cinema is also witnessing a shift, with smaller films gaining recognition and drawing crowds. He cited the success of recent films and said that theatres remain democratic spaces where good content can still succeed.
Actress Anjana Nethran, who makes her debut through Dark, expressed gratitude for getting the opportunity to act alongside established artists like K. Bhagyaraj, Natti Nataraj, and VTV Ganesh. She described Ajay Karthi as a hardworking and humble co-star and thanked the producers and director for believing in her.
Actor Gautham Karthik praised the trailer, visuals, and writing of the film. He predicted that the movie would be a major success and described Ajay Karthi as Tamil cinema’s new “chocolate boy,” complimenting his screen charm and performance.
Ajay Karthi called Dark more than just a film, saying it was a learning experience that taught him the fundamentals of cinema. He thanked producers A.P.V. Maran and Ganesh K. Babu for supporting newcomers and making an experimental psychological horror thriller.
He also thanked producer Five Star K. Senthil, who is his father, for eventually supporting the project despite initial concerns about introducing his son through a serious horror film. Ajay described director Kalyan K. Jagan as calm, resourceful, and capable of handling challenges effectively on set.
According to Ajay, Dark is designed as an experimental psychological horror thriller that aims to offer audiences a fresh and unpredictable cinematic experience. He urged viewers to watch the film in theatres and share their opinions on social media.
Director Kalyan K. Jagan expressed gratitude to Ganesh K. Babu for giving him his first opportunity as a director. He said that both he and Ajay Karthi were newcomers and learned together throughout the filmmaking process. He also thanked the cast and crew for their support.
Producer Ganesh K. Babu delivered an emotional speech about his long journey toward becoming a filmmaker. He recalled deciding at the age of 13 that he wanted to become a director and spending years studying, working as an assistant director, making short films, and creating music videos before finally achieving success with Dada.
He revealed that Dark was his way of thanking the friends and collaborators who had supported him without expecting anything in return. He also mentioned that the story was originally conceived with actor Dhanush in mind but that Ajay Karthi ultimately won everyone over with his dedication and performance.
Ganesh shared an incident from the climax shoot where Ajay insisted on doing one more take even after the director was satisfied. Initially annoyed, Ganesh later realized that the additional take became one of his favorite shots in the film. He said that this experience taught him to trust actors who genuinely believe they can improve a scene.
The film features music by Manu Ramesan, cinematography by Ravi Sakthi, editing by Kathiresh Alagesan, art direction by Shanmugaraja, action choreography by Knife Naren, and songs by Yugabharathi, Vivek, and Ganesh K. Babu. The music label is Think Music. Dark is expected to release soon in theatres.
