3 min readHyderabadJul 6, 2026 03:59 PM IST
Actor-filmmaker Pradeep Ranganathan has added another role to a resume that already covers writer, director, actor and lyricist. On Monday, he announced his first film as producer, launching his own banner, PR Show, with a project tentatively called PRS1, and the announcement came with a twist nobody saw coming. The film will be written and directed not by one filmmaker but by six.
The directing collective, named The Alpha Unit, is made up of six of Pradeep’s former assistant directors: Vishal TR, Yash V, Naren Saoda, Chanakkiyan R, Dhanush Kumar and Ilamparithi. We have had writer duos and director pairs in Indian cinema, but six filmmakers jointly developing a screenplay and directing a film together is being described as a first of its kind experiment. The story, meanwhile, comes from Pradeep himself.
Announcing the project on his social media handles, Pradeep Ranganathan wrote, “‘PR Show’ it is. #PRS1 #PRNEXTWAVE. Written & Directed by The Alpha Unit. Banner: @prshowofficial. Story and Produced by: @pradeeponelife. A @SaiAbhyankkar Musical.”
Also Read: How Kamal Haasan skipped Rs 1.5 crore salary for Avvai Shanmugi and still made 3x profit
The casting reunites Pradeep with two of his recent collaborators, though both arrive in new positions. Mamitha Baiju, his co-star from Dude, plays the lead, while Ashwath Marimuthu, who directed him in Dragon, steps in front of the camera as an actor. The launch video opens with Mamitha hurling a blood-stained dagger at Ashwath, who catches it with a smile, and early reports suggest the film is a woman-led action entertainer in which her character takes on a police official, though the makers have not officially confirmed the storyline or genre.
Congratulating Pradeep on X, Ashwath wrote, “Congrats on your first production @pradeeponelife. Fly high! Happy to be a part.”
The ensemble also includes Sivaji Sontineni, Swasika and Lizzie Antony, with Anamika Mahi making her debut through the film. Music comes from Sai Abhyankkar, the young composer who has previously collaborated with Pradeep. The launch video introduced a promotional track titled “Aane Wala Star,” composed, sung and produced by Sai. Dinesh Purushothaman handles cinematography, Pradeep E Ragav takes charge of editing, Dinesh Kasi choreographs the stunts and Tapas Nayak handles sound mixing.
Story continues below this ad
Also Read: Jana Nayagan release update: CBFC sends new list of changes to makers, confirms producer
The move caps a remarkable few years for Pradeep Ranganathan, who broke through as a director with Comali and Love Today before his acting career took off with Dragon, Dude and this year’s Love Insurance Kompany, making him one of Tamil cinema’s most bankable young names. Handing his first production to six debutant directors is a gamble few first-time producers would take, but backing untested talent is how Pradeep himself got his start, and the announcement makes clear he intends to pay that forward. Further details, including the shooting schedule and release plans, are expected from the makers in the coming months.
Leave a Reply