# Aranmanai 3 (அரண்மனை 3)
**Aranmanai 3** (அரண்மனை 3) is a 2021 Indian Tamil-language comedy horror film directed and written by [Sundar C.](https://www.edgepedia.org/sundar-c), the third installment of the [Aranmanai](https://www.edgepedia.org/aranmanai) franchise that began in 2014.[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3) It stars Arya, Raashi Khanna, and Sundar C. himself, with [Andrea Jeremiah](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrea-jeremiah), Vivek, Yogi Babu, Sakshi Agarwal, and an ensemble supporting cast, and was produced by Khushbu under the banner Avni Cinemax.[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3) • [2](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/cast-crew.html) The film released in theaters on 14 October 2021 and streamed on Zee5 from 12 November 2021.[3](https://www.moviebuff.com/aranmanai-3) • [4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/aranmanai-3/ott.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Sundar C., who also acts in the film as Ravi[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3) • [5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) |
| Theatrical release | 14 October 2021, timed to the Ayudha Puja festival season[3](https://www.moviebuff.com/aranmanai-3) • [6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/story.html) |
| Lead cast | Arya (Saravanan), Raashi Khanna (Jyothi), Sundar C. (Ravi), Andrea Jeremiah (Eshwari)[5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) |
| Key crew | Music C. Sathya; cinematography U.K. Senthil Kumar; editing Fenny Oliver[2](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/cast-crew.html) |
| Production | Avni Cinemax and Benzz Media; distribution by Red Giant Movies[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3) • [5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) |
| Runtime and certification | 156 minutes; certified U/A in India[2](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/cast-crew.html) |
| Box office | A 22-crore INR budget against a reported 50-crore INR gross; ranked sixth among the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2021[5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) • [7](https://tiger-security.net/webroot/upload/files/30affa98-2393-4f38-9672-26ec56f91845.pdf) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story follows Jyothi, who is haunted by an unknown spirit in her childhood before her father sends her to a boarding school.[5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) Years later, when she returns home, she finds that the same spirit is haunting a relative, and she decides to uncover the spirit's connection with her family, summoning priests to exorcise the place.[5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) Andrea Jeremiah plays Eshwari, the spirit at the center of the story.[5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888)
A Malaysian synopsis adds the framing device: when the secret chambers of the revered temple of Nachiyarpuram were opened after more than two decades, a string of mysterious events and deaths began in the city, and Jyothi, joining forces with Ravi to investigate, discovers that her late mother's spirit may have possessed Saravanan, her admirer.[8](https://www.cinema.com.my/movies/details.aspx?search=2021.16502.aranmanai3.32636)
### Place in the franchise
Aranmanai 3 follows *Aranmanai* (2014) and *Aranmanai 2*, continuing the series' formula of a palace setting, many characters, and a balance of horror, humor, and divine intervention that director Sundar C. has described as fixed and untamperable.[6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/story.html) • [14](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2024/Apr/29/good-comedy-is-not-always-well-appreciated-director-actor-sundar-c) Sources differ on the second film's release year: TamilMDb and one review place it in 2016, while Dinamalar and a Filmibeat story place it in 2018.[15](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/6733/2021-aranmanai-3) • [16](https://www.heronewsonline.com/aranmanai3-movie-review/) • [11](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/news/kollywood/x/100571) • [6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/story.html)
Two production facts distinguish this entry. It was the first film in the series not to feature [Hansika Motwani](https://www.edgepedia.org/hansika-motwani); Andrea Jeremiah, who had appeared in the first installment, was signed instead.[9](https://www.netflixmovies.com/aranmanai-3-2021) Sundar C. later said that after Aranmanai 3 he felt some stagnation with the formula, and that the first three installments centered vengeance on a personal angle, a structure he changed for *Aranmanai 4* (2024) by introducing an external dark spirit.[17](https://www.ottplay.com/interview/director-sundar-c-interview-only-aranmanai-4-will-decide-the-fate-of-the-fifth-instalment/ad4e701b40554) • [14](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2024/Apr/29/good-comedy-is-not-always-well-appreciated-director-actor-sundar-c) The franchise continued with *Aranmanai 4* in 2024, and an *Aranmanai 5* has been announced among upcoming Tamil franchise films.[15](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/6733/2021-aranmanai-3) • [18](https://tfapa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/TRADE-GUIDE_MAY-2026-PRINT-FILE.pdf)
## Cast and production
**Principal roles.** Arya plays Saravanan, Raashi Khanna plays Jyothi, Sundar C. plays Ravi, Vivek appears as Sigamani, and [Yogi Babu](https://www.edgepedia.org/yogi-babu) plays Abhishek.[5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) The supporting cast includes Sampath Raj, Vincent Asokan, Manobala, Nalini, Sakshi Agarwal, Maina Nandini, Oviya Pandarkar, Vela Ramamoorthi, Madhusudhan Rao, Chitra Lakshmanan, and Amit Bhargav, with Hariharan and [Shankar Mahadevan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shankar-mahadevan) in special appearances.[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3) • [2](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/cast-crew.html) • [3](https://www.moviebuff.com/aranmanai-3)
**Crew.** Sundar C. wrote the story, with Venkat Raghavan handling the screenplay and dialogue.[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3) C. Sathya composed the music, U.K. Senthil Kumar was the cinematographer, and Fenny Oliver edited the film.[2](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/cast-crew.html) Khushbu Sundar produced through Avni Cinemax, with Benzz Media as co-studio and [Red Giant Movies](https://www.edgepedia.org/red-giant-movies) as distributor.[1](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3) • [5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888)
Production scale was concentrated in the climax: more than ₹20 million (₹2 crore) was spent building the set for the climax sequence, which was shot over 16 days with 200 background workers.[9](https://www.netflixmovies.com/aranmanai-3-2021) The film was shot during the COVID-19 pandemic under strict safety protocols on set.[10](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies/80696-aranmanai-3-2021)
## Release and streaming
The film released in theaters on 14 October 2021, with wide releases in India, the [United Arab Emirates](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-arab-emirates), and Singapore on the same date.[3](https://www.moviebuff.com/aranmanai-3) A Dinamalar report dated 5 November 2021 noted that the film had reached theaters the previous month and would begin streaming on the Zee5 OTT platform from the 12th, following Zee5's releases of *Malaysia to Amnesia*, *Tick Tock*, and *Vinodhaya Sitham*.[11](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/news/kollywood/x/100571) Filmibeat lists the OTT release date as 12 November 2021 on Zee5.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/aranmanai-3/ott.html) The film later also streamed on VI Movies and TV.[10](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies/80696-aranmanai-3-2021)
## Box office and reception
Zee5's informational page describes the film as a 22-crore INR budget movie that grossed 500 million (50 crore) INR at the box office, more than double its budget.[5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888) A year-end ranking of 2021 Tamil films places Aranmanai 3 sixth by worldwide gross, at 510 million (51 crore; equivalent to about 570 million (57 crore) or US$6.8 million in 2023).[7](https://tiger-security.net/webroot/upload/files/30affa98-2393-4f38-9672-26ec56f91845.pdf)
Critical reception was negative. The Cinema Express review, titled "The horror-comedy genre is dead," rated the film 1.5 out of 5 and argued that it offered no new ideas, repeating the franchise's template of a haunted mansion, an exploitative flashback, and a closing prayer that resolves the plot.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2021/Oct/14/aranmanai-3-movie-reviewthe-horror-comedy-genre-is-dead-27273.html) A trade retrospective later described *Aranmanai 3* as not scoring well at the box office, in contrast to the franchise's next installment.[13](https://tfapa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/trade-guide-jan-2025_07.01.25_compressed-1.pdf)
## References
1. [அரண்மனை 3, Tamilar Wiki](https://tamilar.wiki/w/%E0%AE%85%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%88_3)
2. [அரண்மனை 3 Cast & Crew Details, Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/cast-crew.html)
3. [Aranmanai 3, Moviebuff.com](https://www.moviebuff.com/aranmanai-3)
4. [Aranmanai 3 OTT Release Date, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/movies/aranmanai-3/ott.html)
5. [Watch Aranmanai 3 (2021) on Zee5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/aranmanai-3/0-0-1z535888)
6. [அரண்மனை 3 கதை, Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/movies/aranmanai-3/story.html)
7. [List of Tamil films of 2021 with 2021 worldwide gross rankings](https://tiger-security.net/webroot/upload/files/30affa98-2393-4f38-9672-26ec56f91845.pdf)
8. [Aranmanai 3, cinema.com.my](https://www.cinema.com.my/movies/details.aspx?search=2021.16502.aranmanai3.32636)
9. [Aranmanai 3 (2021), NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/aranmanai-3-2021)
10. [Aranmanai 3 (2021), GudVibe](https://www.gudvibe.app/movies/80696-aranmanai-3-2021)
11. [ஓடிடியில் வெளியாகிறது அரண்மனை 3, Dinamalar Cinema](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/news/kollywood/x/100571)
12. [Aranmanai 3 Movie Review: The horror-comedy genre is dead, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2021/Oct/14/aranmanai-3-movie-reviewthe-horror-comedy-genre-is-dead-27273.html)
13. [Tamil Cinema Trade Guide, January 2025, TFAPA](https://tfapa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/trade-guide-jan-2025_07.01.25_compressed-1.pdf)
14. [Good comedy is not always well appreciated: Director-actor Sundar C, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2024/Apr/29/good-comedy-is-not-always-well-appreciated-director-actor-sundar-c)
15. [Aranmanai 3 (2021), TamilMDb](https://www.tamilmdb.com/movie/6733/2021-aranmanai-3)
16. [அரண்மனை 3 – விமர்சனம், heronewsonline.com](https://www.heronewsonline.com/aranmanai3-movie-review/)
17. [Director Sundar C Interview, OTTPlay](https://www.ottplay.com/interview/director-sundar-c-interview-only-aranmanai-4-will-decide-the-fate-of-the-fifth-instalment/ad4e701b40554)
18. [Tamil Cinema Trade Guide, May 2026, TFAPA](https://tfapa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/TRADE-GUIDE_MAY-2026-PRINT-FILE.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Horror and slasher series film entries › 2020s releases*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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