# Charukesi (film)
**Charukesi** (சாருகேசி) is a 2026 Indian Tamil-language musical family drama directed by [Suresh Krissna](https://www.edgepedia.org/suresh-krissna) and adapted from Y Gee Mahendra's stage play of the same name, in which Mahendra plays a celebrated Carnatic (classical music tradition of [South India](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-india)) musician coping with Alzheimer's disease and a strained relationship with his son.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) The film was released in theaters on 12 June 2026, opened to mixed reviews, and began streaming on Prime Video in early July 2026.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) • [2](https://cinebuds.com/tamil-movies-digital-release-dates/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / source | Suresh Krissna; adapted from Y Gee Mahendra's eponymous stage play, with story by Venkat and screenplay by Krissna[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) |
| Release | Theatrical release 12 June 2026 in Tamil; U certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) • [3](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/search-result.php?recid=MDMwMzIzMTAyMDI1MDAwMTY%3D) |
| Lead cast | Y. G. Mahendran in the title role; Suhasini Maniratnam as his wife Bhagyam; Sathyaraj in a special appearance[4](https://arunvisualz.com/) |
| Music | Composed by Deva, with Shankar Mahadevan as the singing voice of Charukesi; dialogues and lyrics by Pa Vijay[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) |
| Production | Produced by R Arun under Suresh Krissna Productions Private Limited, Arun Visualz, and Madras Cine Production; distributed by E5 Entertainments[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) • [4](https://arunvisualz.com/) |
| Streaming | Available on Prime Video from 3 July 2026; a Telugu version followed in October 2026, with Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi audio also offered[2](https://cinebuds.com/tamil-movies-digital-release-dates/) • [5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/telugu/entertainment/tamil-musical-drama-charukesi-ott-release-amazon-prime-video-telugu-streaming-suhasini-261792060541702.html) |
| Reception | Mixed: 2.5/5 from The Times of India, 2.8/5 from Dinamalar, 6.0/10 on IMDb (433 votes)[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/charukesi/movie-review/131761786.cms) • [7](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/review/x/3781) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26654655/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The film follows Charukesi, a legendary Carnatic vocalist whose life changes after an Alzheimer's diagnosis. As his memory fades, family secrets surface and his fractured bond with his prodigal son is forced into the open; a stranger, played by [Sathyaraj](https://www.edgepedia.org/sathyaraj), advises him on how to build an enduring legacy. Music remains the character's last connection to the world and becomes the bridge to reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) • [9](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/TIRP/charukesi/ET00501956) The Times of India's review notes that the character lives by the saying "there are always two sides to a coin," and that the film builds his legacy through the memories and admiration of those around him.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/charukesi/movie-review/131761786.cms)
## Cast and crew
[Y. G. Mahendran](https://www.edgepedia.org/y-g-mahendran), a veteran playwright, actor, and director, plays the title role. [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/suhasini-maniratnam) plays his wife Bhagyam, Thalaivasal Vijay plays his friend, and the cast also includes Sathyaraj in a special appearance, [Samuthirakani](https://www.edgepedia.org/samuthirakani), Ramya Pandian, Raj Ayyappa, Jayaprakash, Sai Dheena, and YG Madhuvanthi, Mahendra's daughter, an actor and theater director.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) • [4](https://arunvisualz.com/) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/charukesi/movie-review/131761786.cms) • [10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Jun/07/charukesi-team-interview-people-are-rediscovering-ygm-through-youtube)
The technical crew combines music composer [Deva](https://www.edgepedia.org/deva-composer), Pa Vijay as dialogue writer and lyricist, cinematographer Sanjay, editor Richard, and playback singer [Shankar Mahadevan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shankar-mahadevan), whose voice the Cinema Express review credits with elevating the composer's Carnatic-style tunes.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film)
## From stage to screen
The adaptation carried personal weight for its lead. Y Gee Mahendra's own onscreen debut came in K Balachander's *Navagraham* (1970), itself adapted from the filmmaker's stage play; 56 years later he turned his own play into a film, returning as a lead for the first time in decades.[10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Jun/07/charukesi-team-interview-people-are-rediscovering-ygm-through-youtube) In the stage version, his character remains silent for the whole second half while audiences stayed engrossed, which director Suresh Krissna cited as a reason the story lent itself to film; he wrote the screenplay in three days. Rajinikanth loved the play, and Krissna said his initiative for a feature adaptation gave him confidence to proceed.[11](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Jun/21/suresh-krissna-rajinikanth-gave-me-the-confidence-to-adapt-charukesi)
Krissna described the subject as a human drama with real-life conflicts that could have belonged to anyone, with the protagonist's profession providing an extra excuse to use [Carnatic music](https://www.edgepedia.org/carnatic-music). He cited [K. Viswanath](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-viswanath)'s *Sankarabharanam* and Balachander's *Sindhu Bhairavi*, on which he had worked, as inspirations.[11](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Jun/21/suresh-krissna-rajinikanth-gave-me-the-confidence-to-adapt-charukesi)
## Music
Deva composed the score in a fully Carnatic style, and the Cinema Express review wrote that his "uniquely melodic tunes carry the film," aided by Shankar Mahadevan as the singing voice of Charukesi.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) Charukesi was the final film in Krissna's long collaboration with Deva, which began with *Annamalai* (1992) and spanned films in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi over 35 years.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Oct/17/exclusive-suresh-krissna-deva-sir-called-me-his-director-he-never-said-this-about-anyone-else)
## Release and reception
The teaser was unveiled in April 2026 with an announced release date of 8 May; the film ultimately reached theaters on 12 June 2026 and opened to mixed reviews.[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Apr/15/y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-charukesi-gets-release-date) • [1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film) The Central Board of Film Certification had issued a U certificate on 24 October 2025 for a certified length of 129.34 minutes, though streaming listings give longer runtimes, 146 minutes on IMDb and [BookMyShow](https://www.edgepedia.org/bookmyshow) and about 2h 8m on ZEE5.[3](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/search-result.php?recid=MDMwMzIzMTAyMDI1MDAwMTY%3D) • [8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26654655/) • [9](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/TIRP/charukesi/ET00501956) • [14](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/charukesi/0-0-1z51000896)
Critics were divided along the lines the film's own tagline suggests. The Times of India rated it 2.5/5, praising the detailed, caring depiction of Alzheimer's and the performances of Mahendran, Suhasini, and Thalaivasal Vijay, while criticizing a "serial-style" second half with repeated flashbacks and an over-explained divine character.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/charukesi/movie-review/131761786.cms) Dinamalar gave 2.8/5, describing the experience as attending a good classical music concert.[7](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/review/x/3781) Audience measures ran higher: IMDb recorded 6.0/10 from 433 votes, and BookMyShow showed 9.8/10 from more than 420 votes, with the most common review tags being #Wellmade, #Inspiring, and #SuperDirection.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26654655/) • [9](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/TIRP/charukesi/ET00501956)
The film premiered on Prime Video on 3 July 2026.[2](https://cinebuds.com/tamil-movies-digital-release-dates/) A Telugu-dubbed version quietly arrived on the platform in October 2026, with Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi audio also made available.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/telugu/entertainment/tamil-musical-drama-charukesi-ott-release-amazon-prime-video-telugu-streaming-suhasini-261792060541702.html) The producers submitted it for consideration in the [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards)' Best Feature Film, Best Actor, and Best Music Direction categories and targeted the Indian Panorama and IFFI Goa festival circuit with full English subtitles.[4](https://arunvisualz.com/)
## References
1. [Charukesi on OTT: When and where to stream Y Gee Mahendra-Suresh Krissna's film, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2026/Jul/05/charukesi-on-ott-when-and-where-to-stream-y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-film)
2. [Upcoming Tamil Movies OTT Release Dates 2026, Cinebuds](https://cinebuds.com/tamil-movies-digital-release-dates/)
3. [CBFC film search result: CHARUKESI, Tamil, U, certificate EI032410202500011](https://cbfcindia.gov.in/cbfcAdmin/search-result.php?recid=MDMwMzIzMTAyMDI1MDAwMTY%3D)
4. [Charukesi, official film site, Arun Visualz](https://arunvisualz.com/)
5. [OTT Tamil: Charukesi Telugu version on Amazon Prime Video, Hindustan Times Telugu](https://www.hindustantimes.com/telugu/entertainment/tamil-musical-drama-charukesi-ott-release-amazon-prime-video-telugu-streaming-suhasini-261792060541702.html)
6. [Charukesi Movie Review: A Melodious Tale That Struggles To Find Its Rhythm, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movie-reviews/charukesi/movie-review/131761786.cms)
7. [சாருகேசி review, Dinamalar Cinema](https://cinema.dinamalar.com/review/x/3781)
8. [Charukesi (2026), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26654655/)
9. [Charukesi (2026), BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/TIRP/charukesi/ET00501956)
10. [Charukesi team interview: 'People are rediscovering YGM through YouTube', Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Jun/07/charukesi-team-interview-people-are-rediscovering-ygm-through-youtube)
11. [Suresh Krissna: Rajinikanth gave me the confidence to adapt Charukesi, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Jun/21/suresh-krissna-rajinikanth-gave-me-the-confidence-to-adapt-charukesi)
12. [Suresh Krissna: Deva sir called me 'his director', Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2026/Oct/17/exclusive-suresh-krissna-deva-sir-called-me-his-director-he-never-said-this-about-anyone-else)
13. [Y Gee Mahendra-Suresh Krissna's Charukesi gets release date, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/news/2026/Apr/15/y-gee-mahendra-suresh-krissnas-charukesi-gets-release-date)
14. [Watch Charukesi Full Movie Online, ZEE5](https://www.zee5.com/global/movies/details/charukesi/0-0-1z51000896)
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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 › Indian films (individual works) › Tamil films of the 2020s › Tamil films of 2026 and upcoming*
*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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