South Indian cinema has an exciting list of films set for theatrical release this week. If you’re wondering what to watch, here’s a list of upcoming releases.
8 South films to watch in theaters this week
1. Jet Li
- Mould: Satya, Riya Singha, Vennela Kishore, Viva Harsh, Kabir Duhan Singh
- Director: Ritesh Rana
- Style: action comedy
- Runtime: 2 hours 12 minutes
- Language: Telugu
- Release date: 8 May 2026
Jet Li follows a passenger flight carrying fugitive billionaire Prajapati that turns into chaos when mercenaries and secret agents clash in the air. Amidst the chaos, Special Agent Shivani Roy fights for control, while in the plane’s bathroom a mysterious man awakens with no memories and a deadly secret hidden within him.
2. Godari Gattupaina
- Mould: Sumanth Prabhas, Nidhi Pradeep, Jagapathi Babu, Sudarshan, Raj Kumar Kasireddy, Viva Raghav
- Director: Subash Chandra
- Style: romantic comedy
- Runtime: 2 hours 25 minutes
- Language: Telugu
- Release date: 8 May 2026
Set in the picturesque villages of Godavari, Godaari Gattuppaina is the story of a kind-hearted auto driver and a spirited college girl who fall in love. However, their relationship is tested by her father’s expectations and unexpected challenges.
3. Ankam Atthaasam
- Mould: Madhav Suresh Gopi, Saiju KurupShine Tom Chacko, Maqbool Salman, Anna Rajan, Deepak Sivarajan
- Director: Sujit S. Nair
- Style: action thriller
- Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes
- Language: Malayalam
- Release date: 8 May 2026
Set in Thiruvananthapuram, Ankam Atthaasaam follows 24-year-old Ajay Chandran as he confronts his past while exploring the city’s underworld. Torn between loyalty, survival, and redemption, he faces shifting alliances and ruthless enemies in a fight not only for power, but also for his soul.
4. Operation D
- Mould: Rudresh Budnoor, Suhas Atreyas, Sneha Bhat, Inchara Bharatraj, Mahesh S Kali
- Director: Tirumalesh V
- Style: mystery adventure
- Runtime: 2 hours 29 minutes
- Language: Kannada
- Release date: 8 May 2026
Operation D is a tense thriller that focuses on the mysterious murder of a powerful man. As the investigation progresses, it reveals layers of deception, hidden motives and unexpected alliances, keeping the truth just out of reach until the final twist.
5. Dridam
- Mould: Shane NigamMathew Varghese, Dinesh Prabhakar, Nandan Unni
- Director: Martin Joseph Tharakunnel
- Style: investigation thriller
- Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes
- Language: Malayalam
- Release date: 8 May 2026
Dridam is the story of a young police officer tasked with solving a mystery in a quiet hill station, with events unfolding over an intense period of one week.
6. Day 11
- Mould: Ajith Kutty A, Swetha Abirami, Thamizh Bala
- Director: Sritika J
- Style: fantasy adventure thriller
- Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
- Language: tamil
- Release date: 8 May 2026
Day 11 is the story of five youngsters who become addicted to a mysterious fantasy game that fulfills every wish instantly. As reality begins to blur, a girl suddenly disappears and is presumed dead.
Realizing that there is truth in the game, others re-enter it to uncover its hidden rules. They soon discover that every wish comes at a price and they must make a painful sacrifice to bring her back, forever changed by the consequences of their wishes.
7. Manga Maiya
- Mould: Radhesh Shenoy, Prakash Shenoy, Akshat Amin, Prasanna Puttur, Nitin Agarwal
- Director: Prasad K.S.
- Style: suspense thriller
- Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes
- Language: Kannada
- Release date: 8 May 2026
Manga Maiya follows a lodge room boy who, pushed to the edge by humiliation and injustice, attempts to steal a stash of black money. However, he becomes trapped inside the building, causing his quest for revenge to turn into a major battle for survival.
8. 29
- Mould: Vidhu, Preeti Asrani, Mahendran, Avinash, Shehnaz Fatima
- Director: Ratna Kumar
- Style: romantic drama
- Runtime: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Language: tamil
- Release date: 8 May 2026
29 is a heart-touching story that explores love, emotions and identity, set against the age-old backdrop of romance in the pre-internet era.
The above mentioned movies are among the South Indian releases hitting the big screens this week.
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