It has been 35 years since the late actor Murali became the silver-screen symbol of unrequited love for Tamil society. His film, Idhayam, co-starring Heera, told the story of the tribulations that a man experiences in pursuing his love for a college mate. Even though the idea of romance and unrequited love has since changed in life and on screen, Idhayam has continued to blaze in our hearts thanks to Ilaiyaraaja’s stellar album. And now, in 2026, ‘Idhayam Murali’ is once again promising to steal our hearts — and no, we are not talking about a re-release.Murali’s son and popular actor Atharvaa is headlining the coming-of-age film, Idhayam Murali, helmed by producer-director Aakash Baskaran. Starring as the female leads of the film are Kayadu Lohar, Preity Mukhundhan, and Niharika NM.
A still from ‘Idhayam Murali’
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Special Arrangement
Excerpts:Preity MukhundhanPreity Mukhundhan plays one of the love interests of the protagonist. “It’s a coming-of-age film about the life of a shy boy, how he goes about his life, the people he meets, and the people he falls in love with,” says Preity, adding how her character travels throughout the story. “She is smart, speaks her heart out, and stands up for herself,” she adds.The actor notes how producer-director Aakash ensured the whole process was collaborative, especially since the film boasts an extensive ensemble — featuring in the supporting roles are Fahadh Faasil, Natty, Thaman, Anju Kurian, and acclaimed YouTubers Rakshan, Dravid, Angeline, and Sudhakar. “Right at the beginning, he told us that this project would be collaborative. And just like the tone of the film, the way he directed us was also very breezy.” A sign of a mature filmmaker, Aakash also allowed his actors to discover their characters and find rapport with the other actors, “because a lot of it is about the chemistry and the dynamics between these different characters,” Preity says.
