Maanaadu
Maanaadu () is a 2021 Indian Tamil-language science fiction action thriller film written and directed by Venkat Prabhu and produced by Suresh Kamatchi. The film stars Silambarasan, S. J. Suryah and Kalyani Priyadarshan alongside S. A. Chandrasekhar, Y. G. Mahendran, Karunakaran, Premgi Amaren, Aravind Akash and Anjena Kirti in supporting roles. The film's music and score is composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, with cinematography handled by Richard M. Nathan and editing done by Praveen K. L (in his 100th film). It revolves around an NRI and a police officer, who are trapped in a time loop, at the day of a public conference of the chief minister and forced to live the same day over and over again. The project was announced in July 2018, marking Prabhu's maiden collaboration with Silambarasan. During the extensive pre-production work, the producer ousted Silambarasan from the project in August 2019, citing his unprofessional behaviour, and the latter announced another project under the title Maghaa Maanaadu in that month, which he had dropped. The issue was resolved in November 2019, after Silambarasan agreed to allot his dates for the film. Filming began on 19 February 2020 at Chennai, following a preliminary announcement about the cast and crew. Despite shooting being affected twice due to the restrictions followed during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the makers wrapped the shooting of the film within July 2021, taking only 68 working days for shooting. It was filmed extensively in Chennai, with sporadic schedules taking place in Pondicherry, Yercaud and Hosur. Maanaadu was theatrically released worldwide on 25 November 2021. It received positive reviews from critics. The film was highlighted for the integration of the time-loop concept with commercial elements, with many publications calling it one of the best Tamil films of 2021. It was declared as critically and commercially successful at the box office. A sequel is confirmed by Venkat Prabhu with the main cast returning. Plot 
Abdul Khaliq, an NRI, is on his way via flight to Coimbatore from Delhi, to reach Ooty. He is going to help his friend Eswaramoorthy elope with his lover Zarina Begum on the day of her marriage with the help of their other friend Syed Basha. His co-passenger Seethalakshmi introduces herself as the groom's friend in Zarina's wedding. The next afternoon, they elope and escape from the wedding with the bride's family in pursuit after them. On the way to the registrar's office, an unknown man suddenly falls on their car and is severely injured. The man, Rafiq, is revealed to have been pursued by the cops headed by Inspector John. They are subsequently captured on the orders of DCP Dhanushkodi. Khaliq is forced by Dhanushkodi and John to attend a political gathering led by CM Arivazhagan and is instructed to shoot Arivazhagan with a pistol while Dhanushkodi threatens to kill his friends. Khaliq reluctantly shoots Arivazhagan. John shoots Khaliq dead in the ensuing chaos. Khaliq awakens only to find himself mid-flight earlier that day before he met Seethalakshmi. After attempting to help Eswaramoorthy elope again, he finds himself in the same spot where the police had previously accosted him. Khaliq is shocked to encounter Rafiq again, this time unscathed. Rafiq enters his car attempting to flee the police. The police catch up to them and Khaliq is shot dead by Dhanushkodi this time. Awaking mid-flight again, Khaliq attempts to avoid interacting with the police, but this time dies at the hands of Zarina's brother Mansoor. He finally realises that he is trapped in a time loop. Khaliq explains the matter to his friends and Seethalakshmi, who tells him about the stories of time looping and Ujjain's Kaal-Bhairav, the Hindu lord of time. Khaliq realises how he, having been born in Ujjain in Kaal-Bhairav's temple, might be behind the time loop (Khaliq looping at the same spot is the result of the aircraft flying over Ujjain at that moment) and that he has to clear a set objective to escape the loop. Khaliq begins investigating the political gathering once again and sees a cameraman shoot at Arivazhagan with a disguised sniper rifle. Using the time loop to his advantage, Khaliq locates the hitman and restrains him to prevent the assassination. However, Arivazhagan is killed in an IED bombing while leaving the gathering. Frustrated, Khaliq confronts Dhanushkodi and laments that Arivazhagan's assassination would lead to a dangerous religious riot and cause further societal conflict. Dhanushkodi, who has also been stuck in a time loop when his blood accidentally transfused into Khaliq as he was wounded in one of the previous loops, realises that Khaliq dying resets the time loop every time and prevents him from achieving his goal of causing a religious riot. Dhanushkodi is revealed to be working for Paranthaman, a veteran aide of Arivazhagan, who is unhappy with the nepotism inside his party. Paranthaman wants to get to power by assassinating Arivazhagan and Dhanushkodi expects to benefit from such a transfer of power by orchestrating the assassination. Khaliq is given a final warning by Dhanushkodi to stay away from his assassination and resets the loop. He attempts to warn Arivazhagan's son Mugilan of the impending assassination. In the process, he is captured by Paranthaman. Khaliq eventually figures out Tamizhvanan, a local Hindu figurehead already knew of Paranthaman's plans to assassinate Arivazhagan. Tamizhvanan was killed earlier that day. On knowing Arivazhagan and Tamizhvanan are close, Khaliq realises that he needs to save Tamizhvanan and get him to ask Arivazhagan to prevent the gathering. After many futile attempts and near-misses, Khaliq successfully kidnaps Tamizhvanan and convinces him about Arivazhagan's impending assassination. With his help, Khaliq manages to meet and convince Arivazhagan that an assassination was being planned by showing a video where Tamizhanan asks Arivazhagan to trust Khaliq. Arivazhagan confronts Paranthaman by acting like he is suffering from sudden palpitation. He is convinced that Khaliq is telling the truth after Paranthaman pleads for him to attend the conference. A fight ensure between Khaliq and Dhanushkodi. Mugilan is shot, but successfully warns their guards. Paranthaman attempts to suffocate Arivazhagan, but is killed by Khaliq. Dhanushkodi tries to kill Arivazhagan but Khaliq takes the bullet and saves him. Dhanushkodi is killed by the guards. Khaliq wakes up in the hospital, having seemingly ended his time loop. Arivazghan thanks Khaliq for saving his life and explains that Paranthaman's death was written off as a cardiac arrest for political reasons. Later, Seethalakshmi, having been convinced by Khaliq that he is a RAW agent, helps his friends in kidnapping Zarina and they all arrive at the hospital while being chased by Mansoor and his men. Khaliq stands up to face Mansoor, who wields his weapon at him. In the post-credits scene, Khaliq awakens to find the time loop has still not ended. 